Love it or loathe it, motion control is here to stay. The question is, will Microsoft's much vaunted Project Natal - scratch that, Kinect (!) - really be the success it hopes? Having trawled the websites and forums following the recent E3 event in the US, there seems to be plenty of thinly veiled criticism about the EyeToy and Wii wannabee.

Here, ladies and gentlemen, are no less than 10 reasons why Kinect will not connect with the gaming public... Let's hope we're wrong...


Cost. Although there's still no official announcement, there's been plenty of conjecture about the cost of the camera. Reports suggest prices could vary from a fairly reasonable £50 to an astronomical £199 - effectively the price of the soon-to-be-launched Slim Xbox. This could be the dealbreaker for Microsoft. There can't be many of us out there who are genuinely optimistic that it will be an inexpensive purchase - especially as the gaming giant has already set many a precedent by wrenching cash from our wallets over the years (Xbox Live Gold membership, wireless adaptor expensive downloadable content and addons...)

[UPDATE 22/06/10 - the Microsoft Store has now listed Kinect at a $149 pricetag (around £100). This includes the sensor, power cable manual and intriguing sounding Wi-Fi extension cable]

Weak launch games. After all the hysteria and hyperbole in the lead up to E3, you can bet that most people now feel hugely underwhelmed at the 15-strong lineup of launch titles. There's the obligatory sports mini-game title, the Wii Fit clone, an irritating creature simulator designed to appeal to kiddies who want a pet... and then there's Joyride, a driving game that doesn't actually seem to feature much driving. There's a Michael Jackson dance sim on the cards apparently, which appeals to my inner nerd a little, and equally there is a Star Wars game that puts you in charge of a virtual light saber... but they aren't due out anytime soon. The disappointing launch titles not only fail to showcase this revolutionary new technology but they don't come cheap either... rumoured price of these is around £30. Let's hope the developers get their collective fingers out and create a few triple A titles as soon as possible, eh?

You look like an imbecile. I saw a video from the event the other day that was meant to show a "typical" family enjoying the device formerly known as Natal. Mum and Dad were flailing about the place like they were at some rave while their two little sprogs were stood in front of them completely non-plussed (probably dying of embarrassment in fact). My point is... who in the heck is this contraption appealing to? It got my juices flowing initially but if it costs a bomb and the games are rubbish, it's really going to struggle to find an audience. The very notion of motion control on the Xbox has already alienated the hardcore gamers... parents and the older generation won't want to look like complete cretins, surely? It's much easier to get up in front of people and perform actions and gestures when you're holding something (you could imagine waving a light saber about if you were holding a Wiimote, for example), but who wouldn't be self conscious wafting their empty hands about the place?

You apparently have to stand up. Gaming is not going to be a relaxing past time any longer. There has been mention that to play with Kinect you have to be standing - I guess so the camera can pick you up and detect your every movement! So not only are you going to become completely self conscious if you attempt to play this in front of people but you'll be knackered by the end of it too. Gone are the days of all-night playing sessions - especially for all you unhealthy ba$tard$ like myself... any more than 20 minutes playing your favourite game may result in you keeling over from exhaustion.
What kind of gamer are you? Currently, it seems that Kinect is very much aimed at the casual gamer. You know the sort, those who don't chomp at the bit to get hold of that exciting new sandbox game, or aren't that bothered about reaching Veteran status in Modern Warfare 2. No, these guys are the sort that like to congregate after dinner with their friends or families to play a game of charades. The problem is, casual gamers aren't going to fork out for both an Xbox and an expensive new peripheral to play games. Nah, if anything, they'll opt for Nintendo's little box of tricks instead: it's cheaper and has an vast catalogue of party games available already. Hardcore gamers are unlikely to want to touch this with a bargepole either.

Have you got a big room? It may have escaped your attention but all the smiley, happy actor types in the Kinect trailers seem to dwell in gargantuan houses, with big old living rooms and plenty of space to jump about the place... not, like the majority of us, in pokey little houses with furniture and children's toys strewn everywhere. I do wonder how accurate the camera will be if players are stood only a few feet away and there isn't enough room to swing a cat.

Step in front of sensor to turn it on. It sounds great in theory, doesn't it? But what about when you're sat watching television with the family and you get up to go and get some food or go to the bathroom, and your Xbox springs into life? Will it mistake everyday movement for the "turn on" gesture? Sounds like a feature many people will be turning off if you ask me!?
Lack of backwards compatibility. Wouldn't it be cool if you could plug in the sleek black camera and instantly use motion control for all of the games that line your shelves? Take control of Master Chief and actually lob grenades and melee your alien enemies, launch a Sonic Boom as Guile, scale a mountain side alongside Soap or help Tito Ortiz get that submission... Fact of the matter is that to really take advantage of your new gadget, you're going to have to invest a hell of a lot of money in new software...

Will it be little more than a glorified device for quick time events (QTEs)? Peter Molyneux has already spoken about including "Natal" in his forthcoming threequel to Fable. I love Fable. I love Molyneux. But is the integration of motion control really going to amount to much more than an alternative way to take part in mini games as a blacksmith or woodcutter? Plenty of other games have featured QTEs in recent years - Ninja Blade, Force Unleashed, WET, Bourne Conspiracy etc... so what's to stop future releases suggesting you wave your arms about rather than mash the A button?

And most importantly, lag. Kinect sounds phenomenal and could, when it's launched later this year, be a must-have purchase in time for Christmas. But a lot depends on the lag factor. Will your actions be conveyed to the screen quickly and effectively or will you move and not see your avatar copy you until seconds later. Too much delay and the enjoyment factor will be nil.

Despite the big unveiling at E3, there are still so many questions surrounding the imminent launch of potentially one of the most significant peripherals for years. Clearly, it doesn't seem to have met peoples' expectations. On paper, at least, it sounds fantastic, but unless these issues are addressed, Kinect could be Microsoft's biggest blunder...

(Photo credit: Dekuwa, Colony of Gamers)