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
Neoninja3984d 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.

MariaHelFutura3984d ago

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

Shadonic3984d 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_913984d 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

Elit3Nick3984d 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 Flare3984d 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

PtRoLLFacE3984d 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

Heartnet3984d 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

CrossingEden3984d ago

so now leaning forward is uncomfortable -__-

MurDocINC3983d ago

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

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pompombrum3984d ago ShowReplies(4)
Serg3984d ago

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

Elit3Nick3984d 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...

malokevi3984d 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.

rainslacker3984d ago (Edited 3984d ago )

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

jmc88883984d ago

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

SilentNegotiator3984d ago (Edited 3984d 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

3-4-53984d 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 3983d ago
WeaseL3984d ago

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

EasilyTheBest3984d 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-JeRzYzFyNeSt3984d ago

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

mcstorm3984d 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.

WeAreLegion3984d 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. :)

3984d ago Replies(1)
OSIRUSSS3984d ago Show
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130°

Microsoft's Absurd Antics Have Me Scared For Dishonored And Arkane Lyon's Future

With Arkane Austin no more and Lyon living for who knows how long, the superb Dishonored is in serious danger; Microsoft cannot be trusted.

Relientk771d 3h ago

I love the Dishonored series so much and really want Dishonored 3. Microsoft better not screw this up.

JEECE1d ago

I mean, I think the fans will probably kill Arkane Lyon by cooking up reasons to hate whatever they do next without playing it. I've never seen a game so artificially disliked as Deathloop.

thesoftware7301d ago

Lol, why don't we just say, we are worried about all studios owned by MS now. They will keep closing studios until they have none left ...🙄

Skuletor21h ago

Just merge them all into a single studio, have it churn out a single Call of Duty every year and call it a day, lol.

Barlos20h ago

Don't be scared, you'll be fine.

Skuletor20h ago

It's exputer, fine is one word I would not associate with them.

Profchaos20h ago

I think it's becoming clear based on matt bootys comments there's no future for any IP that can't sell above 10 million within the launch window. But is also a small game that gives them prestige

/S it's beyond a joke right now

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290°

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
Sonic18813d ago (Edited 3d 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.

sagapo3d ago (Edited 3d 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.

romulus232d 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.

MrBaskerville2d ago (Edited 2d 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.

rokos2d 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.

Markusb332d ago

i think you are really missing the point

VariantAEC1d 22h ago

@romulus23
That is not why MS buys studios. They might continue to buy because it's about taking that sweet sweet IP out of the corporate husks of their acquisitions.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 1d 22h ago
SonyStyled3d 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 😂

2d ago Replies(2)
ChasterMies2d ago

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

Abear212d ago (Edited 2d 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.

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jwillj2k43d 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.

franwex3d ago (Edited 3d 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.

-Foxtrot3d 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.

VariantAEC1d 22h ago

Years?

Try several decades, and in the gaming space 2.3 decades.

Jon615862d 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.

jwillj2k42d ago (Edited 2d ago )

This absolutely does NOT happen all the time. Let me know the last time 1 company with a terrible product track record spent 100 billion onto acquire MULTIPLE successful companies in under a year only to shut them down and stop making their products regardless of how successful they were. Not merge them, completely shut them down.

And you can’t use Microsoft in your example.

Notellin2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

Class action lawsuit? The law is on their side and protects them at all costs. There are no rules to protect the people at the bottom.

jwillj2k42d ago

Not true when it comes to mass layoff do your research.

RNTody3d 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.

MrDead2d 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_Suzumiya2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

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

lodossrage2d 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.

anast3d ago

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

glenn19793d ago

they cant do it right now they will get burned

XiNatsuDragnel2d ago

Phil and his team need to be gone

lodossrage2d ago (Edited 2d 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

glenn19792d 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

lodossrage2d 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.

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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_Sakai4d ago (Edited 4d 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.

MrDead4d 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.

XiNatsuDragnel4d ago

Good luck with this even it might not succeed.

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