The motion control revolution promised through Project Natal is Microsoft's next big gambit, and recent rumors suggested the software giant could go as far as introducing either a new Xbox 360 SKU or possibly new generation hardware in the process. 

Indeed, Microsoft's Shane Kim earlier mused that an official Project Natal launch would be akin to launching a whole new Xbox console.

Readings of recent news reports only added further fuel to the fires when they quoted Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer as confirming a "new" Xbox 360 sometime next year. Based on his comments to The Executive's Club of Chicago (where we're not welcome), Microsoft is reportedly in the process of preparing Xbox 360 hardware with the Natal 3D camera technology built-in. However, Microsoft has since stepped forward to douse such flames of passions.  In a prepared statement to the press:

As the Xbox team stated at E3 two weeks ago, we are not even halfway through the current console generation lifecycle and believe Xbox 360 will be the entertainment center in the home for long into the next decade. Project Natal will be an important part of this platform, but we have not confirmed a launch date at this time.

Assuming Ballmer was simply misquoted, perhaps it is more likely we will see Xbox 360 hardware bundled with the separate Natal components instead. Assumption is once again the key word, as Microsoft has yet solidify a release time frame for anything Natal related.