Xbox One to Get Kinect-Free Version for $399 in June

[Grimh]

I guess I could smugly claim I called it but was there anyone who seriously didn't?

Still that's great, it's good that they're giving people the option finally.
I mean because of this, along with Sunset Overdrive which looks pretty damn fun, I might actually consider possibly having the idea of thinking about maybe buying an Xbone.
Someday.

 

[sXeth]

Although, on the other side of things, now that you've hacked off your deadweight, what is the Xbone but a weaker PS4 (yes, yes they're both technically midrange pre-built pcs too) with some minor variances in game lineups. Sure, the Kinect was even less/more gimmickly utilized then the Wii-U controller, but it at least was something unique to your box.

While they've put the wheel back on their proverbial race car, they're still behind a lot of ground, and need to do something drastic to pull ahead.

 

[Simalacrum]

Microsoft has been making a lot of right moves lately. Sure they stumbled out of the gates, but unlike Sony and the PS3 they reversed a lot of the initial bad decisions very quickly indeed.

This'll certainly make the market interesting; Sony now has some serious competition in the form of an Xbox that is now the same price point, and with arguably a stronger line-up of games at the current state of time. In fact, with the price out of the way the only thing separating these two consoles is the games, and both companies are going to have to work their arses off to get the best games for their consoles. And thats a win for both PS4 and Xbone owners! Huzzar!

 

[chozo_hybrid]

This brings the machine to basically the same price as the PS4 over here it seems, so I don't think it's going to sway many people. Not to mention the PS4 has more power behind it, so which could make all the difference.

 

[COMaestro]

And with this announcement, Microsoft will sell 0 Xbox One consoles until the price drop hits in June.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

I'm sure this'll now mean that everyone on the internet that said "I'll get it when they get rid of the Kinect, stop requiring Gold for apps and all that" will now turn round and buy it, especially at the new price.

Right guys?

Or will they turn round and go "Too little, too late"? Because why be consistent.

Anyway, looks like Spencer is having a big impact, which is good to see.

I'm sure most didn't actually say they WOULD buy one when they dropped the Kinect, just that they would be more likely to, I know I am.

The only thing that's stopping me right now is the supposed lack of performance. I already have a PC, I don't feel the need to pay $400 (or whatever that is in £) for another gaming system that plays many of the same games I already can, better and cheaper. The exclusives don't really excite me either.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

This is what Microsoft said about Kinect a year ago.

"The all-new Kinect is now an essential and integrated part of the platform. By having it as a consistent part of every Xbox One, game and entertainment creators can build experiences that assume the availability of voice, gesture and natural sensing, leading to unrivaled ease of use, premium experiences and interactivity for you."

http://news.xbox.com/2013/05/qa

 

[chozo_hybrid]

This is what Microsoft said about Kinect a year ago.

"The all-new Kinect is now an essential and integrated part of the platform. By having it as a consistent part of every Xbox One, game and entertainment creators can build experiences that assume the availability of voice, gesture and natural sensing, leading to unrivaled ease of use, premium experiences and interactivity for you."

http://news.xbox.com/2013/05/qa

Yep, they also said it about all their DRM, but they were able to fix that too, so this comes to me as no real surprise.

 

[RedBackDragon]

In Australia the Xbox One is going to be CHEAPER than the PS4.

Glad to see proper competition.

i doubt it , knowing our luck they will add on the F# you for living here tax.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

This is what Microsoft said about Kinect a year ago.

"The all-new Kinect is now an essential and integrated part of the platform. By having it as a consistent part of every Xbox One, game and entertainment creators can build experiences that assume the availability of voice, gesture and natural sensing, leading to unrivaled ease of use, premium experiences and interactivity for you."

Yep, they also said it about all their DRM, but they were able to fix that too, so this comes to me as no real surprise.

What's funny is the way they want to spin this into a "fix" when in fact they're "fixing" the very thing they once considered "essential and integral" to their product.

 

[AzrealMaximillion]

I'll be impressed if we see some games come out on the damn thing worth playing. Goes for the PS4 as well.

 

[SeventhSigil]

I'm actually surprised.

Not that they did it, that was pretty inevitably going to happen if Microsoft didn't get its numbers where they wanted them. The vow of a company- Sony included- has about the same binding promise of a drunken man's bar-side proclamation of love to a woman he met six minutes ago. xP

What I'm surprised is they did it so soon. Even my earliest predictions figured on the Fall, simply because I thought Microsoft would make this year's round of game conferences, announce all the titles on the horizon, and see if the resulting buzz boosted their numbers before taking the plunge and backlash from early adopters.

Eh, either way, my interest is renewed; I said months ago I wouldn't get the console until either the Kinect did something that interested me, or until it was removed. Looks like I'll be a two-console owner this generation! ...riiiight as soon as I'm less poor.

 

[Mr C]

I'm sure this'll now mean that everyone on the internet that said "I'll get it when they get rid of the Kinect, stop requiring Gold for apps and all that" will now turn round and buy it, especially at the new price.

Right guys?

Or will they turn round and go "Too little, too late"? Because why be consistent.

Anyway, looks like Spencer is having a big impact, which is good to see.

If Sunset Overdrive is the awesome mix of Ratchet and Clank and Jet Set Radio that it looks like, or something just as awesome, I'll get one at some point.

 

[Programmed_For_Damage]

Kinect is a nifty bit of hardware but it's TOTALLY unnecessary and under-utilised. All I use it for is to tell the Xbone to turn itself off.

 

[Nazulu]

Well, that was the last of my problems with the box. Now if it gets a library of games that interests me I don't mind investing money in it. Or do they still have that hard drive space problem?

 

[Denamic]

I'm sure this'll now mean that everyone on the internet that said "I'll get it when they get rid of the Kinect, stop requiring Gold for apps and all that" will now turn round and buy it, especially at the new price.

Right guys?

Or will they turn round and go "Too little, too late"? Because why be consistent.

Anyway, looks like Spencer is having a big impact, which is good to see.

It's more "I might have gotten it if they didn't fuck it up so bad." The fact that they're backpedaling and removing the shit we didn't want doesn't mean they didn't do it in the first place. The status quo isn't restored that easily after being shat on. Especially not after they wanted to force every console to phone home every single day. They changed their minds after public outcry, but the fact remains that they tried. Fuck them.

 

[Shadow-Phoenix]

I'm sure this'll now mean that everyone on the internet that said "I'll get it when they get rid of the Kinect, stop requiring Gold for apps and all that" will now turn round and buy it, especially at the new price.

Right guys?

Or will they turn round and go "Too little, too late"? Because why be consistent.

Anyway, looks like Spencer is having a big impact, which is good to see.

but the fact remains that they tried. Fuck them.

But that only makes his point, why be consistent?, once they change for the better why?.

I've seen people stay exactly the same when someone else eventually did something good for once, it was one of the childish things I'd ever seen in that person because it turned out that it was a petty grudge that was held on for a long time instead of learning to grow up and move on.

I suspect the same will happen here with MS, even once they do good they will get shat on by the same people, the personal grudge to be forever hold while at the same time remaining in the defence that their grudge isn't childish at all and that they have no reason to change yet expect others to change around them at all times.

This is what I actually expect to see thanks to the past decades worth of trends leading up to this point.

 

[Denamic]

I'm sure this'll now mean that everyone on the internet that said "I'll get it when they get rid of the Kinect, stop requiring Gold for apps and all that" will now turn round and buy it, especially at the new price.

Right guys?

Or will they turn round and go "Too little, too late"? Because why be consistent.

Anyway, looks like Spencer is having a big impact, which is good to see.

but the fact remains that they tried. Fuck them.

But that only makes his point, why be consistent?, once they change for the better why?.

I've seen people stay exactly the same when someone else eventually did something good for once, it was one of the childish things I'd ever seen in that person because it turned out that it was a petty grudge that was held on for a long time instead of learning to grow up and move on.

I suspect the same will happen here with MS, even once they do good they will get shat on by the same people, the personal grudge to be forever hold while at the same time remaining in the defence that their grudge isn't childish at all and that they have no reason to change yet expect others to change around them at all times.

This is what I actually expect to see thanks to the past decades worth of trends leading up to this point.

Even after all the stuff we didn't want is removed, like the DRM, the kinect, and the twitch restrictions, what's left? A slightly weaker console for the same price. Even if the xbone didn't have a history full of betrayal, bullshit, and backpedaling, it's still nowhere near being a strong sale.

 

[Strazdas]

Oh I did, dunno about you but I was expecting a tune to change, not the same old bile, but hey you proved me that this will never change, even if MS did because it's kool to hate.

;^)

Can you provide any reason for why the tune should change? because i see none here.

Funny I'm still not seeing that same level of "change" or "backlash" that's apparently been happening with Microsoft on the Steam side.

The only reason for that is your not looking. Because its there.

I never said MS was my friend or any of the two, this is when I get words shoved down my mouth because I don't happen to share the exact same point of view because I'm not treating a company like it's constantly coming to my front door and shitting on the doorstep.

and whne a company is constantly comming to your front door and shittong on the doorstep and you claim you "dont see it" thne you are the one in the wrong.

I wasn't too happy with what they sparked at E3 but times have changed since then but I'm still seeing that same old tune from the crowd here,

GOOD. maybe gamers finally realized that having more than 1 week old attention spans is a good thing. Maybe gamers finally relaized that remmebering how company fucked you over and taking it into account is not a bad thing. Also what exactly "good" did MS did lately? the only thing i remmeber is them dropping gold requirements for services that should have not required it in the first place. Fixing a problem you yourself caused is not something to be praised for. its something you should respond in "now dont do it again".

When I meant 360 controller design, I mean how it was shaped and how the button were placed. There is no saving that god-awful d-pad that's for sure. If they had just made a new d-pad then they could have just released that controller really. Heck, the Wii U's pro controller uses the general shape of the Xbox 360 controller, and it feels fine (although I wished Nintendo would have remade the GameCube controller).

its still amazing how controllers only have 1 side. its as if everyones hands are the same right? heck, PC has figured this our decades ago and has moues and keyboards to everyones liking. why cant we have even 3 basic sizes of controller? Personally 360 controller gives me pain and disconfort from as little as half an hour in. meanwhile the mouse i picked to fit my hand well never tires my hand.

I think the thing that blows my mind is how quickly people seem to forget that Sony did almost the exact same thing, at the start of the last generation. The hypocrisy of it all is that this time, its Microsoft and its always, "too little, too late" or "people will never forget" and garbage like that. Yet, I can remember (probably the exact same crowd, too) at the beginning of last gen singing a completely different tune with Sony. It boggles the mind to see people completely ignoring history and thinking that Microsoft should throw in the towel, because its OVER. Bullshit.

ever heard the saying "almost doesnt count"? The fact is that Sony released PS4 without both of the main problems that Xbox One shipped with. they listened to feedback and reacted to it before launch. Microsoft did not. hence, too little too late. No, microsoft should not throw in the towel. they should admit their mistakes and get better. and dont act like they are doing something miraculous for us while only fixing mistakes they themselves made.

They,

-reversed the DRM
-dropped the price
-are trying to sort out the performance
-might be removing some of the restrictions regarding streaming services
-will be offering a Kinect free version
-making efforts to secure games for the console

Yet all those positives are painted as bad things and back peddling, no Microsoft are not doing it because they are really nice guys and want to help people and they are only doing it to shift more product but at the end of the day the consumer is still benefiting from it.

first of, when you fix a problem you yourself cause you dont deserve praise. you deserve to be told to not do it again.
Reverse DRM - fixing problem you yourself caused.
Droppnig the price - ill give you that this is a good thing, but this is only beucase they are not selling the Kinect with it, and they claimed kinect is 150 dollars worth, which means they are actually raising the price of base console. well, not such a good thing after all.
trying to sort out performance? um, how? hardware does not magically become faster. granted, MS as a whole has been looking at programming layers and its performance problems lately, but thats more coming from windows division than Xbox one. still, youll have to elaborate on that to make a reasonable retort.
kinect free version - once again fixing a problem they themselves caused.
securing games? you mean holding games ransom?

Add in some backwards compatibility while you're at it and we'll talk, MS.

Not possible.

Microsoft has been making a lot of right moves lately.

for example.....

Well, that was the last of my problems with the box. Now if it gets a library of games that interests me I don't mind investing money in it. Or do they still have that hard drive space problem?

if by hard drive space problem you mean only 500gb HDD of which 137GB is reserved for OS - yes, they still have that problem.