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Microsoft Outlines Game Room, 2010 Natal, And 3D Arkham Asylum

Project NatalCan you tell that there's an electronics trade show happening this week?  Microsoft has announced a few new things for its Xbox 360 console aimed at casual and core gamers alike.  The motion-control Project Natal has been confirmed for a release at the end of the year with formal branding, details, etc. expected for E3, but the big announcement (in terms of actual details available) has to be the new Game Room service in which players can buy classic arcade games (complete with Avatar-friendly cabinets).  Oh, and something about Batman: Arkham Asylum running in 3D.  1UP has the information:

Microsoft's keynote tonight at the Consumer Electronics Show confirmed some long-standing rumors of coming services for the Xbox 360. The big announcement of the night had to be the new "Game Room," which had been spotted in consumer surveys last year. The Game Room is a virtual arcade for Avatars to arrange and customize, featuring classic arcade games in models of their original cabinets. Konami, Atari, and Intellivision are on-board to support the service, and new games will be launching every week after the initial launch this spring. Arcade cabinets will cost between 240 and 400 Microsoft Points ($3-5), or can be played once for 40 MS Points (50 cents). 

The Batmantidbit is the most interesting part of the article to me, so of course there's not much information on it.  As for Game Room, sure, it's neat, but this isn't the first time we've seen arcade games on a modern download service, and seeing Avatars standing next to arcade cabinets doesn't do much for me (just as it doesn't do anything for me when it happens in Sony's PlayStation Home).  What I want is to get my hands on Project Natal and see how it works with some of the existing games used as demos as well as new material designed for the technology from the ground up.  I'm especially curious if its E3 demo area entry line will rival the Great Wii Stampede of 2006.  Hmm, I wonder if 3D Arkham Asylum is Natal-ready... 

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