Kinect Is Not For You

[J.P. Sherman]

Kinect Is Not For You

Why Microsoft's marketing plan ignores core gamers: Microsoft needs to market its Kinect so that it's perceived as the one thing to get this holiday season.

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[Khornefire]

Although I don't own a current generation console, I'm pretty sure the Wii has made it clear this sort of controllers doesn't work with "hardcore" games, silly remote or not. I really don't think anyone feels (or should feel) betrayed by this, especially with if it makes such real business sense.

 

[Irridium]

Give it time, eventually Kinect will have some Core games, then the core audience can complain about those.

After all, Nintendo went after that casual market at first, and they got really, really successful. Now that they have a big audience and everything, they're moving back to the core gamers with a crapload of amazing looking games geared for the "hardcore" crowd.

And besides. Microsoft is a business, they'll market to where the money's at. And right now the money's with all the casual gamers.

 

[KeyMaster45]

Argh! Will they make up their bloody mind already!? Are they trying to market to core or not? Every week there's a new article contradicting the last! You know what, fuck it I didn't plan to buy the damned thing anyway; I'll just let its library of games do the talking once its out.

/rage

 

[DarthLurtz]

Motion Controls might not be good for FPS? There are plenty of 'core' games that aren't FPS, they'll figure it out eventually.

 

[Fenixius]

Children of Eden [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IY1r9DXZCZU&feature=related]. That is all.

 

[IamSofaKingRaw]

Give it time, eventually Kinect will have some Core games, then the core audience can complain about those.

After all, Nintendo went after that casual market at first, and they got really, really successful. Now that they have a big audience and everything, they're moving back to the core gamers with a crapload of amazing looking games geared for the "hardcore" crowd.

And besides. Microsoft is a business, they'll market to where the money's at. And right now the money's with all the casual gamers.

Not eally we were told that we'd get Zelda, Mario Metroid etc.. but for Kinect they haven't announced anything to look foward to. They should lower the price to $100 add an internet browser and advertise it as a way to explore th internet watch videos etc.. without a controller. There is no way to make a core game with that thing unless you'd enjoy being guided around a path.

 

[Midniqht]

The one problem I see with this article is that it's almost completely brushing aside that it's defined "core gamers" might actually enjoy some things on it as well as the "people who play games". Don't assume that just because people classify themselves as a gamer, that they'll hate the Kinect or the software titles that come with it within the next year or so. There's no way of knowing for sure until it's out and people have tried it for themselves. I call myself a gamer and I believe I can still enjoy what the Kinect has to offer. It's not as black & white as you think

 

[IamSofaKingRaw]

Children of Eden [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IY1r9DXZCZU&feature=related]. That is all.

I don't plan on getting high while payin games so this isn't for me. I have no idea what the hell that guy is doing and playing this while sober would give me a headache. Even if I did find that game fun it doesn't justify a $150 Kinect purchase.

After watching that vid I now know how the double rainbow guy felt.

 

[Booze Zombie]

There's a strange stigma against playing video games (in America), I don't quite understand it, really.
But I am hoping that Kinect and Wii introduce people to the medium properly... and then they move onto games with more substance than petting virtual animals and playing golf.

Am I calling Kinet and Wii the gateway drugs of gaming? Hell yes.

 

[DrDarkStryfe]

Looking at how Microsoft is marketing the Kinect, and looking at the titles available at launch, it is obvious that Microsoft is planning on going after the Wii's Blue Ocean market, while banking on the Xbox brand name to bring in some of the core and enthusiast gamer.

It should be interesting to see how the Kinect, and the PS Move, will do. Will they be the bridge that the Wii has not been for the gaming industry, getting all of those new gamers to purchase more traditional titles?

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

I don't think it will be nearly as popular as they hope it will. I don't fancy breaking my back in order to get my onscreen counterpart to take one step forward.

 

[rees263]

The one problem I see with this article is that it's almost completely brushing aside that it's defined "core gamers" might actually enjoy some things on it as well as the "people who play games". Don't assume that just because people classify themselves as a gamer, that they'll hate the Kinect or the software titles that come with it within the next year or so. There's no way of knowing for sure until it's out and people have tried it for themselves. I call myself a gamer and I believe I can still enjoy what the Kinect has to offer. It's not as black & white as you think

But do you think that you will get $150 worth of enjoyment? I hope if you buy it that you do find this the case. Or at least that you will eventually.

I certainly didn't get my money's worth from the Wii soley from Wii Sports. I did however from the Wii's "core" games. I don't own an Xbox, only the other 2; I certainly won't be buying Move on release day. That is some expensive hardware that I don't see being worth it.. yet anyway. When I see something I want then of course I would consider buying it. I expect that alot of Xbox owners feel the same about Kinect.

 

[Xiorell]

Good article.

Kinect both interest me and concerns me in a way.
I'm interested in seeing what it can do first hand, seeing what devs come up with, while alot of it will no doubt be showelware I'm willing to believe that some bright spark could come along and make some truely great titles, while leaving others to carry on with the fuzzy happy moms and dads get involved crap. I'm willing to give it time to, to let the stuff that'd appeal to us develope... kind of in the same as games early on in a consoles release often look alot more shoddy than same-genre games late in the machines life, this motion control stuff will need time to be understood and realised by alot of developers before we get the good shit.
On the other hand it concerns me because if that creativity, for whatever reason, does not get a chance to shine through... if it was to get constantly swept aside in favour of "Cute kitten playtime 4" or whatever, is that then gonna lead to the gradual extinction of the hard-core gaming we all seem to go for, while the hordes buy up the shovelware ready for that party on friday night?

We shall see.

 

[Optimystic]

Children of Eden [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IY1r9DXZCZU&feature=related]. That is all.

I can get an acid trip for less than $150 I'm sure.

 

[RUINER ACTUAL]

"People who play games" aka 90% of the playlist population in MW2. (RIP CoD)

When did you start playing games? When it became cool? Fuck off back to Farmville.

What does Xbox LIVE really need? Oh, I know, more children! Fuck that.

Women aged 25-40 say, "You are welcome, Microsoft, for our continued, relentless product loyalty over the past 9 years." ...wait a minute.

At least Sony hasn't sold out much....YET.

/rant

 

[RUINER ACTUAL]

Children of Eden [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IY1r9DXZCZU&feature=related]. That is all.

I can get an acid trip for less than $150 I'm sure.

It'll be more fun too!!!

 

[poiuppx]

The issue I see is, that WAS the go-to strategy... before realizing that the core they expected would always be there slowly but surely is losing any reason to be. Valve aren't exclusive to them anymore, Bungie isn't exclusive to them anymore, Dead Rising 2 and Portal 2 and Mass Effect 2 are all not locks for the system. Those elements the core came to them for, they no longer can hold claim over for the console market. Hence recent statements pushing the Kinect on the core audience... because they gambled hard on the Kinect, and now it has to keep that core for the holidays or stand to lose a lot of ground. All the Justin Bieber sponsoring and Cirque Du Soliel hiring won't mean a thing if they can't keep firm hold of their market share.

 

[DeadlyYellow]

Children of Eden [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IY1r9DXZCZU&feature=related]. That is all.

Looks like they took the concept play behind Elebits and made it make even less sense.