Ballmer Slips and Confirms New Natal Xbox 360 in 2010. Or Does He?

According to a report, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer revealed that a new Xbox 360 would ship in 2010. At least that's what it looks like. Is that what he really meant? Is Microsoft abandoning the Xbox 360 plan?

In a speech delivered at the Executive's Club of Chicago, TG Daily summed up Ballmer's speech with:

"The new device will be equipped with technology that is "really, really close" to an actuality. The console, which was described as having a "natural interface," will have a built in camera with the ability to recognize movement and voice."

Now, if my CEO-speak filter is working, it tells me that he's talking about Project Natal. Opinions on whether this means a brand new Natal Xbox console, or if it means a new bundle, seem to be split. I've seen CEOs quote the wrong specs and features in many a press conference and interview, so it wouldn't surprise me if Ballmer's not really clear on Project Natal and its plans for next year. Add to that, Microsoft's own VP of Interactive Entertainment, John Schappert, recently said that Microsoft is "less than halfway done" with the Xbox 360's life cycle.

So, four more years of Xbox 360, with a new Natal hardware bundle shipping next year sounds about right to me, but I have to wonder: Does Natal's groundbreaking functionality demand new Xbox 360 hardware? We've seen Natal running on an Xbox, and Kudos has specifically said that Natal will be compatible with all 360s. So why is Ballmer talking about technology that's "really, really close" to actuality?

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