The Kinect was one of the biggest success stories for Microsoft of the last console generation.
So, guess what? To use the next Xbox, you’ll need to have its successor connected!
This comes courtesy of an in-depth look at the supposedly final specs of the system given to Kotaku:
…the new version of the Kinect motion-control sensor array will be included with every Durango sold. The unit seems far superior to the one currently found for the Xbox 360 (or the PC, for that matter).
Perhaps most importantly, this isn’t an optional accessory. It’s mandatory. Not only does a Kinect ship with every console, but it must be plugged in and calibrated for the console to even function.
As ridiculous as this sounds, consider that first of all it’s a pack-in, so at least you don’t have to buy it on top of a console that’ll cost at least $350. Secondly, consider that Microsoft has made it pretty clear they want to put a holodeck in every household.
The system will apparently still come with a controller, similar to the others that have come before. But it’s pretty clear Microsoft will be expecting developers to make use of the Kinect, which also offers us some perspective on all those first-party games they’re keeping under wraps.
That said, we can’t help wondering what, precisely, this will mean to the system’s popularity. The Wii was pretty notorious for Nintendo being the only company to get the full use out of its controls, and Kinect integration hinges on things like gesture recognition and voice recognition, which Microsoft has made great strides in, it must be said, but on the other hand, well… this strip sums up the problem many gamers ran into.
The console wars get curiouser and curiouser. The PlayStation 4 is unlikely to have a Kinect-type input, meaning we’ll have three very different console experiences on the market in fairly short order. 2013 is shaping up to be one strange year for gaming.
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Well at least everyone can look for ghosts at home now. So that’s something.
Let’s face it, sell this thing with a yoga mat and an exercise game, it’ll probably move millions.
The main problem I had with Kinect in Skyrim was other people in the room yelling “FIRE BREATH” just to be jerks while I was in town or talking to someone I wasn’t supposed to kill. If it could be tied to the voice of the player, it would make a lot more sense for people that don’t live alone.
That explains the rumor that it also comes with a sock full of nickels.
This is the Telescreen Orwell warned us about. Everyday we’ll stand in front of it and have two minutes of hate directed at Sony and Nintendo.
I’m thinking it’s more Fahrenheit 451, myself.
Is anyone else becoming increasingly apprehensive about this next generation?
Eh. It’s “differentiate or die”, and they’re all picking different methods of differentiating. Personally, I suspect the obligatory Kinect will mostly collect dust.
Like the “Robbie the Robot” of the NES generation.
I just wonder if they are going to use this to limit the number of views per movie/tv show rental or charge more depending on how many people are in the room since it apparently can detect up to six people at a time.
They in fact have a patent to do just that. In fact, it’ll detect when another person walks in and sits down, and demand another dollar or something before proceeding. Whether they’ll actually apply it is anybody’s guess.
There’s been a very small push to get first run movies into your house at like $50 a ppv. I could see this applied to that sort of scenario or maybe with a sports PPV.
I saw that patent was filed and that’s why im so curious to see if they use it since Kinect is now required to use the system. When I first saw the patent and the comments most people said, “Oh, just unplug it” but if its mandatory that sounds really shitty,
Doesn’t the Kinect require a clear 8×8 foot space to use? New York City apartment=no Kinect.
If they don’t name the next generation Kinect ‘Kinect To’ well then I’m a monkey’s uncle
i just want to sit on my ass and play video games by only moving my fingers. is that so wrong?
also, doesn’t this move towards body movement in video games severely screw over the handicapped? not cool, microsoft, not cool.
I have a heavy table about four feet in front of my TV so I couldn’t even properly use a kinnect if I wanted one. I doubt my situation is all that unique and it would be incredibly silly to market a console only to people who have big empty rooms to game in.
Didn’t MS recently have a patent for charging for media content based on the number of people in the room?
Ayup. Patents are not products, though, it could just be MS getting ahead of the curve.
Considering Sony, which actually owns a movie studio, has seemingly zero interest in this technology, I’m not sure how much traction it has practically speaking.
Yea, but MS has a nice history of halfassed DRM schemes that they hype to the big companies that they then abandon later.
This is all about getting developers on board. Microsoft can now promise developers that every system will have a kinnect and it will always be on so damn it you better add some voice commands to COD 11: The Search for More Money.
I guess, but Nintendo has been trying that for HOW many generations now, and no real third-party bites?
I never said it was a good idea… Microsoft wants Kinect to be a big thing not just Rob the Robot so they’re trying whatever they can to get people to use it. I mean in theory they could launch the Xbox 360.2 without it and probably undercut the PS3 in price but then the Kinect dies on the shelf.
If you have to use it maybe someday you’ll like using it?
between this and the used games rumor looks like I won’t be partaking in this 8th (?) gen of consoles. Oh well, I had a good run, time to work on my backlog.