No More Kinect Requirement for XBOX One.

[JakeM]

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/08/12/xbox-one-no-longer-requires-kinect-to-function


In addition to reversing its used game DRM policies for Xbox One, Microsoft has revealed that the console will no longer require Kinect to function. In our latest Ask Microsoft Anything, Xbox Corporate Vice President Marc Whitten revealed that Xbox One owners will be able to use all of the console's core functions regardless of whether the new Kinect sensor is connected. Naturally, many of the tentpole features of the new Kinect, such as player identification, voice commands, etc., will be disabled as a result, but players will still be able to play games and access entertainment content.


Wow, thats awesome, theyre really being desperate and for good reason. Good thing theyre not being hard headed.

[Collector_Gaming]

well they probably invested alot of money on this en devour so they want it to be as successful as possible. Which means they can't afford for it to become a complete flop. Which also means they have to do what we say!

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m82d4b2DVE1rqzmx6o1_500.gif

[Zama]

Ah, this is going to be interesting when winter season comes around :popcorn:

[PreZZ]

Expect a kinectless bundle for 399 or maybe less... they are very desperate to turn this fiasco around

[InsaneDavid]

Expect a kinectless bundle for 399 or maybe less... they are very desperate to turn this fiasco around

Yeeeeha! If that happens (and I think it will too), then let's see, two different console SKUs then, separate Kinect 2 SKU so people that have a Kinectless console can add it at a later date, means all games built around requiring or heavily enhanced via Kinect 2 will have to be segregated from the rest of the Xbox One games at retail. Then Microsoft has to attempt to predict how many of each setup to ship (50/50, or go mainly full bundles, or hedge their bets on a cheaper price point) and of course then backhanding retailers who will have to deal with presale returns / changes for those who want the Kinectless alternative setup.

I thought we were done with the multi SKU BS with the Wii U.

[JakeM]

Expect a kinectless bundle for 399 or maybe less... they are very desperate to turn this fiasco around

If PS4 out sales it big time, then theyll have to do that after christmas and into summer.

[Rickstilwell1]

This is the beauty of competition. If the console you don't want as much is successful enough, it will drive down the cost of the console you want to get first. What I am wondering is how much better these new consoles will actually make the games look. I want to see what a next gen RPG looks like and I don't care whether it is action or command based.

[ApolloBoy]

two different console SKUs
Whatever happened to just saying "bundle" instead of bizarro acronym?

[TonyTheTiger]

Yeeeeha! If that happens (and I think it will too), then let's see, two different console SKUs then, separate Kinect 2 SKU so people that have a Kinectless console can add it at a later date, means all games built around requiring or heavily enhanced via Kinect 2 will have to be segregated from the rest of the Xbox One games at retail.

If this happens it is a huge issue for any publisher that was gearing up to release a game that assumed the Kinect would be present. I'd be pissed if my potential audience was spontaneously cut in half because Microsoft is in panic mode.

[InsaneDavid]

Whatever happened to just saying "bundle" instead of bizarro acronym?

It has always been a Stock Keeping Unit to me, too many years working point of sale product and inventory.

[swlovinist]

Gamers never wanted the Kinnect crap. I said this the orginal Kinnect when all we were going to see was casual game stuff. The only way people were going to invest into the Kinnect 2 was to force the hand. MS sees that might be the deal breaker between people jumping ship and purchasing the PS4 for $100 less. There will probably be a seperate bundle, but who knows when it will be available. Let the console wars begin this season. In the end, the consumer will win.

[BlastProcessing402]

If this happens it is a huge issue for any publisher that was gearing up to release a game that assumed the Kinect would be present. I'd be pissed if my potential audience was spontaneously cut in half because Microsoft is in panic mode.

I'll shed no tears for any publisher/dev foisting Kinect crap into their games. Putting it in as an option that can be safely ignored, whatever, but no game should have it as a requirement (except that type of garbage that centers the entire game around it).

[Bojay1997]

I'll shed no tears for any publisher/dev foisting Kinect crap into their games. Putting it in as an option that can be safely ignored, whatever, but no game should have it as a requirement (except that type of garbage that centers the entire game around it).

While I agree that the Xbox 360 Kinect is not great, if a truly accurate version of the Kinect could be developed that also worked in smaller rooms, it could truly revolutionize gaming. When paired with something like the Occulus Rift, it would literally allow true VR without a treadmill or other special controllers and that would be a game changer.

[CDiablo]

Ill just leave this here:

http://thedailypixel.com/2013/04/04/nothing-better-with-kinect-say-scientists/

[Graham Mitchell]

This is the beauty of competition. If the console you don't want as much is successful enough, it will drive down the cost of the console you want to get first. What I am wondering is how much better these new consoles will actually make the games look. I want to see what a next gen RPG looks like and I don't care whether it is action or command based.

They're gonna look a little better, but not enough to write home about. I've got a pc with a more powerful setup than these machines and in playing Crysis 3 and metro last light pushed to the max, I can say it ain't much. The detailed textures of fabrics are impressive, but it's not gonna change things in a major way.

[sloan]

well they probably invested alot of money on this en devour so they want it to be as successful as possible. Which means they can't afford for it to become a complete flop. Which also means they have to do what we say!

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m82d4b2DVE1rqzmx6o1_500.gif

So, is the implication that MS staff actually watches the game forums on a daily basis for potential customer feedback? Did they change away from DRM and always-on kinect because of threads posted on Digital Press and similar forums?

[ProjectCamaro]

I use to prefer the Xbox consoles to the Playstation consoles but Microsoft absolutely killed any chance of me buying a new Xbox for at least quite some time.


Gamers never wanted the Kinnect crap. I said this the orginal Kinnect when all we were going to see was casual game stuff. The only way people were going to invest into the Kinnect 2 was to force the hand. MS sees that might be the deal breaker between people jumping ship and purchasing the PS4 for $100 less. There will probably be a seperate bundle, but who knows when it will be available. Let the console wars begin this season. In the end, the consumer will win.

Agreed, no real gamers ever wanted the Kinnect or the Playstation move. They just wanted some of the Wii money that was going around.