Microsoft Looks to Kinect to Extend 360 Lifespan

[UnravThreads]

5 years? Not unless they bring out a completely revamped co... That'd be a new console.

The 360 likely has some untapped potential, but I can't see it lasting five more years. I honestly think Microsoft will buckle first when it comes to the new generation, just as they did this generation. Games are getting too big for DVDs and if MS don't do something (Optional disc reader or something) then they're going to be left behind.

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

Well, they have reached a plattow for graphics, you can't really make it look that much better, any improvements are in control or the inside tech, and that can just be added with new controllers or downloads. The kinect isn't going to do much to change that fact.

 

[Paddin]

If they want to keep it going for another 5 years, I'm fine with that. It means that I don't have to buy a new console for about £300 for a while. Although in those 5 years I hope they pass the Kinect gimmick stage, where every game is just an example of "woo look at me! I'm controlling the game with my body!", because that WILL get old very fast. In fact, I think its already too old.

 

[AMMO Kid]

I don't think I'll buy Kinect, but it will be nice to not have to buy a new console anytime soon with tons of new games

 

[spinFX]

Are they really THAT worried about the 360 becoming obsolete already? How long was the PS2 around and how long did people continue to play their PS2s after the PS3 was released? I still play mine to this day. People would still be playing their Xbox's except the 360 actually has backward compatability(Hint hint, you sony bastards).

I think Microsoft is stressing over this more than they need to.

God I wish I didn't sell my PS2.

Another 5 years is fine. There'll be a new console overlapping that. Just like the Xbox overlapped the Xbox 360 by a year or so.

 

[Javex]

I think that they've spent so much money investing in a new slim design and the Kinect technology that they can't afford to develop a whole new console inside a 5 year timeline. I've heard that Microsoft is losing money on the gaming front. Personally I don't see how, but who knows. Anyway, I think that investing the (probable) millions of dollars into Kinect was probably a bad move.

 

[Anti-Robot Man]

The nextgen consoles will come out 2012-2013. They're all pretending they're going to try to last 10 years so they can beat the competition to market. SEGA recognised this which is why they're taking another stab at developing a console.

Move & Kinect will at best be modest successes, no expensive add-on for a console has ever been succesful (SEGA CD, 32x, 64DD, 360 HD-DVD - hey I bought one). It creates a niche in the userbase, which is going to limit sales, the way to get round this is to developp software aimed at this niche as cheaply as possible - say hello to mountains of shovelware. I think Microsoft and Sony should have waited till the next gen to implement this stuff into consoles themselves.

 

[DTWolfwood]

Good which means i dont have to waste money on new consoles and a whole new set of games!

 

[nofear220]

This is the middle of the 360's life? Really? All the consoles had outdated performance the day they came out, and they're going to drag on the poor performance for even longer...Games could be so much more than they are today if the PC was focused on. I guess that's what I get for having a computer that doesn't even sweat playing crysis...

 

[Cyrax987]

As long as they keep coming out with good games then I'm good with sticking with the 360 and PS3. Not like I'm really anxious to spend 400 dollars on a new console at the moment anyways.

 

[Death916]

forget kinect, ill play my 360 for 5 years anyway.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

Huh.

In one way, I'm sort of happy because I'm kind of sick of this constant march for "bigger and better". I think given more time, devs can really utilize the full potential of the console/Computer hardware, rather than have to relearn everything for each new generation.

On the other hand, it's Kinect, which has provided me no evidence that it's anything more than a gimmick, and a derivative one at that. (I refer to its lineup, which is basically the Wii lineup all over again)

So time will tell.

They're both derivative. Not just in lineup for Kinect, though.

Kinect is a better version of Sony's own Eyetoy. And Move is a better version of the Wii.

Future of gaming, indeed...

 

[Autofaux]

Another five years? On what? I wish Microsoft would focus on developing more IPs in house. New peripherals aren't the way to go. Talk about missing the point.

 

[teutonicman]

I have no intention of buying it until quality (read: non mini-game collections) are being pumped out. I recently saw 15 launch titles for the kinect, I was not impressed.
http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/109/1097139p1.html
Though I know Fable 3 is supposed to support kinect but I'm keeping my optimism reserved.

 

[thenamelessloser]

According to the logic of Microsoft, PS2 lasted so long because of the eye toy!

 

[Hileo20]

Ok why are people surprised? Everything made for a console is expected to increase life expectancy. It's the whole point. 5 years might sound wrong, but the Wii is getting up in years and it's just Kinect+controllers.

Honestly the whole point to Kinect isn't just to play games, if you watch the demos, there is a huge application for a lot more than games, and honestly feels like we are moving up to the Jetson's way of life. Is it just a "gimmick"? Perhaps, but it is still a pretty huge leap to being able to say, "toast!", and a little machine you packed with bread shoots them up to the toast slot, and once done sends them down the shoot to you bank deposit style into the living room lol

My real joke about Kinect is, what if you are talking to your friend or he makes a movement while next to you? Could this screw up your tiger-petting experience? lol

 

[crimson sickle2]

The Kinect just seems like Sony's Eyetoy from the last generation. I probably won't ever get Kinect as I can't see any real use for it in games that I like.

 

[DigitalSushi]

Are they really THAT worried about the 360 becoming obsolete already? How long was the PS2 around and how long did people continue to play their PS2s after the PS3 was released? I still play mine to this day. People would still be playing their Xbox's except the 360 actually has backward compatability(Hint hint, you sony bastards).

I think Microsoft is stressing over this more than they need to.

Sorry could you explain why you your saying Xbox360 backwards compatibility and Sony does not?, I'm pretty sure I can play PS2 games on my PS3. As far as I know the Xbox360 emulation didn't work as expected, in fact it was pretty poor.

The reason backwards compatibility was taken out of the PS3 was to bring down the price, the reason people didn't buy a PS3 was because of its exhorbitant price tag, they take out the PS2 to save on costs because people like you still had PS2's anyway so it was pointless to have it in there in the first bloody place because you weren't going to buy a PS3 cos it was too expensive and you kept your PS2's anyway, they take out BC and you complain.

Basically this happened
Consumer "Sony, totally stoked about the PS3, but i'm keeping hold of my PS2 anyway, oh and I'm not buying your new console, its way too expensive"
Sony "ok fine, since your carrying on buying PS2's I'll take that function out and drop the price yet still give you a bigger hard drive and firmware upgrades to make it better"
Consumer "WHAT? your taking something out that I already have?, THE BETRAYAL!"


OT, I'm glad that Microsoft are going for this long life span thing, I had an Xbox like yesterday, and I'd hate to have to trade it in just because something more shiny has come along.

 

[Dexiro]

Without a controller Kinect can only do minigames and on-rails. With a controller it can only do hand gestures.

I really can't see how they plan on stretching a worthwhile game library out of that.