SEGA: Natal and PS Move will deliver on promises

Working on several games that we'll see by the end of 2010, early 2011.

With so many promises regarding great new motion controls from Sony and Microsoft, it's hard to believe everything the platform holders are saying is true, but SEGA of America and SEGA of Europe COO Mike Hayes believes PlayStation Move and Natal will deliver on most, if not all, promises.

"You can see the improvements in revised versions of what's come out. It's our point of view that most if not all of what's been promised on both is going to be delivered," Hayes told CVG.

Hayes also confirmed that SEGA has several titles in development using the new motion controllers, which we could see as soon as the end of 2010.

"We'll certainly be supporting both," he said. "We have several games on both [Move] and Natal that you will see from around the end of this year and into 2011."

"We asked our Japanese studio to create something for [Natal] which we'll show off at E3. They had a brilliant prototype up and running within six weeks. I mean a genuinely entertaining prototype you could just play."

However, Hayes believes Sony and Microsoft face a challenge in making sure the installed bases of their respective controllers reach set targets.

"The challenge for both first parties is to make sure the installed base of these devices is as high as they've claimed it will be.

"If you look at how many Xbox 360s or PS3s there are in Europe - let's say 12 million of each - if they get an attached rated of 12-and-a-half per cent with these [motion] devices, that's 2.5 million consumers for us to go after. If ten per cent of those buy our games, that's 250,000. How much money can you realistically spend on development for that audience?"

Hayes added that the key to driving the installed base forward will be through bundling the new controllers with consoles.

"But Microsoft and Sony are talking very big numbers. If they can achieve that, it will make these devices very viable. Could sales of Natal hit 50 per cent of those current installed base? We think the price point will be very attractive. 360 has a long way to go with a lot more hardware - so, for example, if they were to bundle Natal, it's a home run if they can afford to do that."

Both Natal and PS Move are scheduled for release towards the end of 2010.