Hasta La Gadget!

Tonight Microsoft’s Natal graduated from “Project” to product. The controller-free Xbox 360 game system has an official name, Kinect, and a slew of gaming scenarios to use it in. The evening’s eye-popping Cirque du Soleil-infused event, which kicked off the E3 conference in Los Angeles, was short on details but long on eye candy.

Microsoft used the spectacle, held before thousands in USC’s Galen Center, to demonstrate the myriad ways you’ll use the Kinect system. There were scenarios we’ve seen before–like driving and exercise–and other we hadn’t. Performers sat in an elevated living room set (which rotated 360 degrees) and interacted with a virtual tiger, competed in track and field, learned dance moves and even battled Darth Vader. For the latter demonstration, the performer wielded a virtual light saber and used “force” style moves.

Microsoft will officially announced Kinect during tomorrow morning’s press conference (10:30 AM PST, 6-14-10), at which time we should learn pricing availability and game details.

Microsoft largely banned cellphones, cameras and virtually every other kind of electronic device from the event, so my photos and video are sketchy, at best.