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Weasley twins demo Harry Potter for Kinect

Electronic Arts shows a demo of a Harry Potter game that takes advantage of Microsoft's motion-sensing technology. To show it off, it calls on the actors who played the Weasley twins in the Harry Potter movies.

Ina Fried Former Staff writer, CNET News
During her years at CNET News, Ina Fried changed beats several times, changed genders once, and covered both of the Pirates of Silicon Valley.
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Ina Fried
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Microsoft Kinect
It appears that Microsoft's Kinect box will also let Harry Potter fans transport themselves to Hogwarts. Microsoft

I was already planning to spring for an Xbox 360 and Kinect add-on, when it comes out this holiday season. I've even been trying to figure out which messy room in my house is best suited to give me the space I need to move around.

I've been wanting something like Kinect since I played with an early precursor a few years ago and used GestureTek's setup early last year. I love sports and games, but am not much for having to map natural actions to a couple buttons on a controller. Traditional console gaming held little appeal.

I like my Wii well enough, but find that I get a blister or sore arm before I get a real workout. But I have been keen on Kinect since I first got to try out Project Natal last year.

If I had any lingering doubts that I would get a Kinect, I think that they were quashed on Wednesday, when I saw this demo of a Kinect-capable version of a Harry Potter game. (Harry's big with the Beyond Binary staff.)

Electronic Arts showed off the game during its press conference at the Gamescom event in Germany. And to add some extra drama, the game was demoed by the actors who play the Weasley twins in the Harry Potter movies.

My only question is whether this will satisfy my partner, AJ, or if I will still have to spring for a vacation to Orlando soon to see the Harry Potter theme park at Universal Studios Orlando. But I have a sneaking suspicion that I know the answer.