Ditching Mandatory Kinect Would Benefit Microsoft

An opinion piece on Microsoft and the Xbox One's Kinect "Accessory"

[golding89]

Lol MS is not planning on releasing Xbox one without Kinect. That rumor was shot down a few days ago.

Like you said in the article, you won't get xbox one because you do not want kinect. That's great.

I am actually looking forward to xbox one features with kinect, so I will get an xbox one along with ps4 :-p

[Shadonic]

Not to mention it would is cost them millions of dollars if they did sell it without kinect. Thing is people are looking at it from the ignorant redneck perspective with the spying and all that when if they wanted to spy ve a they have a lot of other ways trust me.

[instant_ramen_noodle]

I can agree with you there, but some rooms arent even big enough to use Kinect. Personally, my tv is 3 feet off the foot of my bed. so now i am forced to pay the money for this product that I will hardly be able to use.

[Chaostar]

Wait, people are "ignorant rednecks" because they have privacy concerns?

[Shadonic]

Hmm thats weird I edited it and it didnt save

[creatchee]

@Chaostar

"Wait, people are "ignorant rednecks" because they have privacy concerns?"

There is a very big difference between "privacy concerns" and "continuing to claim that Kinect will monitor you 24/7, report to the government every detail of your life, and never turn off," even though Microsoft has stated many times that none of those are the case.

Edit: and if you're afraid of Kinect, you should also ditch your cell phone, throw away your computer, and cut yourself off completely from any utilities and live off the grid in the woods somewhere. And just when you think you're safe...BOOM. Drone strike.

[Shadonic]

At above comments yea you have a point I'm not sure about new space constraints but kinect use wont be limited to motion controls but yea I understand. to the redneck thing yea that was just my mind wandering so just ignore that.

[wynams]

Thing is, wise people are really looking at Kinect as OPTIONS ARE GOOD! Who hates options? Love kinect, buy one ... don't ... you shouldn't have to pay for one.

Pretty simple, no need for names of baiting.

[user5575708]

@wynams

actually a wise person would point out that a mandatory peripheral is not actually an option

options come into play when things that go along with the console are sold...separately

[BallsEye]

@instant_ramen_noodle

What are you talking about? New Kinect got very big camera angle and can pick up people standing just 1 meter away from the camera. But lets put that aside. For core games you can sit on your couch or chair like you do normally and kinect will pick up all the things it neeeds to pick up such as your hand/head/eye/finger movements and you can do that even in the smallest room. Check out their FPS demo and you will see what I'm talking about. Tapping your temple with 2 fingers for X-RAy vision doesn't require a huge room.

[trafalger]

if they dont want kinect then i guess they dont want a xbone. fair enough. thats why we have choices out there. no reason to be upset about it. the xbone will sell well regardless.

[MizTv]

Kinect sucks

[Shadonic]

Its a 50/50 between the games and kinect. Kinect for its functionality and the games for t here all around horridness. The streetfighter mod for kinect on PC looked like it worked well though and even though it was movement heavy it looked so fun. DBZ kinect COULD of been good but we were dealing with spike then even there non kinect games were trash.

[creatchee]

I honestly don't want a non-Kinect Xbox One. The Kinect, love it or hate it, is part of the One's identity. Making it an option will mean less integration and advancement. I don't care about saving money on it - I want the full experience that they are going for with it.

[GodGinrai]

I dont own a kinect for my 360 but I too am glad it is bundled. MS got plans. anybody that does not want a kinect on their console can just go buy a PS4 or a wii. I dont see the issue seeing as the gripes are coming from people that never had any intention of buying an X1 anyway.

[fermcr]

Microsoft should release a X1 without Kinect and a X1 with Kinect, let the consumer choose witch to purchase. Most gamers don't care for Kinect and are not willing to pay 500€ for a console with a add-on that they are not interested, when they could by a X1 without Kinect at much cheaper price like 350-400€.

I honestly don't understand Microsoft. Why the hell are they trying to shove Kinect down gamers throats, when most gamers don't care for Kinect. They will lose sales and it's just bad business. When Microsoft finally realizes this, it might be to late.

After all the bad press, Microsoft needs a 350-400€ console to compete.

[Tyre]

Well said femcr. They are alienating 80% of their fanbase by making it mandatory. I am an Xbox gamer and a PS gamer. I loved the Xbox360, Kinect was a superficial innovation and it sucked hard after using it for a while(all my friends left it collecting dust and were VERY dissapointed in the functions and the games, they felt like they were fooled by MS) Most people think it wasn't worth the Hype. MS has the wrong impressions because of the initial sales. They think people loved it, but that isn't so. Unfortunately MS thinks it is FANTASTIC and MS will leaves us gamers in a world with bad interfaces/repetitive strain injuries/back strains/broken furniture/a database of people's biometrics & voice profile for the NSA to blackmail you later & before i forget TV TV TV TV TV! keep hyping your up your lord Saruman, Blind N4G Xbox Trolls

[Hicken]

Agree with you, fermcr. Motion controls just don't do well with me. (Yes, even the Move.)

It's pretty clear a lot of people would be more interested in the XB1 if it didn't have Kinect; I find it odd how many people around here say they'd be less interested if the XB1 DIDN'T have Kinect as a mandatory part of the system. I don't get that.

[s8anicslayer]

The whole architecture of the xbox one was built with the Kinect as an integral component of the systems functionality and for them to ditch the kinect would take away not only their dignity but would also blindfold their visions of combining total living room immersion. Eventually people will see the idea if Kinect is successful next gen and once the system is established price cuts will come.

[SilentGuard]

since Kinect is such an integral component than you must not believe MS when they say you can turn it off

[Tyre]

s8anicslayer You keep saying that, but do you really know that or believe that for certain? We don't know much, MS hasn't explained a GD thing. You sheeple are quoting Marketing nonsense, but the fact is you can do EVERYTHING with the controller too, why not make Kinect an option? MS should spread their chances and aim for a separate settopbox with Kinect instead of hijacking/using the gamers to infiltrate the living room, use another sucker for your cause, why invoke it on the gaming community? Plus we will not forget that they almost tried to kill our gaming freedoms for their Kinect cause. Here you are hyping the Kinect cause....Are you really THAT shallow? Do you really think they have changed? They do not give a $ht about the gamers, for real.

[n4rc]

Ya screw this..

Heres the facts.. The people that want a Xbox one are seemingly all for kinect being included.. Most people that want it gone are the people that will find some other reason to not buy one..

Having kinect included is good for Microsoft and their customers.. If you don't like it, there is another option for you..

[Tyre]

@N4rc You keep telling yourself that, to make you feel better. I hate to burst your bubble, but most people i know (including me) were certain to buy the next XB UNTIL after the reveal, so we all had intentions to buy it. Not wanting it was because of the DRM & Mandatory Kinect. The Mandatory Kinect is the final argument. period. This is no simple hating, can't you get that through your thick skull? if Kinect is optional, i'll buy the system, it is THAT simple. I'm a gamer and have been a 360 gamer for 7.5 years now, i'd like to continue with Xbox, but Kinect & dishonesty gets in the way of gaming on Xbox. CAN'T YOU GET IT? Kinect makes gaming wack and Kinect will be the art of the MS war TO OWN OUR HOBBY, DA!

[n4rc]

The second you said wack, I stopped paying attention..

Get this through your thick skull, kinect is part of Xbox now.. While your probably full of shit anyways, but even if your telling the truth..

Everyone that has helped Xbox one sell out want kinect.. Do you honestly think people want their plans ruined so you can save $100 of your parents money?

It not being included will kill its support.. Just like the move and kinect 1

Deal with it.. Or buy a ps4.. The idea that your wishes come before those that HAVE ordered it are childish and arrogant

[JokesOnYou]

Nope Kinect isn't going anywhere and X1 is going to be better because its included in every box vs X1 with a optional Kinect peripheral.

[MasterCornholio]

I dont want to be a jerk but wasnt there a rumor of Microsoft reversing their DRM policy? And didnt Don Mattick (or was it Major Nelson) say it was impossible for them to reverse it?

When Microsoft shoots down a rumor i dont really believe them because they have been known to misinform the consumers in the past.

All im saying is that with the amount of policy reversals that Microsoft have been doing i find it extremely difficult to believe in anything that they say.

[steves1126]

Older story, but though i'd get your opinions.

[HyperBear]

It would benefit Microsoft in the fact that I would be buying one, along with many others, who don't see the Kinect as part of their gaming experiences.

Plus, it would tell the world that Microsoft are committed to stand by the consumers and drop their NSA/PRISM/collecting data practices.

[Death]

Wow.

[Tyre]

HyperBear, exactly. Making it optional will show they mean business in relation to the snooping and will remove all customer concerns about their integrity.

[MasterCornholio]

Sometimes i ask myself if some people opinions are even valid in N4G........................... .

Dont get me wrong i love seeing other peoples opinions but sometimes those opinions end up being a bunch of mindless jarble.

[MasterCornholio]

Sometimes i ask myself if some people opinions are even valid in N4G........................... .

[thrust]

Please no, that would mean all the whiners would come back to Xbox and am looking forward to Xbox live being a nicer place without all the kids that could not afford the extra £80.

[JBSleek]

No. When will these articles stop. There will be no sku in which there is no Kinect.

You either buy it with Kinect or you just are without an Xbox One.

Some of us actually want the Kinect and the features it brings.

[Insomnia_84]

Without Xbox One then, if that what Microsoft prefers.

[Wanted Rogue]

A lot of people DO want Kinect and most of those being negative about it are missing the whole picture. It's not just about jumping about the room; it's about voice control, the subtleties of movement with the controller and yourself. For example, tilting yoru head to look around a corner in a FPS game, looking left and right whilst racing, moving the controller to activate another weapon and a bucket load more that the best developers in the world can come up with. I already use voice control to change team tactics in FIFA and it adds a humorous element when the commentary picks up my disgust at a bad refereeing decision.

As many have said, if you don't want it, don't buy it. I, like many, are quite excited by how the Kinect will enhance the more mainstream games. I think it is disappointing that Sony chose to drop the playstation eye as a method to undercut MS in the price war; if both platforms has the same features, developers would treat motion and voice as much of a given to gaming experiences as a game controller is today.

[instant_ramen_noodle]

ok, but if i turn my head then im not looking at the TV... how will it help me if my kinect recognizes it and makes my character in game turn too? ill still be looking away from the screen. if it moved my tv, now that is an idea worth money. also, again, voice control is a great thing but a mic for voice control isnt worth the extra $100 above a ps4. If i turn my head away from the screen in an fps game... im dead. this isnt the oculus rift we are talking about. my tv is still in the same position that it was. I can go buy a PS eye for $60, still $40 cheaper than an Xbox One.

[Tres21]

give it up ppl r set on this hoping 4 a seperate sku hopefully it doesnt happen i look at it the same way wii was & no 1 can really deny that there were a few cool tricks it pulled off & some not so. at 1st i didnt think the wii would work but i got 1. its just some ppl lik features & some dont but it seems alot of ppl havent played a game before where u hav the option not 2 use those features if u chose.

[devwan]

How are ms supposed to make millions from targeted advertising and customer profiling if there's no camera watching you and your family while you watch TV and play your games?

Kinect 2.0 IS Xbox One, it cannot function without it.

There are reasons why it won't happen.

[fermcr]

Just like the always online and DRM on disk is the Xbox One! ... Oh wait...

It's software, they can reprogram the OS to remove the mandatory Kinect.

[SilentGuard]

You've nailed the real reason for mandatory Kinect. I understand the privacy/spying concerns people have with it in regards to the NSA, but the big issue with Kinect is it will be a data mining tool to allow MS to charge higher premiums for advertising. Example: MS will know how many people were in the room and how many saw the Doritos commercial. MS could also sell data it collects on its own to third parties. Example: how many people watched that new tv show. Think of the implications for ratings. This could supplement, if not replace, the Nielson ratings box.

Kinect is a gold mine for revenue and even if they sell fewer Xbox Ones they will more than make up for it. Of course MS isn't going to come out and say it, so they have to try and sell the consumer on it by touting the hollow features it "might" bring as an integral part of the experience. MS isn't including Kinect for what it can do for you; it's including it for what it can do for them.

[Tyre]

@SilentGuard Well said! Well said!

[Lovable]

Would look good on my family room since it's pretty big, but ughhh...I need a killer app to justify that $100 increase since my 55" inch Samsung Smart 3d tv can do the "everything" in the living room thing except for motion sensing of course.

[bonafide732]

yea i agree with instant ramen noodle have no issue with kinect but they assume that everyones living space is the same.. thats my problem with motion control gaming in general/ i dont need my gaming console to keep me physically fit or active i do that on my own.. most of the time i just wanna relax and rock the game

[instant_ramen_noodle]

exactly, I love the thought of what it can do, but why do I pay for not being able to use it? why cant I just get a mic and use the voice controls on my own? no need for a camera... let alone 2!

[SliceOfTruth888]

No it would not. Being able to change settings and features on the fly without stopping the gameplay action is part of the next gen experience. The PS4 fanboys will see it when its too late. Just think you are passing the controller around and you like inverted. Just say it and boom. The kinect is not to dance around the living room it makes everything faster and easier.

[Williamson]

That would be great if Microsoft did that, it would bring the price down and it wouldn't force kinect on anyone. Although it would make Microsoft look like they have no idea what they're doing with the X1 since they are going back on everything that was supposed to make the X1 "stand out" from its competitors.

[Lovable]

They already change the majority of what made Xbone different. The last push is the kinect.

[riceking]

pretty much

[Excalibur]

You limit your customers when you limit their choices and it's as simple as that.

All you folks that are buying one applauding those of us that refuse to buy one because of Kinect will be crying the blues when your community isn't that big.

[ThisIsSolidSnake]

The future of console gaming shouldn't require me to jump around in front of my tv like im having a seizure just to play a game. They are seriously riding this motion control thing hard aren't they? I can just see it now. Kids hold up their hands playing COD pretending to have a gun in there hands pulling out a invisible pin with their mouths from their air nade and throwing out their shoulders in the process.running in place just to get around a map all the while getting owned by someone with a traditional,not broke,dont fix it controller looking stupid as fukc.Thats microsoft.

[GodGinrai]

" Kids hold up their hands playing COD pretending to have a gun in there hands pulling out a invisible pin with their mouths from their air nade and throwing out their shoulders in the process.running in place just to get around a map all the while getting owned by someone with a traditional,not broke,dont fix it controller looking stupid as fukc.Thats microsoft."

A gross exaggeration and quiet frankly stupid comment. how old are you?

[SilentGuard]

Hopefully the Kinect will record all that and the rest of us can watch it and laugh our arses off.

[Fireseed]

That would be horrible if Microsoft ditched the Kinect, it would essentially make it an identical box to PS4, with less power and probably a bit cheaper. Having the Kinect set's the Xbox apart from the PS4.

[ThisIsSolidSnake]

Xbox One sets itself apart from what gaming consoles should be.

[Fireseed]

Yes, because being exactly like everyone else and homogenizing the industry is what's gonna get you new an unique games.

[steves1126]

It has some features that sound great on paper, but you can't just assume it's going to work great. I know it is a huge improvement from the first Kinect system but voice control is and (to me) always will be a gimmick. I'd rather turn the damn thing on myself instead of having to yell "XBOX ON" three times.

[DoubleM70]

UHHMMM NO! It's part of the system just like a controler is part of the Eco System.

[Nolando]

IMO I believe every X1 should come with the kinect camera. the only point i can agree with anti kinect people is that sure you should be able to unplug the camera and not have to use it or be able to store it while you play the xbox 1 your way. SURE that would be fine.

But including the kinect in with every X1 is beneficial to gamers because now even core games will most likely include some nifty or maybe great added motion or voice features, heck the ability for most games to possibly have the feature to scan your face into a game is awesome enough.

but if its not included than your back to basically shovelware being the main thing made for kinect.

With the PS eye not included in the box for PS4 i dont see most developers bothering to do anyhting with it like this last gen.

all in all. I think there are more gameplay options we will get with Kinect included.

there goes my rant... and again this is my opinion.

[ThisIsSolidSnake]

bnvn

[4logpc]

Gamers complain they want innovation and new things.

microsoft and Nintendo does just that and they all complain. No matter what Microsoft does, gamers will complain.

[XboxFun]

Only the sony fanboys who would never purchase the X1 want MS to ditch the Kinect 2.

It's a device that will separate itself from the other consoles.

It has features that will enhance gameplay further down the line.

it will not spy on you as some paranoid fanboys keep bringing up with any proof at all.

I look forward using the unique features of the Kinect for the Xbox 1.

[mfletch512]

I am a huge fan of microsoft, playstation, nintendo, and PC and i still think that it is a bad idea.
1. kinect is not available for PC and now that consoles are coming closer and closer to PC's they dont have to do things very differently for each. why would you add voice controls to your game when 2/3 of the consoles you are developing for dont use it? I wouldn't..
2. Microsoft lost a lot of fans with its plans for the xbox one initially, now that they have gone back on their word and shown that they have no backbone why would anyone look back?

[XboxFun]

1. I'm pretty sure Kinect 2 will be available for PC later down the road. Why not add voice controls is a better question. The SDK is already there for development, why shouldn't it be added to enhance gaming. I would.

You are thinking in the short term of what you are accustomed too. hopefully we will see uses for the Kinect 2 that go outside the box. This is why I am excited MS changed their policy for indies.

2. No backbone? They listened to the very fans that complained how is that having no backbone? If anything that is having a huge backbone in admitting you made a mistake and making the change that your fanbase wanted. And now MS has won their fans back, plus many more.

[mfletch512]

with regards to your below post, if they were listening to their fans they would not have implemented any of those services in the first place. people did not want always online even before it was announced, and people obviously love sharing games. yet these things were laid on us at the announcement. listening to the fans would have made it so that none of that would have happened in the first place. microsoft has not won me back yet. but i hope that they will. if anyone has been pulling me back it is EA with titanfall, Crytek with Ryse, and Capcom with Dead Rising 3. and yes those are all xbox exclusives, that xbox HAD to get, or else there would be no reason to get an xbox at all.

[XboxFun]

Whether you like it or not games and content will be going digital sooner or later. MS plans were to have a Steam like environment. And MS did have plans for sharing games with their family sharing plan not to mention other incentives with going digital only.

MS is trying to secure a lot of interesting games and this should be enough to get a lot of MS fans excited. Not only did they listen to their fans and were bold enough to change the DRM but they are also bringing one of the best launch line up since SNES.

I don't see how any of that would worry any 360 fan. But to each their own, I understand your point of view.

[christocolus]

I believe including it in the box is a good thing.once kinect is mentioned the next thing people say is “I don't want to wave my hands or keep jumping in front of the tv.besides kinect sports rivals and fantasia i do not know what other game requires full body motion.if people don't want such games then don't buy them.kinect will be used in so many new innovative ways and that's what most people fail to realise and so you know some gamers do want to jump around their tvs cos for some its really fun. i.e Dance central fans.I know after the xbox one is released we will see many articles like “ how my mindset about kinect changed, how I became a believer in the kinect” how MS has changed d industry with kinect" ,"how I was wrong about kinect",“ how kinect turned from a gimmick to a cool gaming gadget” believe me..MS just wants people to wait till lunch to try it out. Then things will change.

[ma1asiah]

These articles drive me nuts who would rather have a fragmented experience rather than the whole experience. Who wants an under specd PS4 clone if you don't want the X1 because of the mandatory Kinect then the asnwer is simple buy the PS4, a Wii U or go PC.

The Kinect 2.0 is NOT Kinect 1.0 it is not all about flappy, flappy wave your hands in the air like you just don't care, its not screaming at the TV like a crazed mad man or woman. Its definitely not a gimmick this time around as every X1 will come with Kinect this is good for gamers and good for developers wanting to implement unique experiences due to knowing that every X1 owner has one.

YEEEESSSSS it will take either the 2nd or third wave of X1 titles before it starts to show its true potential. Still this is the same with all tech that is untested.

People are judging Kinect 2.0 based on the hit and miss experience that the current Kinect 1.0 offered. Remember not every X360 owner had one, it was no way near as powerful, it shared the processing power of the X360 whereas Kinect 2.0 has its own silicon so is not chewing through system resources that could be better utilised elsewhere.

Kinect 2.0 needs to stay this is one area that MS needs to stand firm with and not do another 180. Removing it will be a HUGE mistake and one I will not agree just to drop a few dollars of the price or to appease a group of paranoid conspiracy theorists who more than likely would STILL not buy it even if MS did stupidly remove it. This was evident with the DRM policy 180 where some stated that this was the one reason why they were either jumping ship or buying just a PS4 this time around ONLY to state that they were still not getting the X1 after MS famous 180 flip the switch policy reversal.

Enough is enough no one is forcing you to buy the X1. You are entitled to your opinions by all means BUT don't force those opinions on the rest of us who are pysched for the X1 in its current state.

Rather than removing stuff I would rather see value be added to the X1

In closing I will add that I do believe that Kinect 2.0 should not be mandatory for the X1 to work this is the sole point I will agree with.

Now knock yourself out and hit the disagree's I already know they are coming.

It personally at the end of the day wont change my mind at all.

[SilentGuard]

"In closing I will add that I do believe that Kinect 2.0 should not be mandatory for the X1 to work this is the sole point I will agree with."

That would be a smart middle ground for MS to take. Include it with every console but not make it a requirement to be plugged in and set up. I understand all the arguments for including it but chaining down the console with a must use accessary that much of the Xbox fan base is turned off by doesn't seem smart. If I choose to not use its features than why must I plug it in and set it up? As an Xbox fan for 12 years I would be willing to spend the extra $100 dollars for the console with Kinect, even if it doen't interest me. Most people would hook it up anyway since its included, but the option to hook it up would go a long way to allleviate concerns. People would feel like they are getting more value if it was included as an optional to use accessary. What MS is saying is we're including it and you will use it. That makes me wonder what other motives they have and I believe its for advertising. The big problem with MS is their sales pitch sucks; they need to be more diplomatic and political with their approach.

[allyc4t]

Microsoft will not drop the mandatory Xbox One for Kinect. Ever. It's a major selling point for them to developers as well as the casual consumer.

People forget that the Kinect 1.0 sold 24 million units, mostly to the casual gamer, despite it being a $150 camera that didn't work that well.

While yes, the extra $50.00 price does not benefit Microsoft now, the fact that every Xbox One console will have a Kinect 2.0 does.

Most of these Kinect articles written are very short-sighted. Microsoft isn't thinking about what is going to happen 3 or 6 months after launch. They are thinking about how they can still sell hardware in 5, 10 years. They believe the Kinect will help them do that. And that's what matters to them.

[LogicStomper]

If no one has kinect then developers will be more inclined to not push kinect. If everyone has it, the developers would know it will be used at least once and so they'll try to prove to the customers how great of a device it really is.

[SilentGuard]

If MS wants to force its Kinect fetish and make it mandatory than they should have at least developed a Kinect exclusive game for launch, something that showcases all the new great capabilities. Ryse could have been it but thankfully MS realized outside of dancing/party games Kinect is pretty shallow. Sure it provides some neat gimmicks, but nothing that would justify making it mandatory. Especially since the features are optional and as MS says, you can turn it off by pausing it.

Kinect is a data mining tool to allow MS to sell marketing information and charge higher premiums for advertising. One example would be charging ads by how many people in the room see them. Kinect is a gold mine for revenue but MS isn't going to come out and say it, so they call Kinect an integral part of the experience yet have nothing to showcase how its integral. Beyond some hollow features and gimmicks its all about what it might bring. If MS wants to include a Kinect in every box than it has the daunting task of not only selling the console but the Kinect as well. MS needs more than empty promises and pie in the sky ideas of what developers MIGHT do with it to sell Kinect.

[Red_Devilz]

"It is not as easy as flipping a switch."

[Ben12]

Hey here's an idea .if you don't have the money ,then save up for it ,or go buy a wii u .the kinect is staying so please just stop with the Xbox bashing. It's getting old . like I said a million times now if you don't like it then don't buy it ,its not rocket science