Last week we reported the rumor that Microsoft’s upcoming Project Natal motion sense device was set for a November 2010 launch, along with a cheap £30-50 price tag.
Today, Microsoft has denied the rumors, claiming they are “not accurate.”
After launching the Xbox 360 autumn update with Facebook, Twitter, Last.fm and Zune Video, Xbox 360 UK president Neil Thompson was asked about the Natal launch day reports. “No. They weren’t accurate, they were rumours. I’ve got nothing more to say about it”.
Adding: “We’re still very much in the baking on Natal and there’s a lot of things to get decided on it.”
Xbox 360 head of Europe Chris Lewis added (speaking to GI.biz): “Now you know better than to listen to that stuff! We will announce in good time.”
Result for: rumour
According to an anonymous developer, the rumored WiiWare ‘threshold’ is real, but the press has misinterpreted the facts.
The so-called ‘threshold’ means that indie developers who create titles to sell via WiiWare have to sell a significant amount of the game to receive any revenue from Nintendo.
“I’m concerned this recent threshold news is generating an artificially negative wave of press. The spirit of the threshold was never to screw the developer - it was, as far as I can tell, a quality control mechanism to prevent the service from getting overrun with a bunch of crappy games,” says the source.
“Once the threshold is crossed, the developer is retroactively paid for every single unit sold below the threshold. I know there has been confusion on that point in the past.
“From the stats I’ve seen and heard developers report, the threshold is easily surpassed within the first day, or at least the first week, for many games.”
“I hear rumours within the dev community that Nintendo recognises a problem here, where occasionally an entirely legitimate game just doesn’t make it, and is looking for a way to make exceptions, to ensure small devs are paid even if the threshold is not reached. Just rumours though, so who knows.
“I just fear this is one of those things that sounds a lot more evil than it actually is,” concluded the source.
Result for: rumour
Thanks to an apparent leak by Amazon there is now some information available on the availability of Sony’s PlayTV add-on for the PlayStation 3.
The PlayTV will turn any PS3 into a “fully-fledged digital (or personal) video recorder.” Amazon has it with a July 31st release date and with a price tag of £59.99. The gadget will boast “dual TV tuners, so all current Freeview channels will be available, and offer a 7-day EPG.”
TV programming can then be recorded to the PS3s HDD and played back whenever you choose. Sony however, has denied official comment on the release date or price.
“We have yet to make an official announcement with regards to the release date and price of PlayTV in the UK, and we do not comment on rumour or speculation,” said a Sony spokesperson.
