Microsoft's chief Steve Ballmer sure loves the CES limelight.

During Microsoft's keynote speech at CES 2010, the megacorp made two big announcements. MS confirmed that the much ballyhooed Project Natal would receive a 2010 release, and they announced the opening of the Game Room on Xbox Live.

Natal, which is Microsoft's upcoming accessory for the Xbox 360, will allow for controller-less control over 360 video games. Natal will be able to recognize up to four people at a time based on both physical appearance and the sound of their voices. Natal can presumably even recognize facial expressions, scan personal items of yours that you can use in-game, allow for seemless video chat, allow users to browse the Xbox 360 dashboard without a controller, and much more. It'll be interesting to see in coming months just how impressive this machinary is, and whether it can live up to our wildest gaming fantasies.

While Natal is a look into the future of gaming, Xbox LIVE's new Game Room is a look to the past. Announced during the Keynote address, the Game Room will feature over 1000 retro arcade titles (over the next three years) that can be accessed through Xbox  LIVE.

Lastly, Microsoft took the chance to brag about its success with the 360, and deservedly so. Microsoft chief Steve Ballmer announced that since its release, over 39 million Xbox 360s worldwide have been sold, along with over 500 million games to boot. It was also announced that Xbox LIVE recently saw its busiest week ever; in the week between Christmas and New Year's, Xbox LIVE added a new member an average of one per second, along with a record 2.2 million users active concurrently. Xbox LIVE now has an active membership of over 20 million users.

To get a recap of all of Microsofts announcements at CES (gaming or otherwise), read this brief summary at their official website. A full version of the 77 minute keynote address is also available at their website, along with a brief look into Project Natal.