Why women won't play with Natal

The big news in games this week (coming out of E3) is Microsoft's Project Natal. This pretty nifty gaming interface lets you kick, punch, throw, headbutt - basically use any part of your body in the game - with no need for a controller; real Minority Report stuff.

By negating the need for fiddly button controls that give your thumbs RSI and with the introduction of games designed to improve fitness via its clever Wii system, Nintendo has done a lot to get the fairer sex interested in 'gaming.' Personally I got hooked by Sony with Rocky on Playstation 2 - the undefeated champion weighing in at 140lbs *ahem - give or take* Singstar was also a favourite - although that novelty soon wore off.

But Project Natal feels like it can push the boundaries even further - if it's easy to use, with no need to set up, learn how to use controls or indeed even have controls to store when not in use, suddenly we have something that slips seamlessly into the living room and I can start playing with easily.

That said...reading one of the articles coming out of E3 by the chaps at CNET has set off a couple of alarm bells.

Natal works using 'magic' to recognise peoples skeletal structure and how we move. It's so smart, it recognised that one of the journalists getting up to have a play was a woman and so displayed an avatar to reflect her feminine form.

So why won't I play with Natal? Because every woman suffers from body dismorphia, even in its mildest form, and will dread the possibility that Natal will represent her with a big, butch, manly avatar.

Oh the shame!