120°

Xbox One Kinect is a “much more integral part of the platform”, says Microsoft

Xbox One Kinect is a “much more integral part of the platform”, says Microsoft

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pixelenemy.com
UltimateMaster3893d ago (Edited 3893d ago )

It's really the only thing that distinct itself from the PS4.
Without it, it can't really be called an "Xbox One" because it would not include everything.

JokesOnYou3893d ago

Glad to see them come out and openly promote their product, regardless of what ps fanboys say. Kinect in every box is a brilliant move.

Biggest3893d ago

This is the same song and dance we've heard since the beginning of Kinect. Everything was promised. Nothing was delivered. Here we go with more promises. I can't imagine what the outcome will be this time.

/rolls eyes

sincitysir13893d ago

then show us microsoft! i havent seen bigger games (games not made specifically for the kinect) utilize it in any interesting ways! i want microsoft to make me jealous that im not getting an xbox one. SHOW ME!!!!

ps no i didnt read the article. psh who does? /s

n4rc3893d ago

Its not all about games... At least not for me..

Kinect adds functionality.. Playing motion games is honestly the last thing on my mind when discussing it

xHeavYx3893d ago

What's there to show? The fighter within demo was laggy, there is no way to integrate Kinect in hardcore games other than limited things you yell at the tv, like Skyrim or commands for war games(I still find it weird to think of someone yelling orders to the tv)
What else? All the tv stuff for people too lazy to pick up a controller

theWB273893d ago (Edited 3893d ago )

FPS- something as simple as it reading your heart rate during matches. Thus affecting your ability to aim, take a little longer to reload. All of us drop controllers during matches, it can keep track of your head movement so you can still look around for that split second it takes to pick the controller back up.

Sports- Instead of having to pause the game to substitute players, just say who you want to sub in and out and keep the flow of the game going.

One of the biggest features is the integrated body scanning so in the feature developers can implement this into games, I'm sure a ton of people would have rather had themselves as...say...Shephard instead of messing with Bioshock's create options. Again, people would rather have themselves in sports titles.

Say you have a Borderlands type game...when you have a friend over and play split screen, well hey Kinect knows who this person is and instead of pausing the game and going through the options Kinect automatically loads that persons profile and the other player is seamlessly loaded into the game. No menus.

That's only a small amount...there's no telling what the actual devs can come up with KNOWING EVERYONE has the camera.

Not to mention Oculus Rift was already used on the first Kinect. Now they have 1080p capabilities, so that tech (in the future) mixed with Kinect2 ...can you, or BrutallyHonest, not see any benefit at all?

Biggest3893d ago

Why would you want the game to imagine your body's reaction to heart rate? Shouldn't your body already be doing what your body does?

Don't most games (minus hockey) only allow substitutions during breaks? In hockey games, aren't there button presses already in order to make shift changes?

I would argue that the people wanting to be themselves in video games will want to buy Kinect. I personally enjoy video games as a bit of an escape. I can be myself all day every day. I like pretending to be Nathan Drake or Shower Handel (my most recent playthrough of New Vegas) on my down time.

I will agree that there is benefit to the Kinect. There is benefit to almost every peripheral created. However, I do not agree that anyone should be forced to pay more for an item they may or may not use.

Ju3893d ago

Why would my heart rate go up during an FPS? Since when is pressing a trigger button so physical exhausting that my heart rate goes up. huh.

xHeavYx3893d ago

@theWB27
Seriously? Those are your groundbreaking reasons?
Maybe I didn't explain myself. I said. I was hoping for groundbreaking ways of integration and things that haven't been done before.

I don't know why I take the time, but let's go through your points one by one.
The first one can't be implemented for many reasons, the most obvious ones being that, since Kinect is not required, it would give an advantage to people with Kinect disconnected, the second obvious reason is the amount of complaints there would be from people who don't want to be at disadvantage.

"All of us drop controllers during matches, I want Kinect to let me look around while I pick the remote off"
I really hope you are being sarcastic, there are so many wrong things with that argument that I don't know where to start. How often do you drop your controller? I thought the 360 controller was the best thing ever designed to perfection, and the new one has over 40 improvements! (read with an "as seen on TV" narrator voice) Don't you have to look down to see where the controller is anyways?.

Sports. 2 things, first of all, something I've been saying for a long time. Do you really want to talk to Kinect? I understand maybe saying "Xbox One", but have a conversation with it? Yelling "Fus Ro Dah"? I get embarrassed just thinking about it. Second. Like Biggest pointed out, for most sports you need to stop the game to make a substitution.

"Integrated body scanning" Again, something that has been done before, and something that no one has shown working on Kinect. It will most likely work with faces. Besides, most videogame heroes/athletes are fit. Not being disrespectful but it's the truth that most gamers are not in shape, so, your Bioshock character would be a chubby guy running around.

The "Borderlands" example. I reckon it can work, but it's something else that hasn't been shown working. What if your friends look similar? how precise is Kinect? (and don't tell me all the things that MS promised, which are the same things they promised with the first Kinect) You would still have to set your friend up in your system.

I have not heard any plans with the Oculus Rift in mind from MS.

I do see a benefit, but a very small one, just like happened with the previous Kinect

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3893d ago
theWB273893d ago (Edited 3893d ago )

P.S.- They can't show you unless developers know the camera will be there. Being that it's still the transitional period and the consoles haven't even been released...it may take a few years.

As we know now- DICE, Turn10, CD Projekt Red, Activision, Rare, Double Helix, Capcom Vancouver, Crytek, are just a few of the developers making use of Kinect out of the gate.

@xHeavYx

I'm glad you aren't a developer. The less creative people in the business the better. If you think there isn't a single way to integrate Kinect then you're lacking some serious vision.

The bit about the tv stuff being for lazy people...isn't the remote used by people who don't want to get up and flip through every channel by the tv or cable box?

EDIT- Give me a game and I'd be happy to.

xHeavYx3893d ago (Edited 3893d ago )

Care to share with me how Kinect can be integrated in new ways for hardcore games?
EDIT pick any game/games you want

Boody-Bandit3893d ago (Edited 3893d ago )

xHeavYx

If MS hasn't shown us all by now how Kinect can be an integral part in gaming they never will. Kinect will be nothing more than a gimmicky extension / tacked on feel to hardcore gaming that isn't necessary to use and wouldn't be better served with traditional controls and a standard microphone.

If this wasn't true MS wouldn't have invested time and money into making their XBOX ONE controller 15% more accurate / responsive than the 360 controller.

Motion controls are so last generation.
If MS really believed Kinect was such an integral part of the X1 they would've never budged on making it not mandatory and are including a stand alone mic with the purchase of an X1. I'm betting, which I feel is a no-brainer safe bet, there will be a lower priced Kinect-less SKU in the not too distant future.

SilentGuard3893d ago (Edited 3893d ago )

MS should sell the Kinect and not rely on third party developers to sell it for them. They want to include Kinect in every box than they need to justify the higher price they are charging. Yet NOT ONE Kinect game available for launch. Not One feature that gives a wow factor. Just more promises of what it might bring. Even Ryse which was supposed to be a Kinect game was remade to use a controller. Good move as they probobly saved Ryse from the shovelware bin.

THamm3893d ago (Edited 3893d ago )

They tireless keep defending Kinect, man I wish they would take it out, drop the msrp and get it over with already. They are facing millions of future losses because of this... MS listen closely, "gamers forgive and forget, well maybe not forget, look at EA every year"

admiralvic3893d ago

Ever hear of the expression "Every man has his price"?

Simply put, people might not forgive / forget / accept or even like what happens, but there is something that will make them compromise their principals for it.

Like if Capcom offered Megaman Legends 3 / Rockman Dash 3 for $80 dollars, then there would be some complaints, but the game would STILL sell. Too many hardcore fans want to see this series continue and will overlook any negative things Capcom has done in order to get it.

If M$ announced a new Conker, then I might rent or maybe even buy an XB1 if it can match the original in terms of awesomeness.

If Nintendo announced Mother anything U (be it a remake, new game, or whatever), then you would no doubt see people viewing the Wii U in a new light.

Long story short... people care about their issues / principals till something happens that changes it. Typically it's easier to just do a token thing for the community than actually admit fault or apply effort towards changing.

JediDiah3893d ago

Major Nel said so was "always online"....well we know how that turned out.

Pascalini3893d ago

Get a life it's part of the machine just like phones have cameras

Go and cry somewhere els if you are so broke you can't afford an extra 90 pound. Hell I've got shoes that cost more than that.

Anyhow we get FIFA 14 free too plus a mic (not an ear bud like ps4)

Better value all round on xb1

xHeavYx3893d ago

Whatever you need to tell yourself to sleep at night...

cyclindk3893d ago (Edited 3893d ago )

Your shoes make you walk run or jump any better? Not really. And Kinect won't do jack most likely this gen either.

And I'd actually like it to, because gesture recognition tech is great, the devs just don't use the shi$.

THamm3893d ago (Edited 3893d ago )

If MS was thinking of you they wouldn't change their initial plans. The biggest market, here in the USA, we don't get FIFA, not yet. $90-100 can go on an extra controller or game which would be much more useful than 2 useless kinects(360) in a living room. BTW if it wasn't for the PS4 you wouldn't have a mic either. Funny how everyone talks now but in the reveal not one person defended the Xbox1. MS shifted to try to tame the losses not make you happy

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230°

Microsoft’s Surface and Xbox hardware revenues take a big hit in Q3

Microsoft just posted the third quarter of its 2024 fiscal financial results. The software maker made $61.9 billion in revenue and a net income of $21.9 billion during Q3. Revenue is up 17 percent, and net income has increased by 20 percent.

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theverge.com
darthv7219h ago

Xbox content + services up 62% while hardware down 31%... seems about right with the way they tout you don't need the hardware to play. People can play on their phones or smart tv or other means. I don't hardly play on my consoles directly since getting devices like the logitech g-cloud and ps portal. Which is to also say I have been playing more digital than physical because of these devices.

solideagle6h ago

you should apply in MS PR team buddy, I think you will do a great job in my humble opinion :)

Sonic18813h ago

I thought darthv72 and Obscure_Observer already work for Microsoft 🤔

dveio3h ago

MS: "Xbox services and content without AB up 1%, with AB up 62%. Hardware down 31%. In total a loss of 350 mill."

darthv72: "Seems about right."

MS: "Excuse m ..."

darthv72: "I don't hardly play on my consoles directly."

MS:

Cacabunga5h ago

I can tell people like you are an absolute minority..

If service is up means their fans and fanboys accepted this model and subscribed to it. The near future you will see a big decline because the service is saturated.

shinoff21835h ago

But that's been ms for years. When things aren't going their way they try to change the way things are said. For instance console sales are down, they stop telling how many sold instead telling us how many hours spent in halo or headshots. So it makes sense console sales down just say people are playing on more devices then previous. What they won't say is how many xbox players jumped ship to ps5.

Cacabunga3h ago

Hardware sales are so bad that Sony and Nintendo are blowing the sales off the water with their hardware.

If Xbox are losers, others aren’t..
Xbox already tried everything with Xbox live then subscriptions went down so much that they had to find something else. Their fans subscribed then reached saturation rather quickly.

Hardware and exclusive games is where it’s at! Keep gamers excited, announce decent software and people will support you

purple1018h ago

Xbox hardware revenue tanks to lowest point of Xbox Series generation

Profchaos8h ago

I'm not surprised surface is struggling they aren't relevant anymore

XBManiac7h ago

Too expensive hardware when others offer the same or more for less? Good work, Green Team.

SimpleDad7h ago(Edited 7h ago)

"Despite some early successes for Xbox games on rival platforms, Xbox hardware is down by a massive 31 percent this quarter."
"Without Activision Blizzard, Microsoft’s overall gaming revenue would have actually declined this quarter."
"Xbox content and services would have only been up a single percent without Activision Blizzard..."
"It looks like next quarter is going to be a similar story for gaming at Microsoft, too."

That is crazy... so A/B/K is carrying the whole Xbox gaming.
Oh and Microsoft will be fine. Windows, Office and Cloud are growing with each pc purchase.

purple1016h ago

Activision: "we gonna need a bigger rucksack/backpack please"

Microsoft: "why's that"

Activision: "to carry yo' weak ass'

Profchaos6h ago(Edited 6h ago)

Top brass have also wanted to start seeing returns on the 100 billion they have put into various Xbox related moves so seeing more multiplatform games is highly likely especially from abk

It's basically saying that PlayStation is the reason Xbox is afloat right now thinks to Ps5 versions of COD

Kornholic5h ago

So basically PS and PC gamers' money is keeping Xbox on life support.

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300°

Microsoft Seemingly Closes Bethesda France

As part of its plans to cut 1,900 jobs, Microsoft has reportedly shut down operations at Bethesda France, letting go roughly 15 people

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insider-gaming.com
Hereandthere1d 15h ago

Microsoft should have left them stay 3rd party

GamerRN1d 13h ago

If they are let go, they can be whatever they want. They ARE 3rd party now... 🤦

Barlos1d 10h ago

Yeah, they're also jobless.

GamerRN1d 3h ago

They can form a company if they want, they are just as jobless as if "Microsoft had left them as 3rd party".

peppeaccardo1d 5h ago

"MIcrosoft leaves Bethesda do what they know how to do best" ... close! Oh the irony ....
(Citation from a week old article)

ChasterMies1d 1h ago

I think Microsoft and other game publishers are letting people go because they think ai will replace them. Doesn’t matter how much profit they make. They were always going to be let go.

PassNextquestion1d 15h ago (Edited 1d 15h ago )

Bethesda France was made up of roughly 15 people... they couldn't of being doing much

Bethesda France mainly did publishing and marketing within the region

blacktiger1d 13h ago

that's a shame for you to say that, i'm sure Elite loves hearing what you just said.

Mr Logic23h ago

What a stupid thing to say. The elites give 0 fucks what we say on an obscure website in the comments section.

Crows9022h ago

You can always reach out and give them jobs at your company man. Don't wait

Profchaos1d 15h ago (Edited 1d 15h ago )

Bethesda France focused on publishing and marketing in the region. And 15 people lost their jobs as part of the closure.

I wonder if this is part of Microsoft's strategy to abandoned physical media or possibly gamepass advertising makes their roles redundant you don't need to market a game as hard when the majority of players get the game as part of a sub which already promoted upcoming games

Tacoboto1d 15h ago

It's France too, there's a high likelihood only 1-2 people on the team even had an Xbox.

Profchaos1d 14h ago

Possibly guven all the leaks we know the Xbox brand is really struggling in the region.

Yi-Long1d 11h ago

Well, if your consoles and games are barely found in any stores any more, of course you're gonna struggle finding consumers ...

XiNatsuDragnel1d 14h ago

Tbh Microsoft I think Bethesda being 3rd party same with Activision would probably more competitive than thus scenario imo

Profchaos1d 12h ago (Edited 1d 12h ago )

I think it would have been better for all parties really especially gamers

TheColbertinator1d 13h ago

The recently purchased Activision French offices might take over all the licensing and marketing for Microsoft in France from now on.

Show all comments (21)
280°

Xbox's Preservation Step Sets A Much-Needed Example, Especially For Nintendo

Hanzla from eXputer inquires: "If Xbox can care about preserving its games and legacy, what exactly is wrong with Nintendo, trying to kill game preservation single-handedly?"

purple10112d ago

Ahh yes the good old game preservation of saving all your games to a removable hhd on the Xbox 360, taking it round your mates house, setting up multiple tvs to
Be met with “save data corrupted, please re download”

Or how about removing 360 games
From the store
, download them now or else, and, better hope to god that save data doesn’t corrupt, or it’s lost for ever

Nice one ☝️

Zeref12d ago

It's better than what Nintendo and Playstation is doing. It might not be perfect but at least they are TRYING. Unlike the others.

DarXyde12d ago

Trying? Take off the blinders for a moment, mate.

1. A failure to preserve games is just that: a failure to preserve games. Don't try to sugarcoat it: NO ONE is doing it properly. Better than awful is nothing to write home about.

2. At the time of this comment, isn't it the case that you need an internet connection to play Xbox games even if you buy physical discs that are hardly in circulation anymore? I don't have a Series X and I can't verify, but I think that is correct. I'm fairly certain you can at least play PS5 games at version 1.0 (not much of a win really when many games require day one patches). I think Microsoft's all digital, licensing approach is by far more aggressive than anyone else's. They really try to push you to game pass where you lose your entire library by umm.... Skipping a month of payments.

I don't think anyone is doing it right whatsoever. Don't get me started on Nintendo, who goes after anyone looking to preserve their games better than they ever would with extreme litigation.

Don't be a simp for any of these companies. Get it together.

PhillyDonJawn12d ago (Edited 12d ago )

@DarX never speak on Xbox again. You lost all credibility with your internet connection comment. Smh you have 0 clue and misinformed yet speaking on something you don't no squat about.

Einhander197212d ago

What has Sony done exactly? You guys keep deflecting to Sony but I am not actually seeing any results, and ai am certain nothing that you can come up with even comes close to what Microsoft has done and what they have tried and failed to do, like tie all your disks to your account on xbone.

Microsoft removed their whole indie section when they moved to the xbone because they were going to only allow games on the service that came from a publisher, id@xbox started after xbone launched and it only exists because Sony embraced indie and Microsoft was forced to cancel their plans and reverse course.

And every single game that was part of games for windows live including disk games (I have gta 4 on disk that won't work) so hundreds of games that use that DRM no longer work unless the company themselves patched it out which of course very few did.

MrBaskerville12d ago

Not trying. Tried. they killed of the backcomp program years ago. They set something up again, but sounds like it's more of an attempt to save the current library on whatever they are planning next. With luck they save everything and more, but let's see. I could see them killing off parts of the OG xbox and 360 libraries. Can't imagine that they would allow us to play Forza 5-7 in the future.

With that said, I do like what they've done and really wish they could have done more.

shinoff218311d ago

Zeref

So killing off physical media is trying what exactly. Ms don't really give a fk if you think they do your kidding yourself.

Profchaos11d ago

They are not trying this team is established for forward compatability the team is. It interested in preserving Xbox or 360 games.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 11d ago
isarai12d ago

Is that why Hellblade 2 is digital only?

Zeref12d ago

Just because it's digital only doesn't mean you can't preserve it. Just put it on an external and you have the exact same functionality of what a disc does.

MrNinosan12d ago

Guess you're trolling, but if you actually think that's how it works, I'd recommend buying some braincells.

mkis00711d ago (Edited 11d ago )

Volitile vs nonvolitile data. A disc will not corrupt either. A drive can be corrupted.

Einhander197212d ago

This is just a scammy PR move to distract from the fact they are going digital only and trying to push streaming and subscriptions only.

No gaming company has pushed harder to remove ownership than Microsoft.

Without discs there is no preservation, preservation can't be done by the rights holders it can only be done by the consumers, anything else is a lie.

12d ago Replies(3)
Einhander197212d ago

Anyone remember xblig which Microsoft removed their whole 360 indie section removing hundreds of games from people?

12d ago
12d ago
Zeref12d ago

Do you know you can put your games on an external and preserve them that way? There are no benefits to discs. ZERO. Idk why some of you are still obsessed with them.

DarXyde12d ago

Because games like Persona 5 exist. It's STILL V1.00. On Playstation, that's a win because 1.00 is installed on the disc—no need to download anything.

If a game does not require any updates, it's all on the disc.

Extremely low bar in the modern era, of course. It's not much of a win by any stretch.

But for now, physical media does have a purpose, at least on Playstation.

Einhander197212d ago

That is factually not how game licensing works, try plugging your hard drive into someone else xbox, It's not going to work, and it won't work if the licensing servers ever go down.

Einhander197212d ago

Anyone remember games for windows live.

I have around a dozen games, some on Steam itself that will not work because Microsoft shut off the licensing servers.

BehindTheRows12d ago (Edited 12d ago )

I do. I STILL have games (Gears of War being the big one) I cannot access because Games for Windows LIVE is total garbage and no one has held Microsoft accountable.

Zeref12d ago (Edited 12d ago )

You don't have an Xbox apparently. Because you can 100 percent plug in your external and play games from it on any Xbox console lol. You just have to be logged in to prove ownership.

Chevalier11d ago

"You don't have an Xbox apparently. Because you can 100 percent plug in your external and play games from it on any Xbox console lol. You just have to be logged in to prove ownership."

Damn how many times do people got to explain your idiocy to you? You can take a copy of Persona 5 like someone used as an example and play that game on ANY console WITHOUT logging in which means I can lend the game to a friend without internet and they can play my game. Can you lend your hard drive to anyone without logging in for them to play? NOPE. That is a huge difference and if you think otherwise then sorry you're an idiot.

Tacoboto12d ago

"No gaming company has pushed harder to remove ownership than Microsoft."

Ubisoft is literally erasing games people bought from their libraries... My PS1-3 discs are useless on modern hardware. Nintendo's re-published and resold almost their entire Wii U library, and the eShop is completely dead with no BC mechanism in the Switch software. Microsoft publishes everything they make today day one on Steam and Xbox/Windows. Sony only brings to PC the titles they think you might want some years later and Nintendo won't even design a functional long-lasting joystick.

You're absolutely trolling and not serious if you think Microsoft today is the worst offender.

shinoff218311d ago

Yay steam

Not everyone fks with computers though. The disc is still the best way as a console player. Period.

Tacoboto11d ago

How do Sony and Nintendo feel about these discs from 2001-2013?

Don't be stupid, you know Xbox is the best at this today.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 11d ago
Hofstaderman12d ago

Nobody wants this. Sales or the lack of it in the case of XBOX is very telling. I wonder how the adorably all digital series X will fare. Adorably dismal perhaps?

crazyCoconuts12d ago

Only time will tell, but for from someone like me suspecting that Xbox is trying to gracefully exit the console market, that "forward compatibility" team is trying to get Xbox games playing on Windows PCs. I mean, it's nice that they're not planning on exiting with a "enjoy your games while the hardware still works" message, so that's nice. They still have a brand to protect via Microsoft so probably feel obligated to have a better exit strategy.

Xeofate11d ago (Edited 11d ago )

That is not their plan, their plan is to transfer users accounts to the cloud.

Phil Spencer himself said as much a few months back, plans could have changed but I think people are reading way too much into one statement where Phil said he would allow Epic on xbox because he wants to be able to sell xbox games directly on other platforms. Aka, instead of selling Sea of Thives through PSN he wants to have an xbox store to sell his games on PlayStation without giving PlayStation any money.

Again, it's extremely unlikely that Phil plans to put PC on xbox and licensing would prevent them from just giving out other publishers games purchased on xbox copies of thier games on PC, Microsoft does not own their games.

crazyCoconuts11d ago

The thing that doesn't align with the cloud strategy is the giving up on exclusives. You'd still need strong exclusives for cloud streaming - it's still a "platform" , just with a lower upfront hardware investment. I feel like they've learned what PS learned with PSNow long ago. We're not ready to stream games and it's only gonna lose them money to try at this point

FinalFantasyFanatic11d ago

I would love that, I'd buy up some of the Xbox games if they could run on PC, like the Rare Replay, Lost Odyssey and Dead or Alive Ultimate, probably a pipe dream though.

Show all comments (43)