Xbox 360 makes family time, quality time. Only Xbox LIVE delivers a world of games, movies, social entertainment and starting this November, live sports, allowing you to share them with the people you care about, around the world.

This November, the new Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack will offer up to four individual Xbox LIVE Gold memberships for only US$99.99 – the price of two regular Xbox LIVE Gold subscriptions. Now as you prepare for the launch of Kinect for Xbox 360, which makes YOU the controller, consider giving your family premium Gold experience and access to the biggest names in entertainment.

Perfect for families, the Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack will also offer access to additional conveniences and services including the new Family Center, accessible on the Xbox dashboard and Xbox.com for easier family management, access to activity monitoring reports, and the ability to purchase and give Microsoft Points to other Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack members.

An Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack includes:

- Up to four individual Xbox LIVE Gold memberships for the price of two – (US) $99.99.

- Family Center – a single, easy to use, destination for Family Settings and account management, accessible on the Xbox dashboard and on Xbox.com.

- The primary account member has the ability to purchase and dispense Microsoft Points to other Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack members.

- Activity monitoring reports viewable on Xbox.com to help encourage discussions about safer more balanced gaming and entertainment habits.

- Simplified billing that applies all purchase charges to the primary account holder’s billing account and the ability to authorize purchases, helping to manage the family’s entertainment budget.

- Exclusive family content and discounts.

The industry-leading, built-in Xbox 360 Family Settings are also being taken to the next level this November. It’s Microsoft’s goal to provide parents and caregivers with tools and resources to manage their children’s gaming and entertainment experiences, and these features are available to all Xbox LIVE members:

- Family Programming that removes all mature games, movies, and content from the dashboard, based on ESRB, Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) ratings and the TV Parental Guidelines system . Family Programming is password protected, and easy to turn on and off for each member. (Compatible with international ratings systems.)

- Title exceptions – the ability to allow your family members to play specific games above the console’s designated ESRB rating if you deem appropriate. (Compatible with international ratings systems.)

- Intelligent default settings for child, teen, and adult profiles. Xbox will automatically assign default privacy and activity settings for each member that can later be individually customized.

- Family Settings are displayed prominently in the MyXbox channel. Current tools include the Family Timer, which allows you to control the amount of time – either daily or weekly – your children may use the console.

Whether you want to play your favorite games, stream movies and music from Zune, or watch the latest sporting event together via ESPN on Xbox LIVE1, Xbox 360 brings the best family-friendly entertainment straight to your living room.

Source: Xbox Press Releases & Feature Stories

Opening with a magical Cirque du Soleil performance on Sunday night attended by Hollywood’s freshest faces, Microsoft gave the transformation of home entertainment a name: Kinect for Xbox 360. Then, kicking off the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), today Xbox 360 invited the world to dance, hurdle, soar and make furry friends for life – all through the magic of Kinect – no controller required.

“With ‘Kinectimals’ and ‘Kinect Sports,’ ‘Your Shape: Fitness Evolved’ and ‘Dance Central,’ your living room will become a zoo, a stadium, a fitness room or a dance club. You will be in the center of your entertainment, using the best controller ever made – you,” said Kudo Tsunoda, creative director for Microsoft Game Studios.

Microsoft and LucasArts also announced that they will bring Star Wars to Kinect in 2011. And, sprinkling a little fairy dust on Xbox 360, Disney will bring its magic to Kinect as well.

“Xbox LIVE is about making it simple to find the entertainment you want, with the friends you care about, wherever you are. Kinect is about making that experience more natural and engaging than ever before,” said Marc Whitten, corporate vice president of Xbox LIVE at Microsoft. “Once you experience your movies, music, sports and games with Xbox LIVE and Kinect, you won’t ever want to go back.”

Using Kinect is as simple as stepping in front of the sensor. It recognizes you, responds to your gestures, listens to your voice, and, best of all, it works with every Xbox 360.

A Little Less Conversation, a Little More Action

Declaring “the time for talk is over,” Tsunoda unveiled eight hurdling, running, dancing, driving and soaring Kinect games:

•  ”Kinect Adventures” (Microsoft Game Studios). Float in outer space. Experience the thrill of roaring rapids. Tackle mountaintop obstacle courses. And dive into the deep to explore a leaky underwater observatory – all from your living room. With “Kinect Adventures,” you are the controller as you jump, dodge and kick your way through exciting adventures set in a variety of exotic locations.
•  ”Kinectimals” (Frontier Studio, Microsoft Game Studios). A wide-eyed Bengal Tiger cub cocks its head to the side and playfully peers at you. Memories of your first trip to the zoo come rushing back. “Kinectimals” invites children, their parents and animal lovers of all ages to build lasting friendships with some of the world’s most exotic creatures. Just like real pets, your “Kinectimals” will come running when they hear your voice, respond to commands like “jump,” “roll-over” and “play dead,” and purr with joy when you scratch them behind the ears.
•  ”Kinect Joy Ride” (Big Park, Microsoft Game Studios). 3 … 2 … 1 … Go! “Kinect Joy Ride,” the first controller-free racing game, will take you and your friends on the ride of your lives – no drivers license required. “Kinect Joy Ride” reinvents driving and Kart racing by adding massive jumps and full body stunts to the classic Kart racing action. With a host of cool features and game modes you can take off for the ride of your life by yourself, pick up a co-pilot or team up with your friends and family to take on the world.
• “Kinect Sports” (Rare, Microsoft Game Studios). Turn your living room into a world-class stadium, bowling alley, soccer pitch or arena. With “Kinect Sports” you’re not only the star player, you are the controller – through the magic of Kinect for Xbox 360. See a ball? Kick it. Spike it. Even give it a little top spin. “Kinect Sports” features soccer, beach volleyball, bowling, table tennis, boxing and multiple track and field events.
• “Dance Central” (MTV Games). “Dance Central” is the first full-body, controller-free dance video game with fun choreography for beginners and experts. Featuring full-body tracking, the magic of Kinect for Xbox 360 allows you to experience real dance with your friends and family. Whether you’re rehearsing in Break It Down! or owning the stage in Perform It, you’ll be introduced to more than 600 moves in the game and more than 90 dance routines all created by professional choreographers. The game features tracks from an amazing mix of pop, hip-hop and R&B artists including Lady Gaga, No Doubt, M.I.A., Bell Biv Devoe, and more. Take your moves to the next level while connecting with the music you love!
• “Your Shape: Fitness Evolved” (Ubisoft). Get the most out of Kinect with “Your Shape: Fitness Evolved.” Unlike other games, the proprietary Player Projection technology of “Your Shape: Fitness Evolved” puts your body into the game for the ultimate experience. You’ll physically interact with virtual environments in ways you’ve never seen before, and you’ll be captivated by unique and exciting visual effects that respond to your movement and impact. Burn calories your way – choose a personal trainer to help you meet your specific fitness goals, take a yoga or martial arts class, or play fun family-friendly minigames. As you exercise, you’ll receive specific feedback on your every move, thanks to the game’s real-time precise tracking system. You won’t notice how hard you’re working until you see the results!

Also coming to Kinect this holiday are titles representing the top names in the gaming industry including interactive fitness product “EA SPORTS Active 2″ (EA SPORTS), “DECA SPORTS FREEDOM” (Hudson Entertainment), “Dance Masters” (Konami), “Adrenalin Misfits” (Konami), “Zumba Fitness” (Majesco), “Sonic Free Riders” (SEGA), “The Biggest Loser: Ultimate Workout” (THQ), “Motion Sports” (Ubisoft), and “Game Party: In Motion” (Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment). Additional exciting Kinect game experiences will be revealed by publishing partners in the near future.

Extraordinary Entertainment

Offering so much more than just games, Kinect for Xbox 360 takes your entertainment to the next level. Beginning this holiday, the Kinect Hub puts your favorite movies, TV programs, music and live sports all in one place – completely controller-free.

Jump right into a movie in instant-on HD in 1080p or your favorite college bowl game by simply saying “Xbox, play,” or browse your entire song library with a wave of a hand. Kinect also creates new ways for friends and family to have fun together.

With Video Kinect2, share a smile with distant friends and family as you open a window into living rooms around the world. Providing entertainment for everyone, with the power of Kinect, the Xbox LIVE experience is more intuitive, social and interactive than ever before.

Gametrailers.com

“Project Natal,” pronounced “nuh-tall,” is a code name for a revolutionary new way to play, no controller required. See a ball? Kick it, hit it, trap it or catch it. Unlike 2-D cameras and controllers, “Project Natal” tracks your full body movement in 3-D, while responding to commands, directions, even a difference of emotion in your voice.

When “Project Natal” is ready, it will work with every Xbox 360 console so people who have never picked up a controller can finally join the fun.

What is “Project Natal”?

“Project Natal” (pronounced na-tall) is the code name for the new controller-free gaming and entertainment experience from Xbox 360. The name “Project Natal” has several sources. Microsoft Corp. traditionally uses cities as code names. As a result, Alex Kipman, who incubated the project and is from Brazil, chose Natal, a city along the northeastern coast of Brazil, as a tribute to his country. In addition, he knew that Natal also means “to be born” in Latin. Given the new audiences “Project Natal” will bring to Xbox 360, this felt right.

How Will “Project Natal” Change the Way I Play?

• Controller-free gaming and entertainment. “Project Natal” provides a whole new way to play — no controller required. It uses a sensor to track your body movement and recognize your face, even listen to your voice. If you know how to move your hands, shake your hips, or speak, you and your friends will be able to jump instantly into any “Project Natal” experience.
• Full-body play. “Project Natal” provides a new way to play where you use all parts of your body — head, hands, feet and torso. With controller-free gaming you don’t just control the superhero, you are the superhero. Full-body tracking allows the “Project Natal” sensor to capture every move, from head to toe, to give players a full-body gaming experience.
• Personalized play. “Project Natal” provides an in-game experience in which the player’s face and voice are recognized. Greet and speak to characters in the game, or simply step into view of the sensor to log into Xbox LIVE and connect with friends. Only “Project Natal” is smart enough to remember voices and faces. Fun has never been so personalized.
• Off-the-couch play. “Project Natal” provides gameplay that gets you off the couch, on your feet and in the fun. Each “Project Natal” experience is designed to get players moving, laughing, cheering and playing together. “Project Natal” makes social gaming off-the-couch fun.
• Easy-to-play fun. “Project Natal” makes sharing in the fun a snap. Talk or watch a movie in the same living room or on the other side of the world — no headset, no keyboard and no controllers required. It’s just you, your friends, your family and a whole new way to play.

How Does “Project Natal” Work?

• “Project Natal” sensor. “Project Natal” is the world’s first system to combine an RGB camera, depth sensor, multiarray microphone and custom processor running proprietary software that brings “Project Natal” experiences to every Xbox 360 console. The “Project Natal” sensor tracks full-body movement and individual voices, creating controller-free fun and social entertainment available only on Xbox 360.
• RGB camera. “Project Natal” has a video camera that delivers the three basic color components. As part of the “Project Natal” sensor, the RGB camera helps enable facial recognition and more.
• Depth sensor. An infrared projector combined with a monochrome CMOS sensor allows “Project Natal” to see the room in 3-D (as opposed to inferring the room from a 2-D image) under any lighting conditions.
• Multiarray microphone. “Project Natal” has a microphone that will be able to locate voices by sound and extract ambient noise. The multiarray microphone will enable headset-free Xbox LIVE party chat and more.
• Custom processor (running Microsoft proprietary software layer). A proprietary software layer makes the magic of “Project Natal” possible. This layer differentiates “Project Natal” from any other technology on the market through its ability to enable human body recognition and extract other visual noise.

Source: Xbox Press Releases & Feature Stories and Gametrailers.com