Microsoft has had a bitch of a time trying to keep a release schedule for Project Natal, the motion-control add-on/console first unveiled at E3, from becoming public information before an actual formal announcement. You'll remember that company CEO Steve Ballmer let slip some date-like information last month during a speech in Chicago, information which MS was quick to stifle. Yesterday, during THQ's Q1 earnings conference call, CEO Brian Farrell may have once again tipped the MS's hand, by stating that Natal would be released late next year.

In response to a question about hardware price cuts and market changes, Farrell gave this answer:

"With respect to the cycle itself, if you look at what's happening in the industry, the fact that we have for example, Natal from Microsoft, a platform addition coming late next year."

Now of course it is the job of a CEO to always spin his or her company's glass as half-full, but it's not exactly like Farrell is responsible to MS's shareholders. And by my count, that makes a total of two CEOs who seem to think that Natal will be out in time for Holiday 2010, in spite of Microsoft's protests to the contrary. I predict that it won't be too long before we get another denial statement from Microsoft.

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