Kinect Reportedly Costs "Almost As Much" as Xbox One

[RicoADF]

Whilst this is a smart strategy they have to also realize that they are basically including a piece of shitty hardware with a gaming system for no reason. Nobody WANTS a Kinect because it is IMPOSSIBLE to control a game fluently based on upper body position and movements.

Ask yourself when did you last play a good Kinect game that was not a bunch of minigames or a dancing game. We saw what happens when you attempt to push the Kinect to it's limits. You get Steel Battalion, an utter atrocity that has possibly buried the franchise for a second time.

It is a pipe dream Microsoft, wake the fuck up! The Kinect is to inaccurate to register detailed movements. It is to expensive to offer at a reasonable price. No games can be played with it that require any kind of movement. Even Steel Battalion had to rely on a controller for that.

Basically you tried to do what Nintendo did, only you went for the Sony PS2 route with a motion detection camera rather than a cheap gyroscope stick.

I know i'm gonna get flamed and get called a fanboy for this but fuck it.
have you even SEEN the video demonstrations done by the press?
every reporter that has tried it loved it!
how about you Look up some info before you make baseless assumptions on a product you haven't even tried or seen in action?
Also bashing something based on the hardware that came before it is downright stupid in my opinion.
and as per your first point a LOT of people do want kinect, they're children and casual players and parents (including myself, my kids love playing with kinect and my wife likes that nike trainer game.) that want to play with they're kids, you know the other 2/3ds of the fanbase?
"hardcore gamers" need to stop being so selfish and self centered and accept that we're a small part of a larger ecosystem of consumers.

Question?

Are those casual consumers willing to shell out $500 dollars plus for it?

Its one thing for reporters and kids to like a product, its getting them to throw down a rather hefty sum to buy it.

short answer yes because going by how the original one sold like gangbusters for a $150 for the sensor alone then this time around microsoft just has to show off the new capabilities on magazines and late night tv and they'll flock to it just like the first one. mass consumers are like magpies you see, if something is new and popular they'll swoop in to buy it to be "hip" and such, just think about the YEARLY installments of the iphone and how it always sells out. That alone proves what I mean.

Iphones, which are cutting production (which could mean number 6 is coming admittedly) and experiencing a slump as well as some actual competition from the large stable of Android devices?

We are not talking about a peripheral to an established product but a entire rather expensive console package whose competition is undercutting it by a fifth.

You have to remember the Wii success wasn't only its motion control system, it was its cheap price of $250USD which allowed such wide appeal.

And lets not begin to talk about how 'hip' Microsoft is.

What i'm saying is that MS have no competition in this area(unlike apple products)of the market they are actually trying new things but for some reason are being vilified for a piece of tech that people haven't even fucking TRIED yet. To be brutally honest the ps4 have brought absolutely no new features except upgraded performance, that's it. it's a glorified ps3.1.

I honestly had preordered a ps4 when the price was announced because it beat microsoft when it came to policies and that's it. The moment that the 180 happended i switched to the one because it had a lot of features that really appealed to me and the 100 price increase was justified ----->TO ME<------, I made sure that was visible so i won't get mauled by fanboys.

The attitude they had to their customers is unforgivable. Plus their still forcong a spy camera in our homes to run the system, yes it can be turned off but it cannot be unplugged which leaves it to us trusting them that its actually off.... which most of us dont. Oh and btw, PS4 also has a motion sensor camera which is as good if not better than the Kinnect. You do realise Sony was releasing Eye toys back in PS2 days right? Its never taken off because the controls don't work outside of a few genres. Its avaliable though for those that want said features and play said genres with the bonus that they can be unplugged....
That is called competition, and a better product at a cheaper price too.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

They're just trying to make it sound like you're getting a lot of value for $500.

Even if it's true, it only means that I would have to pay $500 for something that I don't want. Why would I do that when I have other options? The value is subjective. I don't give a fuck about the Kinect. I don't want to flap my hands around and scream at the TV. I want to sit back and play the game with a gamepad. That's what I expect from a console. Not this useless gimmick. The only way to sell the damn thing is to make it mandatory. And awesome thing is that because it's mandatory, I will never get an Xbone.

 

[Strazdas]

is to guarantee to game developers if they implement Kinect features into their games, everyone who has an Xbox will be able to experience it.

we dont want developers to implement kinect features.
forcing us into a situation where developers are free to force us into kinect makes you purely evil. you should feel ashamed of yourself for even thinking this is a good thing.

 

[Vausch]

So they're sitting on the ability to cut the price of the Xbone to 300 dollars and not using it because they want the Kinect to be an integral part of the system despite nobody wanting it?

 

[josemlopes]

The Kinect failed miserably.

Like....really miserably.

We all saw and heard how "awesome" the thing was until we had to try to use it in an actual game. Then you needed to have at least 6 feet of space. Oh, also, there shouldn't be a lot of stuff behind you because it confuses the sensor. Oh, you also need to make sure your area is lit in a way that the Kinect deems acceptable or it's going to confuse the sensor. Oh, also the microphone will sometimes hear the game and confuses itself...

Frankly, you made all these promises once before. Maybe you're right and you've fixed all the problems that the sensor causes but I'm not exactly going to hold my breath...

Actually the Kinect sold a lot so it didnt exactly fail, we are a bit suspicious now and it wasnt really properly used in games but overall it could be called a success.

This one, if it is as good as they have been making it seem to be (by those trailers) I guess that it can be an expensive (and impressive) piece of tech, the thing is that after the first one I really dont see that many situations where a working Kinect would improve my gaming experience to justify its existence. It could be fun to use if they let you do gestures in online games (having the character do the same upper body motions as you in the press of a button, almost like a taunt button except you can use it to point at stuff or other more usefull things) and shit like that but if in the games that matter they will only let the Kinect use voice commands it really doesnt make that much sense.


Well, at least it seems that Microsoft created a great body motion scanner, even if for the wrong reasons.

 

[RicoADF]

So they're sitting on the ability to cut the price of the Xbone to 300 dollars and not using it because they want the Kinect to be an integral part of the system despite nobody wanting it?

I doubt it'd drop more than $100 as MS takes the hit of the extra cost. Why you ask? Well you know all of that data mining and targeted advertising their so proud of.... it pays more than console players do. Their basically selling advertising and a spy cam to those foolish enough to buy the thing :-/

 

[Lord_Gremlin]

Look, PS4 is cheaper and more powerful end discussion xbone needs to die. As a statement.
By the way, massacre of Jewish was an integral part of Nazi regime. Being an integral part of something is not a positive in itself.

 

[Lieju]

Also, as we all know, Game Journalists cant be bought by developers or publishers, I mean, that whole catastrophe with Kane and Lynch and Gamespot obviously never happened, right? http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2007/12/the-gamespot-controversy-as-a-window-into-the-world-of-gaming-journalism/

So obviously Game journalists are going to have 100% integrety when it comes to big name developers pushing casual as fuck games down gamers throats and alienating the core gamers that had supported their business WELL BEFORE any of the unwashed casuals even bought a console.

I really don't think game journalists have been 'bought off' when it comes to Kinect.
That's not how it works.
Misled, though? That certainly happens.
Obviously they are going to let them try Kinect in optimal conditions, it's just that when it's used in a non-controlled environment you get to see the flaws. (Like how much space it needs)

I believe Kinect 2.0 is much better than the original. Obviously technology has improved since then.
The thing is, even if it worked perfectly I still wouldn't want it (for that prize anyway), and don't think it would add enough to the experience to really matter.

 

[Vausch]

So they're sitting on the ability to cut the price of the Xbone to 300 dollars and not using it because they want the Kinect to be an integral part of the system despite nobody wanting it?

I doubt it'd drop more than $100 as MS takes the hit of the extra cost. Why you ask? Well you know all of that data mining and targeted advertising their so proud of.... it pays more than console players do. Their basically selling advertising and a spy cam to those foolish enough to buy the thing :-/

I figured they would at least match the PS4 price at best. Still, I say the same thing I always do: Give it a week. Someone will have a custom firmware made for the xbone that will remove the necessity for the kinect. Won't even take that based on previous experience.

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

and never in any article written on the x1 was it said that they're "aiming for consumers who don't want to shell out for a fancy hdtv. And let's be honest how many people under the age of 50 still have mono sdtvs? If they do then they're probably aren't or can't buy into next gen.

Thats the point, who is the this 'all in one' console designed for?'

It's pissed off the hard-core crowd with mandatory Kinect and the associated price increase.

Casual gamers coming off the Wii will balk at its $500 price tag.

Only 21 countries will be supported in the first wave.

SD TV owners looking for a multibox won't be able to use it.

HD TV users already have some if not all of the features as standard in their TV's, in fact you'll need to buy an additional set-top box if your TV uses an internal decoder in order to use all of the console features.

Sure the console won't completely flop, and at least some fanboys will remain loyal to Microsoft but I wouldn't bet on on a Wii-like miracle.

If you truly don't believe me think back to the launch of this generation of consoles. Sony had a near complete stranglehold on the console market with the PS2 and desired to go all out with the PS3. Cell microprocessor, blu-ray and backwards compatibility, it would wipe out the competition. Unfortunately there was a little issue of the price pushing it beyond the reach of many. The result was the PS3 playing catch-up to the 360 for most of its life.

And now this time MS has more than the price against it.

 

[omega 616]

It is an integral part of the Xbox One experience ... The number of features on the Xbox One that uses the Kinect is almost too many to count. I can't imagine using the console without it.

Name ... 10? 10 things that are integral to it, tell me why these things HAVE to be there for the true experience 'cos from all the stuff I have seen, it's nothing more than a costly liability. Sure, dance central will be more accurate than ever and the screen will re-position your screen to your side ... if for some reason you and your couch co-op friend switch places, which obviously always happens.

I am always that jerk that comes back from the kitchen or bathroom and tells my friend to swap sides every time I come back. /sarcasm

I just can't even name one thing the kinect adds that makes it worth while, let alone countless integral ones.

 

[Diablo1099_v1legacy]

So Microsoft basically screwed themselves out of the position they had with the 360...
Because they wanted Kinect to see in the dark?

Which reminds me, Spying aside, what actual use is that to someone? Voice Commands, I get, but being able to Kinect Sports in the dark? :/

 

[LordMonty]

Kinect 2.0 better spit forth the tears of angels in terms of being useful otherwise you just wasted a lot of time and money and let your machine be underpowered and under invested in compared to the PS4.

 

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

OR, how about you don't force Kinect down consumers' throats, make it an optional peripheral that isn't in the default package and then you can price the Xbone more competitively with the PS4? Figures released <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/125613-Microsoft-CEO-Steve-Ballmer-Takes-Control-Of-Xbox-Division>a while ago mentioned that you have only sold 24 million Kinects to 48 million 360 users, and forcing half of your consumer base to pay for something that they don't want might nark a few of them off.

Just an idea, MS.

 

[Andy Shandy]

You know, I'm going to be (possibly delusionally) optimistic and hope that the fact that the Kinect 2.0 is included with every one means that developers might actually make stuff that uses it well, now that they know that every Xbox One owner will have one.

However, I wouldn't be surprised if things aren't going great for them to release a Kinect-less SKU with a reduced cost, which will be a shame.

 

[erbi79]

I am actually curious about one thing:
we all know the xbox prism will have decent sales in the US, thats just the way they roll overseas, there is no discussion there with or without kinect

BUT considering the political landscape in europe, asia and south america and for instance the numerous cases brought before the European court at this time against MS and in some cases especially the kinect there is even the possibility that it might be banned in europe at this point.

But one thing that is more on topic:

So Microsoft has stated that it wont sell the x1 at a loss, maybe they lied, but let's assume that is the truth.
If about 50% of the cost of the console is the kinect (which i dont believe btw) that really sounds bad for the rest of the hardware on a pure performance base. You just can't have a console that is so cheap and is still going to be very powerful, the math just wont work out.

Also to all you that think that publishers and developers will have kinect features in their games:
they already do right now with the 360, and what do you get? voice commands where it's easier to push a button, motion controls where it's easier to push the analog stick.

The problem with the peripheral is that it just doesn't enhance games, it is not that developers did not do that before because there was not a big install base (because there actually is with the 360).
It's just that for almost all games every kinect feature will not improve the control or immersion but actually harm it.

Also Microsoft has made it pretty clear in my opinion for what they want to use the kinect and games are certainly not at the forefront of that thought.

But let's wait and see what happens at Gamescon

 

[Shoggoth2588]

When Micorosoft's game division either dies outright or, is sold piece-by-piece to the highest bidder in early 2015 we'll know exactly what to blame.

I can't see how The Kinect could have possibly sold well enough to warrant making a new version mandatory for the new console...Microsoft seem to be spending a whole LOT of money on things that wouldn't appeal to people who buy consoles.