Microsoft to Still Ship Xbox One with Kinect, This is a Good Thing

IGN recently reported that Microsoft's Phil Harrison stated that the Xbox One and Kinect are not separate systems. He went on to state "An Xbox One has chips, it has memory, it has Blu-Ray, it has Kinect, it has a controller. They are all part of the platform ecosystem". From these statements it is pretty safe to assume that even though Microsoft previously stated that Kinect would no longer be required to run the system, the system will still ship with it regardless.

However, what some people may not realize is that the bundled Kinect could be a win in the long run.

[AceofStaves]

It's not a win for me. It's actually my main reason for not buying XB1.

[AngelicIceDiamond]

Well others see value in it. It won't matter 1 or 2 years down the line when the price drops.

Complain now and be thankful later is the key here.

[maxkoe]

This is true, there are people who will use it and people who wont. However, in order to ensure that there are features for those who actually do use it there has to be a strong user base in order to create developer incentive.

[AceofStaves]

With me, it's a physical accessibility thing. I can't use my lower body well, so I get no use from a full-body motion controller, nor do I have any interest in contributing to the rise of full-body motion control gaming since I can't use it.

[Enemy]

They're shipping it with Kinect for obvious shady reasons.

[PSVita]

Lets say the price does drop $100 by that time the PS4 will drop $100 too. There are NO positives to kinect being force on anyone. All these people defending a expensive overhyped camera with no evidence that games will in fact be better with kinect. Smh.

[MWong]

I still don't agree with M$ forcing consumers to purchase the Kinect with the XBone. If it's no longer mandatory to use with the system, why do I need it? If the system would be cheaper without it, why not offer it seperately? Only about 25% of XB360 users purchased the original Kinect, it's because they don't want it.

I say create 2 SKUs XBone bundle w/Kinect + FIFA 14 ($499) and a XBone standalone ($399). Both SKUs get a headset. Watch how that would sell.

[JokesOnYou]

AceofStaves you have a valid reason so fair enough even though I would say the UI integration and kinect conveniences like facemapping and controller identification/setup for tournaments, pic in pic uploading, in game design tools(Project Spark), in game voice controls and so many other uses for kinect NONE OF WHICH NEED LOWER OR FULL BODY MOTION CONTROL EASILY warrant the purchase, all these features out of the box day 1 and STILL if these features and so many others that haven't been introduced yet are NOT worth a purchase of kinect for basicly dirt cheap when you factor the retail kinect pc costs then instead of basicly limiting the future implementation of kinect for all of us who can and will use it by saying I don't care sell me a cheap X1 sku at the expense of proper progression= No I think you have to realize that its simply nNOT for YOU.

In other words its me as a gamer who doesnt like jrpg's saying to a popular jrpg dev stop making them turned based combat with hit points, I dont want all the stupid useless npc dialogue, and make it more realistic.= NO I obviously should just stay away from jrpg's instead of trying to make devs shape them to my liking while jrpg fans wonder wtf happened to the game.

[darthv72]

@ace, well i feel bad about your situation if you have physical disabilities that keep you from fully taking advantage of what the system has to offer.

that applies to the wii and the ps3/ps4 with the camera as well not just to kinect. i will say this though. a very good friend of mine is deaf. and yes he loves video games and knows he will never hear the actions that goes on or be able to follow dialog but he perseveres in spite of his disability.

If kinect can see sign language and other forms of motion controls then that is a good thing in his situation and he would be able to communicate with the system to achieve certain results.

those with disabilities are in the minority when you think about gaming and how it has evolved. but that minority is still a part of gaming as a whole and deserve their chance to participate regardless of their disability.

[kewlkat007]

Great move keep it bundled..you can't afford it step aside there are alternatives.

I think this maybe be the only difference that makes this coming gen feels it's really next-Gen.

When your looking at a PS3-->PS4 it feel like a spec bump. Nothing new here.

[maxkoe]

Well in certain scenerios as the one you're in I can see what you mean in terms of gaming. However, have you thought about how it would make your life easier?

If you have imitations of movement wouldn't it be easy to say "Xbox On" or "off", launch titles and do other actions from your couch instead of having to get up every time you want to access the controller?

[PSVita]

This isn't life alert were talking about, its a gaming console. If he wanted to use voice controls for those reasons good, he should have the OPTION to go out and buy kinect.

I don't know about you but I don't ever have to "get up to access the controller", that's why it's a controller.

[redwin]

I would love if they make an INSANITY kinect and do it together with others at your same level, now that kinect tracks yours heart rate. I think that's a great idea.

[wynams]

@AcesofStaves ditto
@naysayers ... options are a good thing

[Trekster_Gamer]

Kinect is an awesome part of Xbox One... I can't wait to use it.

[PSVita]

Honest question: what are you excited to use it for?

[Hufandpuf]

@PSVita

I'm excited to use it to instantly log into my profile when I get passed the controller. I'd use it to switch my music while im playing the game and If I need help in my fighting games I'll switch to youtube and learn a combo without having to look between my laptop and such.

etc. etc. etc.

[Trekster_Gamer]

Agree with what was stated above as well as the immersion in games you can only get with kinect..

[BigShotSmoov007]

Funny cause it's actually why I am buying it. I want the full experience when it comes to next gen and making it mandatory it does make developers want to include Kinect uses with there games. I can't want to see how they come up with different ways on how to use Kinect.

[come_bom]

"It's not a win for me. It's actually my main reason for not buying XB1."

I agree.

Kinect 2.0 might be quite good, but unfortunately Kinect 1.0 left a bad taste is costumers mouth. Costumers don't want to waste a extra 100€+ for something they don't want and Microsoft is going to lose a lot of sales because of it. Microsoft needs a Kinectless X1 SKU to stay competitive.

[JokesOnYou]

Lets say you're right they lose sales because of kinect, as a gamer interested in seeing kinect grow why do I care if they sell less? No doubt they will still sell plenty so I'd rather spend the next 6-8yrs gaming WITH kinect options and features with only 60mil sold vs gaming WITHOUT kinect with 80mil sold because in the 2nd scenario I miss out on new gaming experiences while micro makes more money but its not like I get a cut.

[XisThatKid]

Don't lose your nerve MS, Keep that sh#@ in there. Lets see what you really have up your sleeve.

[ape007]

i respect ms's trust for the kinect but me and every xbox gamer i know disagree having it as a mandatory purchase, a lot of people are planning to buy an X1 if MS dropped kinect

make it optional, better for all of us

499$ for Kienct SKU

399$ for regular X1

it's a fault imo to let the competition have that 399$ sweet spot, every cheaper console sell better and keep in mind that the ps4 is first console in history that's cheaper and not WEAKER, im sure MS will introduce one soon after the first 6 months supply get sold

[MysticStrummer]

MS claims there will never be a One without Kinect, but I think there will be eventually. I doubt it will be as soon as 6 months though, unless the One really bombs out of the gate which I also doubt.

[threefootwang]

MS also claimed 24/7 internet connection, strict DRM policies, Kinect mandatory plug in, etc. They claimed it was designed like that from the ground up and change wasn't possible...look where that got them. I'm pretty sure a few months in they'll release a kinectless model strictly because the PS4, which I think at this point is safe to say, will be outselling them horribly at an abysmal rate.

[tkato]

Even if I will decide to look the other way regarding all the new protocols they tried to push and even if I'll try and forget the fact that the PS4 is indeed more advanced, I will never buy an X1 as long as they sell it with mandatory kinect, I Absolutly HATE motion controls, if it's not hard core gaming, it's not in my house.

[Jyndal]

I hate that I bought the first Kinect.
Why would I buy into a console that is seemingly built around the Kinect 2.0?

Just put the f'n controller in my hands and let me play.

[pyramidshead]

I reckon come 2014 things will look a lil different regarding kinect in the box. Time will tell indeed.

[GryestOfBluSkies]

i strongly disagree. its a huge loss for people who see kinect as a gimmick. i will not buy an xbox at a highly inflated price for a lame camera that i don't want

[Pascalini]

Everyone still moaning about a camera

Get a grip it's really no big deal

Phones have them

Laptops have them

Grow up

[Hufandpuf]

Exactly, just because phones have cameras on them, it doens't mean you have to use it even though it's built into every model phone.

[DigitalRaptor]

I kinda understand what you're saying. Kinda.

But the price of phones and laptops are generally not increased by its camera, and the camera is in-built. That situation is not placed on the consumer for those specific products. This situation is entirely different.

[Reborn]

Why on earth would anyone expect MS to remove it? They've got no reason to. They spent a lot of time, and money into building it, and upgrading it. They also want an additional bonus, for developers to make games on X1.

I said it before, the only way they'll begin looking at a non-packaged Kinect offer, is when sales are not as good as they expected/thought. So far, it hasn't been proven that it will not sell/bad idea.

[maxkoe]

Exactly, there is no reason to remove the Kinect. If you don't like it you don't have to have it.

I am indifferent with my console preference, but I like that if I get the Xbox One I will always have the option to play Kinect games and use its features if I want to.

[Jyndal]

So....if sales hit a slump, then MS will drop the Kinect and offer the XB One at a lower cost?

Talk about back-pedaling.

[JBSleek]

Isn't that what Sony did with backwards compatibility...

[slavezero1]

they will always be bundled with a kinect they might just make the hard drive smaller and sell it for less and the fact that you dont need the kinect to use the xbox one anymore i own a 360 with kinect and never use it other than for the dance games CHIAO!!!

[Killabites]

I don't mind Kinect I just don't want it to interfere with triple A titles.

[Shadonic]

If its going to be in any triple A titles, it should be something along the lines of the face scanning or something or possibly some sort of voice commands for air strikes in cod where you shout out the coordinates instead of having a menu pop up stoping you from defending yourself.

possibilities almost endless just requires more thinking out of the box.

[denawayne]

I'd be bummed if they made a Kinectless version. My opinion.

[negative]

I agree

[PSVita]

Why? You could buy it if you wanted it.

@below- I don't want or need a touch pad on the controller but it doesn't cost any extra to have it so that's not really a fair comparison. In fact it cost less that the Xbox 1 controllers. So whether devs support it or not doesn't matter.

Your analogy just doesn't make sense.its like comparing a button that won't cost to a camera that does...

How about this. How many devs will support the pseye vs. kinect.
Kinect will of course have more support because MS is pushing it but does that mean anything good will come out of it. Sony didnt push move on people or the devs while MS spent 500 million advertising the original kinect YET neither brought anything useful to gaming.

[denawayne]

The best analogy I could come up with is What if the PS4 controller didn't have the touch screen but you could buy one with the touch screen afterwards? How many games or features would use it?

[Shadonic]

same here not only would it hurt MS financially by basically still giving them a system that as they stated is built to work with kinect. plus it would basically staple any possible innovations that would come with the device through the added modding support.

I mean just look at how people reacted from just mods for the first kinect showing actual support and then flip around again on kinect 2 before weve really even gotten into it.

[OssamaBinDoggin]

Yep, the xbox would have no identity. But the kinnect makes it unique.

[hankmoody]

That's what people don't get. It's pretty much a guarantee that the PS4 camera will hardly get any support. In a time where game development costs a ridiculous amount of money, devs will not bother with a peripheral if the user base numbers aren't worth the gamble. As many people as I've heard claiming Team PS4, I've heard squat about them picking up the PS Eye.

The fact that every Xbox One owner will have a Kinect 2.0 makes it a more ideal venture for developers to spend time and resources on, simple as that.

[slavezero1]

they dont have to have the kinect connected anymore so its the same as not having a kinect so its the same deal as the ps4 leaving out its camera

[Shadonic]

hmm I wouldnt say that exactly, if its there and people have it they will play it, especially if there friends are say playing a game with multiplayer components or if it provides a small edge over those who dont use it.

[Trekster_Gamer]

Not true... They might not have it plugged in but they will have it. If there is a must have game then I am sure they will hook it right up. Even if you don't like Kinect you are either a liar or Sony Fanboy not to agree that it will be awesome to simply pick up the controller and be logged into your profile.

[PSVita]

20 million people bout the original kinect but what ever came out of it? Sony had the Eyetoy(which I bought) and it was fun but they realized there's only so much you can do with a camera. That's why it's not mandatory. In fact I don't think any other company beside MS would try and make a non essential accessory mandatory.

[darthv72]

to be honest, there was only so much they could do with the camera...after the fact.

the ps2 and ps3 werent developed with the camera in mind which is why they were released as secondary accessories instead of primary.

this time, sony could change all that perception because the controllers have the light bar to work with the camera. their OS UI and all the social functions were designed to make use of the camera as well.

their choice to make it an option has now relegated it from a 1st class accessory to a 2nd class one again. 3rd time in a row for them it seems.

Kinect got better since it debuted and the kinect 2.0 being included with ever xb1 is a sign of that commitment to keeping it a 1st class accessory instead of an after thought. The Os and UI and all of the features for the X1 were built with the camera in mind.

[Shadonic]

a lot of things came out of the kinects 20 million sales, though on the gaming front it was mostly crappy titles with horrible controls and ones you could generally have fun playing.

the modding community for the device is where it made leaps in bounds showcasing finger recognition and basically debunking almost everything that the gaming media even Microsoft said wasn't possible. Everything modding/hacking wise with the kinect just went under the radar over all the hate.

IDK i understand you there are limitations especially with the kinect and its poop latency issues but after seeing what was possible with kinect 1 with modding I'm optimistic about whats possible with kinect 2 with modding on the xbox one.

[slavezero1]

the dude from ms said it will never ship a non kinect xbox one so they might just lower the gigs on the hd later for a cheaper price but if they do a 180 on the kinect being always on why do it in the first place. im wondering if they did any kind of test groups and asked players what they thought or if they just got all the cronies and old men on the board and bounced ideas off each other

[GreenRanger]

My Kinect is going straight to eBay when I get an Xbox One.

[whitesoxfalife1976]

Let me know when u do that way if mines breaks I gotta spare to replace and don't think that ima pay that hundred u thinkn bout cuz its used already 60.00 tops

[Hufandpuf]

If you really don't want it, you could send it to my house for free :) In case mine's breaks.

[Trekster_Gamer]

You are talking out of you fecal remover. You have not even tried it.

[GreenRanger]

And I won't ever be trying it because I don't like it, or motion controls in general, and that's never gonna change.

[Rhinoceros]

When did core gaming, as a concept, become so exclusionary and divisive? Kinect games are grouped with "light-hearted" games, they are called "childish" or "casual" by self described core gamers with their fangs out.

What are your boundaries for core gaming? Do you agree that easy games are not always childish, and light hearted games are not always juvenile?

If being a "core" gamer is something that excludes any spectrum of my emotional gaming experience, then that is a restrictive title that I can no longer pride myself wearing.

[buynit]

It sure as hell is and they should never take it out..

If you don't like kinect then just buy 2 ps4 and call it a day..

[Sadist3]

Why would you not want a Kinect? That's like wanting a cell phone without a camera.

[MadSientist89]

hmm so making me pay an extra 100$ for something I don't need is good?

[OssamaBinDoggin]

No one is making you.

And its more of a matter of wantting , not "needing"

I dont need a gaming console to survive, but that doesnt mean i dont want it.

I dont need to speak to my tv to change the channel, but its still a cool feature that i want to try.

[Trekster_Gamer]

When it does everything that kinect does then yeah it's worth $100. It's not just the camera there's a lot more technology in there than just a camera..the ignorance here or blind hatred is overwhelming....