Fraction of gamers aware of Move, Natal - Nielsen

Motion-sensing gaming will invariably factor heavily into Microsoft's and Sony's respective press conferences at next week's 2010 Electronic Entertainment Expo. For Microsoft's part, the publisher has already announced a "world premiere" event for Project Natal that will feature the acrobatic stylings of Cirque du Soleil. And while Sony had its big coming-out party for the PlayStation Move in March, the publisher still has a release date, pricing, and games to highlight.

With E3 sure to raise the profile of both motion-sensing add-ons prior to their respective fall launches, stat-tracking service The Nielsen Company has measured gamers' awareness of Project Natal and Move in the here and now. And according to a survey of some 2,400 active gamers, that awareness is not particularly high.

Among total gamers surveyed, only 21 percent were aware of Project Natal, though that figure rose to 43 percent among those who owned an Xbox 360. The PlayStation Move had a slightly higher profile, with 23 percent of all surveyed gamers having some knowledge of the PlayStation Eye-compatible Move and its accompanying navigation controller. Of those who own the PS3, 42 percent are aware of its existence.

Though the Move enjoys a slim margin of recognition, Microsoft's Natal has gained more interest from potential buyers. Fully 35 percent of gamers who are aware of Natal intend to buy it, while only 28 percent of those aware of Move plan to make a purchase. Microsoft also holds a slight edge among system owners who are aware of the devices, as 42 percent of those with a 360 plan on picking up Natal, while 41 percent of PS3 gamers plan on purchasing the Move.