Although 2009 has not been a stellar year for video games, the industry is poised to start growing again. Big name titles are due to be released through the rest of this year, and exciting new technologies are soon to be released. One such technology is Microsoft’s Project Natal for the XBox 360, a sensor that combines a camera, depth sensor, microphone, and a custom processor. It tracks full body movement, understands commands, and recognizes voices.

Natal won’t come out until 2010, but if it does come out with a good array of games, it has the potential to greatly expand the size and demographics of the XBox user base. And with Microsoft’s 20+ million XBox Live user base, there are golden opportunities for marketers looking to reach this audience with video, animation, branded experiences, and more. Today the user profile is primarily male, 15-34, but with Natal, this could well expand into the Wii’s territory.

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