5 reasons why Microsoft will support Kinect and release a new version in 2017

2016 was seemingly a bad year for Microsoft’s Kinect device. Sure, there were a few interesting Kinect games, such as Fru, that received a lot of praise from critics and gamers but overall consensus among even the most die-hard Kinect supporters was that Microsoft was planning to phase the device out, eventually discontinuing support for it completely.

[gamer7804]

i agree, the author makings good points, i for one recommended an xbox 360 even over the xbox one, they were primarily interested in the kinect games and fitness as well. While the xbox one has some games, the xbox 360 has far more, and with the ousting of Xbox Fitness this year, there will be no real solid workout games. There are also very few xbox one games using kinect vs the 360. I really hope they release it again, sure it isn't a replacement for traditional games, but its a nice option for a different kind of fun.

[Phunkydiabetic1]

Kinect is dead. It failed on the 360. It was an embarrassing joke on the One. It's dead.

[thexmanone]

it still works on mine. I use it everyday. Hey Contana on

[zb1ftw777]

It is dead, but it is no joke.

I've had lots of social gatherings and always got kinect sports out.

Bowling is amazing with 4-8 players.

The tech in kinect is still impressive to this day.

[AngelicIceDiamond]

Its dead. The very last thing MS needs to do is flip flop with Kinect. Kinect in general needs to stay gone for the entirety of the MS game division and the sake of their division as well. There focus should only be on AAA gaming and nothing else, for the time being anyway.

[Bigpappy]

Yeah. Still want Kinect and hopefully some more activity games WITHOUT VR

[Relientk77]

I don't see Kinect coming back anytime soon unless they use it for a VR headset for Xbox/Scorpio

[Razzer]

Yeah....other than that it is dead. And good riddance I say.

[blackout]

There has to be a camera of some sort for the new headsets coming. Microsoft has 3rd party support for HoloLens & VR. Trust me something is brewing, a camera is going to be needed. If they are smart they will just bundle it when you buy a VR headset and or sold separately. Kinect isn't going anywhere RoomAlive (Razer just demoed Project Ariana at CES yesterday), VR, AR/HoloLens. All bases are being covered while saving money. Microsoft is allowing there partners to be creative while not having to dishing out a $600m investment like Sony.

[KaoSouL]

Since the Xbox VR is already said to use an internal gyroscope for tracking, there's no need for a camera what-so-ever. There are plenty of cellphones with VR that don't use a camera. The camera was just Sony's shifty way to make people buy another peripheral along with the PS VR.

[kneon]

They would be better of with something like leap motion that actually does track your hands accurately.

[OpenGL]

I find it hard to imagine them bringing it back given it's been completely abandoned with Xbox One S marketing and will be even further from view when Scorpio releases as a 4K-centric gaming device.

[TheColbertinator]

Yeah this does seem odd.

Xbox One Launch can use Kinect,does not use 4K or VR(as of this current time)

Xbox One S does not come with Kinect(requires separate purchase),comes with 4K but does not support VR(as of this current time)

Scorpio is not confirmed to come with Kinect,comes with 4K and VR support (in house or Rift) is not yet established.

[Rude-ro]

I thought the Xbox one s does not support a Kinect connection?

Added. It does not come with a Kinect connection..
You have to buy an adaptor
https://www.thurrott.com/xb...

[TheColbertinator]

@Rude-ro

It does. I'm linking the support page if anyone needs to hook up Kinect to their S

http://support.xbox.com/en-...

[PlayableGamez-]

MS is for sure reviving Kinect when they officially bring VR to Xbox.

[TankCrossing]

It could supplement a VR solution nicely, but it isn't adequate as a primary tracking solution. Too much latency, too many oclusion issues.

If they could incorporate some of the tech into an inside-out tracking solution that could have potential.

[shockwave4life]

NOBODY wants the fucking Kinect!! Period case closed no discussion needs to be made

[Ashunderfire86]

Spybot no thanks and good riddance.

[Artemidorus]

Recently played the sport games and they are fun it's a shame they didn't continue it a little more.

VR will be the focus with a new camera in the offering. That hololens thing is way too expensive for regular people to be using and doesn't have major support compared to VR.

[BadElf]

I'm pissed the QR codes aren't in every Game case, on every Live card, Points card etc. Just hold it up to the Kinect and scan it....no need to put in the code manually. What happened to that? WHY not do that with EVERY card?

[2cents]

Noooooooooooooooooooooo...

But for VR, ok.

[noksucow73]

I used to enjoy it for the non gaming purposes, like changing channels, or saying xbox go to Netflix, or xbox pause, or xbox volume up. It had its neat features. I also liked it when it was used as part of the game play, with games like Mass Effect, instead of them trying to turn games into full blown kinect titles. I think with Scorpio There Would be enough Juice Under the hood to not hurt Performance with the addition of kinect.

[2cents]

I hope they integrate a form of kinect into the console itself. Cortana will require a built in mike, or a mike on the controller. So that we can still do the voice stuff. And maybe an add on camera/sensor for VR like the PS camera.

I do enjoy the voice commands but don't like the idea of all the cameras facing into my living room all the time. I like to scratch my balls in private.

[RAM0N]

Ewww 😒

[Max-Zorin]

We don't need Kinect. We need new IP's, and studios.

[XXanderXX]

So to not let anyone think apple was behind Kinect or anything similar and to tell Cupertino to take a walk off a short pier .

[SaveFerris]

Haven't they already buried this in New Mexico, next to E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial video game?

[sk8ofmnd]

Kinnect is dead and anyone that thinks othwise is a fool. You guys want a 600$ scorpio with kinnect?? It boggles me some xbox fans still cant admit kinnect was a massive failure. I do applaud ms for trying something different to differentiate themselves but it didnt work. Just like the gamepad and ps move.

[XXanderXX]

Kinect is still great we need a much more improved unit and am willing to pay whatever price a bundled is priced at .

[Profchaos]

It will be used in vr to the similar level that psvr works head and body tracking.

Other than that it's a pretty useless device I opted out of using the kinnect on my xb1