320°

Xbox One can treat a spine as a third thumbstick, says Microsoft

Xbox One can treat a player's spine as a third thumbstick, it has been revealed.

A behind-closed-doors presentation at E3 2013 revealed a tech demo where players leaning while using a controller can be incorporated into a game.

Inspired by how people naturally lean into turning corners when playing racing games, the tech demo had the player shift their torso to the sides while holding an analogue stick in order to avoid advancing enemies.

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digitalspy.co.uk
Neoninja3982d ago

If true then that is impressive. I said in another comment that I'm still skeptical of the new kinect, but man the things they're claiming it can do.
I hope to see demos kinects functionality before launch.

MariaHelFutura3982d ago

That real question is....Who even want to use their spine as a 3rd thumbstick? It sounds uncomfortable and painful TBH.

Shadonic3982d ago

Only thing your spine or back should be used for with kinect is for moving backwards or turning from left to right if you dont want to use your hands for that.

Dee_913982d ago

lol.. I tend to try to keep my back straight when playing games, because I dont want a bad back when I get older.But this could be incredible with forza, moving around cockpit and stuff

Elit3Nick3982d ago

You're probably overthinking how this will be used, buta really good use for this feature could be peaking around corners in BF4 or COD: Ghosts

Shadow Flare3982d ago

"Xbox One can treat a spine as a third thumbstick, says Microsoft"

Unfortunately this can't be used with Don Mattrick as he is spineless

PtRoLLFacE3982d ago

that's another way of saying you can use your body, i get how they talk about racing i my self lean when cornering, obviously is unconscious natural body movement if they can incorporate that in a game i ll look forward to it

Heartnet3982d ago

Yeh if its done as a main controller but if a game is immersive you will/might move without you knowing and if kinect can pick up on that... crazy

CrossingEden3982d ago

so now leaning forward is uncomfortable -__-

MurDocINC3981d ago

Better thing would be kick up your feet and use them as joysticks or car pedals.

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 3981d ago
pompombrum3982d ago ShowReplies(4)
Serg3982d ago

They didn't deliver on half the promises of what the first Kinect should've been able to do.

Elit3Nick3982d ago

Ya the first kinect was a shadow of what they originally envisioned. At least this time they have videos showing how it actually works. http://www.youtube.com/watc...

malokevi3982d ago

YEA!!!

This is the news I've been waiting for. Proof-of-concept that MS can incorperate the Kinect into AAA hardcore titles such as shooters.

Ideally, when I round a corner and come face-to-face with a tank, I should be able to lurch/scramble backwards/sideways by using my body. That's basically been my dream for the Kinect... and apparently it can deliver.

Great news! I wish they had demoed this stuff on the show floor/publicly.

rainslacker3981d ago (Edited 3981d ago )

I tend to lay down on the couch or in bed when I play games. But yeah, the idea behind it is sound.

jmc88883982d ago

All the better to spy and exploit you with my deary.

SilentNegotiator3982d ago (Edited 3982d ago )

Woah, wait a minute....so not only does Microsoft cooperate EXTENSIVELY with the US government to spy on us and has a requirement for Kinect to always be connected when playing games that tracks faces and must also be connected to the internet every day....

But they're ALSO tracking my spine?!?!
*jumps out a window*

/s

3-4-53982d ago

Let's see that idea, not on paper, but in practice.

It could be useful for FPS games so you could lean around the corner.

But I honestly don't want to have to be doing side bends and crunches while I'm playing games.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 3981d ago
WeaseL3982d ago

Sounds good but I like to sit back and relax when I play.

EasilyTheBest3982d ago

Things like this make it good that Kinect is standard with the X1. There is a lot of good new stuff to look forward too.

PSN-JeRzYzFyNeSt3982d ago

its like the wii... it was cool, innovative, and new at first then it gets boring and annoying after a while

mcstorm3982d ago

@EasilyTheBest I agree one of the biggest issues with Kinect, Eye toy/move and Wii Motion + is they were not standard with the console so developers overlooked them where just like the WiiU is bundled with the Wiiu controller and Kinect 2 is with the one more and more developers will look to use the technology where the PS Eye and Move will not get as much attestation as it is an add-on.

I know a few people don't want the PSEye, Kinect or WiiU controller but they cerate new ways to play games. Yes most games will use a controller but having the other devices in the industry adds to how we can play games and to new types of games and imputs. Project sparks showed this in impressive ways using Kinect and smart glass and for me its Kinect, WiiU controller and PSeye/Move that gives a lot of people a reason to own more than one console as they all offer something different.

WeAreLegion3982d ago

I enjoy more immersion in games. I like the racing game example. They used head tracking in Gran Turismo 5 via the PS Eye to look around. It was nice. :)

3982d ago Replies(1)
OSIRUSSS3982d ago Show
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280°

More Job Losses At Xbox, “There’s More To Come”: Paul Thurrott

Paul Thurrott in a recent episode commented on the on-going Microsoft fiasco hinting at more job losses and that "there's more to come".

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spieltimes.com
Sonic188122h ago(Edited 22h ago)

There won't be no more acquiring game publishers from Microsoft in the future . Xbox has to pay Microsoft back. It might take two decades to do that.

sagapo19h ago(Edited 19h ago)

I don’t understand what you’re saying. Xbox IS microsoft so there’s no “paying back “.
And MS gross profit in 2023 was over 140 billion dollars so forget your 2 decades.

Unless you mean the money MS invested in Xbox (acquisitions included) and the time it will take for xbox as a brand to gain that money back on it’s own, then yeah, that could take a while.

romulus2313h ago

The better term to use might be return on investment, xbox is simply a division of Microsoft one that MS can easily do away with if profit margins are not met. So in that regard he's right, if xbox isn't showing the expected return on investment the higher ups are expecting than it's unlikely Microsoft will acquire any other studios any time soon, especially if they are spending billions buying developers just to shut them down in the end.

MrBaskerville5h ago(Edited 5h ago)

Xbox is a division that they discussed shutting down but doubled down on after Gamepass was pitched.

It needs to make money at some point. Big money.

rokos3h ago

According to Statista the net income of Microsoft is about $72.4 billion dollars which is a bit lower than last year profit. That is almost as much as Activision's acquisition but I assume that would be a one off since it costs so much plus I see how their focus has been shifted to AI, thus any major future investments will probably be in that area.

Markusb332h ago

i think you are really missing the point

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 2h ago
SonyStyled19h ago

“There won't be no more acquiring game publishers from Microsoft in the future”

No bro, there do be is for Microsoft not acquiring for what is now if not what it be is 😂

16h agoReplies(2)
ChasterMies6h ago

Xbox isn’t a separate company from Microsoft. It’s all Microsoft.

Abear211h ago(Edited 1h ago)

Let’s be real, this is the media spinning all the acquisitions and liquidations of said developers and spinning it to make M$ the villain.

This was bound to happen, a bigger slice of pie and cut costs, when the games come they stand to make more and that’s their agenda—it was the writing on the wall when the sales went through and legally all those who approved the sale and mergers knew this would happen.

Snowflakes need to realize business is ugly and you can cry all you want but this is how capitalism works. And it works.

That said, M$ needs to steer the narrative and grab hold of all this, make their plans known, hype the hell out of all those dead IP’s they plan to revive, and be honest about the timeline. This is likely to involve mobile and IP on other consoles, and most people realize that.

The problem is this company is incapable of being transparent and seems to often want to dissuade and confuse is customer base. The lack of E3 has hurt Microsoft and I don’t think they know how to properly or effectively market their brand anymore.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 1h ago
jwillj2k422h ago

There really needs to be a class action lawsuit here. You buy these companies just to put people out of jobs. And it’s not like something happened to derail their plans this WAS the plan. Microsoft has no business in this space at all.

franwex22h ago(Edited 21h ago)

Microsoft has been doing this for years. They simply want the IPs. Look at Nokia. Look at Skype. This time it simply expanded to games. Gaming is not as important to Microsoft’s executives as it was to the founders too. Bill Gates was willing to sell the og Xbox at a loss. Steve Balmer approved the red ring of death fiasco. This CEO isn’t really a gamer.

-Foxtrot21h ago

Maybe it's time though to put a stop to it and use a big giant like Microsoft as a huge example to the rest of these big companies.

There has to be a line drawn somewhere.

People like the FTC and the like went against Microsoft yet their Actvision deal was still allowed to go through yet look what's happened...it's not even Acitivisions studios aswell, it's Bethesdas.

Jon615862h ago

You do realize this happens in ALL industries? Or are you just saying this because it is Microsoft? In any case I feel for those that are being let go but the trch industry is suffering right now.

RNTody21h ago

Ninja Theory, Perfect Dark, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, Wolfenstein 3, Dishonored, Prey, Doom, Quake... something tells me that bad things are going to happen to these entities under Microsoft.

MrDead11h ago

ID software, the makers of Doom and Wolfenstein that have been with us since 1991 could be gone and MS will keep the IPs.

I hope some of these studios can buy their freedom from MS otherwise this is going to be even more devastating for the industry and gamers.

Yui_Suzumiya8h ago(Edited 8h ago)

That's exactly what I'm worried about. I've been a fan of id since Wolfenstein 3D and I'm honestly afraid.

lodossrage4h ago

Toys for Bob saw the writing on the wall and bought themselves out.

Wouldn't be the first time a company did that under MS either. Bungie and Twisted Pixel did the same. Considering what just happened, I can see some other devs trying to buy themselves out too.

anast21h ago

Good thing the bosses of all those small studios made their money.

glenn197920h ago

they cant do it right now they will get burned

XiNatsuDragnel12h ago

Phil and his team need to be gone

lodossrage4h ago(Edited 4h ago)

Won't make a difference.

The whole structure needs to be overhauled. Anyone that replaces Phil will be no different than him, Mattrick, or anyone else.

Until the company changes how they go about business, nothing will change

glenn19791h ago

I just don't have any idea what they would do , they have done sooo much damage on their xbox brand, they have a show at July or June I think, but will it even matter even they show amazing games, idkn

lodossrage4h ago

True,

But they may as well get it over with. Whether it happens now or later, the burning is going to hit the same.

Reality is the ONE move that can alleviate a lot of this is the one move they can't make. Remove day 1 from gamepass.

Show all comments (55)
90°

Microsoft Opening Xbox Mobile Game Store in July

The Xbox brand is expanding, as an Xbox mobile game store is opening this coming July where Microsoft will brings its "first-party portfolio."

Jin_Sakai2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

“Bond adds that they will start on the web”

This will go nowhere.

Nice knowing you Xbox. This is what happens when the house never gets cleaned.

MrDead2d ago

The only this MS is expanding is the amount of feculence it sprays on everyone who just want to enjoy gaming and make games.

The best thing MS can do for the gaming industry is leave and never return.

XiNatsuDragnel2d ago

Good luck with this even it might not succeed.

Show all comments (7)
210°

Microsoft once tried to nab LittleBigPlanet from Sony after a few drinks

It turns out that many moons ago, Microsoft once had its eye on the Sony published LittleBigPlanet series.

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eurogamer.net
XiNatsuDragnel3d ago

Microsoft had a good idea but fumbled it again.

Cacabunga1d 23h ago (Edited 1d 23h ago )

Project Spark idea was decent but they quickly gave up ..
LBP was wonderful

ApocalypseShadow2d ago

Microsoft in a nutshell. Always tried to poach Sony employees, games, 3rd party games and devices like the depth camera that was turned into Kinect but was running on PS2 before Xbox 360. Wouldn't be surprised they wanted LBP. Just like they worked behind the scenes pushing the MLB to bring Sony's baseball game to Xbox instead of making their own.
https://www.playstationlife...

They didn't spend years trying to develop their own baseball game. They wanted Sony's game.

They're scum.

Zachmo1821d 22h ago

Microsoft didn't force MLB on Xbox. MLB gave Sony 2 options either go multiplat or risk losing the license.

Rynxie1d 12h ago

And why do you think MLB said that? I believe Ms approached MLB.

ApocalypseShadow1d 12h ago (Edited 1d 11h ago )

Totally ridiculous comment.

The only exclusivity Sony had was to their own creation of The Show. Microsoft could have paid the MLB for the license just like Sony did and made their own baseball game.

Microsoft instead, groomed MLB for years in trying to poach Sony's game and bring it to Xbox. They're worth 3 TRILLION dollars. You think that's not enough money to make their own baseball game? Don't be delusional.

Microsoft spun it like they always do and told the media that they had to trust Sony with their hardware. After they put Sony in that position of not having a choice. Either go multiplatform or stop making one of their successful games. That's a no win scenario.

And what did Microsoft do? They didn't try to sell the game to the Xbox community. They put it on game pass to hurt Sony. Pushing the idea of why buy games that are $70 when you can play them in their cheap service for $10. It was a dirty tactic.

You fell for the Kool aid drink Microsoft served you instead of spitting it out. Hope it tasted good because you were fooled by Phil and the gang.

1d 7h ago
Hereandthere1d 3h ago

Xbox executive Sara Bond has told Axios that Microsoft spent a number of years trying to get MLB The Show onto Xbox consoles. And when it finally succeeded in breaking off PlayStation’s long-held exclusivity, the company had to “trust” Sony with pre-release Xbox Series X/S consoles.

Bond revealed that MLB The Show “always came up” in conversations between Microsoft and the Major League Baseball organization. “We always said, ‘We love this game. It would be a huge opportunity to bring it to Xbox.'” she recalled. However, when Microsoft’s efforts materialized, it put the company in an awkward situation where it had to send in pre-release consoles to a rival company.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 1d 3h ago
Notellin1d 9h ago

"Microsoft instead, groomed MLB for years in trying to poach Sony's game and bring it to Xbox."

Take a nap, conspiracies are rotting your brain.

1d 7h ago
Hereandthere1d 3h ago

Xbox executive Sara Bond has told Axios that Microsoft spent a number of years trying to get MLB The Show onto Xbox consoles. And when it finally succeeded in breaking off PlayStation’s long-held exclusivity, the company had to “trust” Sony with pre-release Xbox Series X/S consoles.

ApocalypseShadow13h ago

Lying to yourself is unbecoming.

Article link tells you all you need to know in Sarah Bond's own words.

Hereandthere1d 3h ago

They were too cheap/inept/lazy to develop their own mlb game, so they port begged for years and bribed the mlb to make the show multiplatform. Like i said many times, xbox brought nothing to the table their 24 years, ZERO.

ApocalypseShadow13h ago

At least you and others get it. Note drank the Kool aid and asked for seconds thinking it was refreshing.

Most don't even know how it all played out but it's there in black and white for all to see. Microsoft brought it up for years until the MLB forced Sony's hand. It was a win win for Microsoft. Kill one reason to buy a PlayStation or kill the game by dropping it in a cheap service to kill Sony's sales numbers on PlayStation.

OtterX2d ago

"However, Healey said Media Molecule wouldn't have felt right doing that, adding it would have been "morally corrupt"."

Major kudos to Media Molecule for being an upright studio with principles.

Cockney8h ago

They chose well, Sony gave them the backing to pursue their dreams with no restrictions even tho their games especially dreams have very niche appeal. Media molecule and Sony deserve respect for this in an age of risk averse publishing.

RNTody2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

Great, more stories like this please. Show the last of the zombies holding the line what we've been saying for years: Microsoft is anti competition, anti industry and has no interest in making games at all.

But hey, at least there's an Xbox Games Showcase to look forward to, right?

Inverno2d ago

Well considering SONY just killed the series, LBP would've been dead by now either way. Though MM probably wouldn't exist by now either, so I'm glad they stayed with SONY, hopefully they don't get shut down any time soon or ever honestly.

Sheppard7t31d 22h ago

How did Sony kill the series?

Inverno1d 22h ago

They shut down the servers, that's millions of user created levels gone. That and dead are pretty much the same, it's also been years since 3 and they cancelled HUB soooo.

1d 7h ago
fsfsxii1d 8h ago

They shutdown the servers because no one was playing, no one in the community cared about the user created levels so why keep them up? Wtf you guys would never succeed in running a business.

Inverno1d 7h ago

Yea dood no one was playing so they shut off the servers. Cause people with enough common sense can't just Google why they were actually shut of, right?

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