Will Microsoft's IllumiRoom Change Gaming?

IGN takes a look at the sensory insanity of the potential next-gen technology.

[PopRocks359]

A glorified HD projector? I'm not really sure what it's supposed to do exactly. It seems more like a distraction than anything else. Wouldn't it be more practical to simply invest in an actual HD projector and a wall-sized screen?

[shivvy24]

it wont change gaming but i really think its a pretty cool idea

[t0mmyb0y]

Watch what it does first?

[PopRocks359]

@t0mmyb0y

I've seen what it does. It expands your screen to the entire wall. I'm not sure how that's supposed to work properly without a proper screen around it. It just doesn't look right to me.

[ThatCanadianGuy514]

More smoke and mirrors from microsoft.How do they get away with this nonsense? PS3, till this day, gets flak over that KZ2 trailer and yet for years now, i've watched Microsoft blatantly lie and straight up FAKE 'live gameplay' of multiple games.

Most notably, the star wars kinect game where the actor was playing catch-up with the animations.

Will this even come to fruition? Remember the ridiculous hype about Milo and kate? The gospel of how it would change everything forever? Here is your answer.
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Milo+a...

[Cueil]

Microsoft R&D doesn't produce smoke and mirrors they make real hard concept hardware and software... what people do with it isn't their fault

[Minato-Namikaze]

Then why hasn't MS themselves got it to do what they showed it could?

[Cueil]

look here dead hokage they have gotten it to do those things... there are limitations on the 360 hardware but the Kinect can do all the things conceptually shown on a PC. Just look at all the Kinect hacks around as well as some the stuff people have put out after MS released the drivers and official kit for PC. E&D is always making cool stuff... just do a little search and you'll find all kinds of interesting things they've created... many of those things are being used by the military and thus wont reach consumers for some time.

[ThatCanadianGuy514]

MS doesn't make anything.They buy the companies who make the tech and attach their logo to it.

[TheLyonKing]

Its cool but it really is a gimmick. My tv is in the corner with the window next to it and I am not going to move my t.v to place a projector on my (may I add) non existant coffee table.

Watching it makes the game seem more dynamic but at this stage it is unfeasable and I would also like to add this isn't just for microsoft.

[southernbanana]

Well people said motion controls were a dumb idea before the wii. People said they wouldn't move their coffee table before Kinect. Both of those turned out to be very successful regardless if they offered the types of games the hard core enjoy. I think we should all wait and see before judging this device. I don't even know if it has been a confirmed thing or not. The last I read it wasn't known to be anything more than another Microsoft research project.

[TheLyonKing]

Dontt really fancy buying a coffee table though.

[southernbanana]

@ TheLion King
Yeah a lot of people have no need for one. :-)

[ALLWRONG]

Coming to the a PC, PS4, MAC, Wii U, and next Xbox near you :)

[MagicGamer]

It's kind of cool to see stuff like this, but I just can't see how this would ever be practical for the average gamer. Just the cost alone would be a huge deterrent. However, I can see how the few "well to do" folks that can afford to build their own gaming environment would drool over the possibility of this being legit.

[abzdine]

this seems more gimmick than Kinect is. and it clearly has too many limitations like lighting and TV surrounding

[MikeyDucati1]

I agree, its a gimmick. Seizures and bad eyes will probably be the result. If I want immersion, give me VR...but this is not it.

[Agent_hitman]

I don't see anything interesting about this stuff. It's like a projector only with a kinect technology..

[shivvy24]

illumiroom > kinect

[hobohunterz]

Normal Games>Gimmicks

[Urusernamesucks]

Ilumiroom + normal games> normal games> kinect games.

[r21]

Change gaming? Highly unlikely seeing its just added on effects but it very next gen tech though. Beyond the screen effects is pretty cool but to be used in mainstream gaming? IMO i dont think so.

[Wizziokid]

It won't change gaming but it could enhance it, i'm more interested in this device than I am about a Kinect 2. shame it wont be ready for next-gen launch I would probably pick one up

[Jek_Porkins]

It could be something special if they can get it cheap enough and maybe bundle it down the road. I love the idea of it, think it looks really immersive.

[MilkMan]

LOL....no. The answer is no.

[Chicago8506]

Price will play a MAJOR factor in this thing.
It looks kewl, but m not quite buying into it.
It's a nice step in the direction of video game immersion, m interested in seeing more development on this tech.

Game on.

[RuleofOne343]

Will it change gaming idk, will it have an impact idk, what I do know everything has to start somewhere .
I will buy one when made available for purchase ,cause am intrigued very interested in seeing where this Tech leads us.

[InTheLab]

This thing is nothing but another hype generator the same as Kinect.

Speaking of, how exactly will this thing work with Kinect? If you have to be up and jumping around, won't your body block the projector? Doesn't your entire room have to be lit up like Christmas for Kinect to work?

I think of the RnD funds being pumped into this thing as well as the 500m in advertising for Kinect and I can't help but wonder what would have happened to MSGS if they received a similar budget...

[the worst]

more Gimmicks please spend money on new ip's

[Cueil]

this is R&D it has nothing to do with Microsoft's E&D division

[dcbronco]

Cueil this probably did come out of E&Ds R&D budget. But their budget for that division is over 1.5 billion so I'm sure it didn't hurt them. And I'm sure there is plenty left over for games if they thought they had something worth making.

[GABRIEL1030]

No, because is another Gimmick. Is expensive, impractical, useless and this place is occupied now for Kinect . Microsoft must be focus in games, not in TV aplications, always online, second hand game restrictions or in expensive projectors.

[Urusernamesucks]

There's enough evidence in that video to show it would. I Don't see why not other than the price. But that can be arranged , just like Sonys Bray player went from 600$ to half that.

[FrigidDARKNESS]

Of course it will.....MS has been changing gaming since 2005 from the way we play our games on line, motion gaming with voice commands and now Illumirom.
Illumirom will immerge you into a game and movie that has never been done before in a home.

[vigilante_man]

Its a gimmick. Its expensive. You will love it for a short while but may get tired of it quickly.

It will not happen as mainstream. Buts its nice to see different ways to game and to enhance the experience.

They should concentrate on announcing their hardware first though! Baby steps.. Is this a distraction? I hope not. But I'm all for innovation. Let's see what else comes from this in the next few years.

[jeremyj2913]

I'm guessing that Microsoft patented this before Sony got the chance.I think the one Sony was doing was only for Move though so it's nothing to fret over.