Kinect Reportedly Costs "Almost As Much" as Xbox One

[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.

 

[MrBaskerville]

The only sensible thing i can think of that you can use Kinect for is dancing games. In all other aspects i´d much rather use a controller, the problem is that Kinect is included from the get go, so tons of games will feature annoying gimmicks like handwave QTE and redundant voice commands and there will be no options to switch it off. That is one of the main reasons why i would never buy an Xbox as long as Kinect is mandatory, i just don´t have any faith in it. 1:1 gaming is useless and i personally hate talking to machines so yeah...

I´m old and i don´t like this kind of thing. I´d much rather have a standard controller, if it´s good enough to play something as complicated as Street Fighter, it should be good enough for anything .

 

[MrBaskerville]

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? :/

You will be able to high-fi military dudes in games, it will be awesome.

 

[Diablo1099_v1legacy]

You will be able to high-fi military dudes in games, it will be awesome.

...But why do we need Night Vision on the Kinect?

 

[erbi79]

You will be able to high-fi military dudes in games, it will be awesome.

...But why do we need Night Vision on the Kinect?

Do you want an honest answer?

We don't

A lot of the features the kinect has are really interesting on a technology side, but at least at this point seem to have no relation to gameplay at all.

 

[Diablo1099_v1legacy]

Do you want an honest answer?

We don't

A lot of the features the kinect has are really interesting on a technology side, but at least at this point seem to have no relation to gameplay at all.

Yeah, I've heard some cool things about Kinect outside of gaming.
In Fact, in my research, there is only one video that really shows off the use of it in a Gaming Setting And that was on Garry's Mod

Still, you'd think there would be some reason some MS PR person would spout in order to justify it.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

So this totally legitimate developer who absolutely works for Microsoft is confirming that the Kinect is at least partially there to spy on us in order to hit us with targeted advertising?

Thanks Microsoft but I really don't feel like having more ads thrown my way.

 

[Roofstone]

I literally cannot (I wouldn't even if I could, but that is another issue) buy this. Because my flat doesn't have enough room for it.. I don't have several feet of open floor space.. I barely have several feet of living room at all!