Natal: “You know, for kids!”*
Totally Hardcore, Dude!1
While it’s possible I’m reading too much into this (roll w/ it, it’s Friday!), I just can’t help needling the ‘more hardcore than thou’ acolytes crowd that makes up the most vocal elements of the 360 fanbase and who can’t stand–like a vampire can’t stand sunlight or a fanboy can’t stand soap and hot water–that MS might try to cater to Mom, Dad and the whole horrible, post-nuclear, family:
Director of product management Aaron Greenberg confirmed the additional event on Twitter. The status update said; “Just one press conference on Monday morning, Sunday night is a ‘Project Natal’ experience, not a press conference.”
The clarification came as reporter Geoff Keighley revealed that he had been sent an invitation to “TWO press conferences. Natal on Sunday night, June 13. 360 on Mon Morning, June 14.” Keighley also said that the ‘Natal Experience’ will feature games for “all ages”, while the E3 conference itself will be “18+.”
Ruh-roh: “all ages”–isn’t that the devious code word that Nintendo fans (and execs) have been using since the Wii’s introduction? That its games are for “all ages” and how this is a super-awesome-amazing thing? (Honestly, it has its pros and cons.) And now MS is staging an “all ages” event? Connect the dots, fanboys!
Now i don’t trust Geoff Keighley any further than I can throw him (and I’m pretty strong, and he’s certainly not Jim Sterling-esque2 in scope, but it still isn’t that far), but the fact that Aaron Greenberg of MS didn’t correct him on the “all ages” aspect of Natal Night, leads me to one, wholly inescapable, conclusion:
NATAL IS FOR KIDS!
(And Mom! And Dad! And Uncle Milt! And all those other awful people that are ruining games!)
Cue (more) freaking out from MS fanboys that think the world is ending/the company is chasing Nintendo’s (long) tail in the much-maligned ‘casual’ market (cause, um, they are!) and how, indignity of indignities, even Mountain Dew has suddenly lost all its sweet, sweet flavor!
* H/T: The Coen Brothers
1 You know he’s hardcore because he has some awesome dreads! And no controller! And no kids/wife/parents/grandparents to be seen! And, if he did, he wouldn’t let them play his games! No way! Because games are HARDCORE! Like him!
2 Yup, I made fun of the fat guy–perhaps he could use a fast…or maybe just fewer Mallomars, but mostly just an ethics class.
