Xbox One

[Vallen Chaos Valiant]

The mandatary nature of Kinect 2 doesn't help. By forcing it into every console, MS is admitting indirectly that the killer app for Kinect 2 does not yet exist.

Here is my reasoning: If MS had a great game for Kinect in the works, they would be better off to sell the console minus the kinect and with massive price cut, and then bundle the Kinect 2 with the killer game title that would surely move units.

To force the console to link with the Kinect is an admission that the desirable game does not yet exist. And thus gamers are rightly feeling they should wait until the hypothetical game is made, before paying for it.

[4Tran]

I think that the Kinect was never meant to primarily be a gaming peripheral. It seems more of a device that's either designed to appeal to non-gamers or to connect gamers to the media aspects of the Xbone. It's the key element of the entire Xbone strategy, hence it makes a lot of sense for Microsoft to play up the essential nature of the device even if it has few gaming applications. With the management shuffle, it looks like the Xbox division is going to be doing things differently, and the changes in their messaging reflects that.

I don't think that there will be any truly successful Kinect games outside of the the party/dance game niche. The lack of feedback is forever going to keep it from being the primary controller for hard core games. Microsoft once thought that there may be - see Crimson Dragon and Ryse - but they've mostly given up on that. I still think that they should ask Sega to make a Space Channel 5 game though.

[Dextro]

Originally Posted by Vallen Chaos Valiant

The mandatary nature of Kinect 2 doesn't help. By forcing it into every console, MS is admitting indirectly that the killer app for Kinect 2 does not yet exist.

Here is my reasoning: If MS had a great game for Kinect in the works, they would be better off to sell the console minus the kinect and with massive price cut, and then bundle the Kinect 2 with the killer game title that would surely move units.

To force the console to link with the Kinect is an admission that the desirable game does not yet exist. And thus gamers are rightly feeling they should wait until the hypothetical game is made, before paying for it.

That logic is slightly flawed. Historically, no matter how amazing a peripheral is, as long as it's optional people will not produce content dedicated for it. Why target somewhere bellow 50% of your potential market when you can target 100%? I think the only exceptions to that rule are the cases where the peripheral itself was bundled with the system but that implies that you have a game so interesting that people will be willing to shell out for the game AND the peripheral. Invizimals and Guitar Hero come to mind as examples of the latter.

EDIT: oh boy...

Xbox One controllers will be compatible with PCs next year

"We know people want to use the Xbox One controller on their PC, and we do too - we expect to have the functionality available in 2014," said a Microsoft spokesperson in a statement to CVG, since verified by Eurogamer.

"The Xbox One controller, although it looks similar in many ways, shares no underlying technology with the current Xbox 360 controller," the rep explained. "New wireless protocol, combined with the ability to work in 'wired' mode, and the addition of features like Impulse triggers, means that new software has to be written and optimised for the PC."

[Vallen Chaos Valiant]

Originally Posted by Dextro

I think the only exceptions to that rule are the cases where the peripheral itself was bundled with the system but that implies that you have a game so interesting that people will be willing to shell out for the game AND the peripheral. Invizimals and Guitar Hero come to mind as examples of the latter.[/URL]

And that's precisely the angle I am looking through. No one complained about buying a peripheral for Guitar Hero. But imaging trying to sell the guitar peripheral before there was any decent rhythm games available.

[GreyZone]

There are so many rumours about a Xbone release without Kinect, while dropping the prize down to on the PS4 niveau. I still didn't see a source for that yet though, but some people already proclaim it to be a fact.

[Duo Maxwell]

Originally Posted by Dextro

EDIT: oh boy...

Xbox One controllers will be compatible with PCs next year

What's next? The Xbone will be able to play DVD movie?

[Dirty_Harry]

Originally Posted by Duo Maxwell

What's next? The Xbone will be able to play DVD movie?

Xbox 360 controllers are also compatible with PC. I don't see the problem.

[ReaperxKingx]

Originally Posted by Duo Maxwell

What's next? The Xbone will be able to play DVD movie?

You know what the irony is? The Xbone was suppose to be an entertainment system rather than gaming system, how does one become a entertainment system without any form of DVD whether regular or blue ray?

[Duo Maxwell]

Originally Posted by Dirty_Harry

Xbox 360 controllers are also compatible with PC. I don't see the problem.

The problem is "next year" part, if you read the article. Everyone pretty much expected the compatibility is a given at this point, and they just have to come out and say "nope".

[Roger Rambo]

Originally Posted by Vallen Chaos Valiant

And that's precisely the angle I am looking through. No one complained about buying a peripheral for Guitar Hero. But imaging trying to sell the guitar peripheral before there was any decent rhythm games available.

The Kinetcs problem has always been lack of a killer app to set the tone for what developers should be doing with it.

[4Tran]

Originally Posted by GreyZone

There are so many rumours about a Xbone release without Kinect, while dropping the prize down to on the PS4 niveau. I still didn't see a source for that yet though, but some people already proclaim it to be a fact.

Microsoft is positioning their new console to compete with Apple and Google, so the Kinect is more important than the Xbone is. Moreover, the Xbone is fully expected to sell out in 2013, so a better-selling SKU won't be needed until sometime in 2014. As a Kinect-less SKU confers no advantage for the time being, this rumor can be safely dismissed.

Originally Posted by Roger Rambo

The Kinetcs problem has always been lack of a killer app to set the tone for what developers should be doing with it.

The killer app is supposed to be TV.

[Rias]

By having a 2nd U-Turn it only makes people wonder what else they are going to back out from. A nice way to put it is that they are "finally listening to what gamers complained."

The realistic way to put it is "they are doing damage control since the e3 debacle. And messing up more as they go."

[Vallen Chaos Valiant]

Originally Posted by Roger Rambo

The Kinetcs problem has always been lack of a killer app to set the tone for what developers should be doing with it.

Reusing my analogy, Kinect 2 is like MS trying to force everyone to buy a gameless Guitar peripheral, with the promise that once everyone has one, the Guitar Hero franchise would come back later on.

[Westlo]

Originally Posted by Nightengale

Introducing the Kinect 1.0 for X360 was perhaps a mistake.

Kinect made 360 sales skyrocket to the point where it's about to overtake the Wii in America....

[Vallen Chaos Valiant]

Originally Posted by Nightengale

Introducing the Kinect 1.0 for X360 was perhaps a mistake.

Originally Posted by Westlo

Kinect made 360 sales skyrocket to the point where it's about to overtake the Wii in America....

I agree with Westlo. I believe Kinect was a great piece of innovative technology, and that it wasn't anyone's fault that it was a bad game peripheral.

However, trying to force everyone to buy a Kinect 2 is wrong. Just wrong. If a product is good, it should be good enough to sell itself. If it can't sell itself, then you can't make it popular by making it compulsory. The fact that MS didn't realise it, was just them being under the third console curse, in being arrogant about their control over their fans.

[Duo Maxwell]

Originally Posted by Vallen Chaos Valiant

However, trying to force everyone to buy a Kinect 2 is wrong. Just wrong. If a product is good, it should be good enough to sell itself. If it can't sell itself, then you can't make it popular by making it compulsory. The fact that MS didn't realise it, was just them being under the third console curse, in being arrogant about their control over their fans.

It won't be considered as a wrong move if the price is on the same range as the PS4, I believe.

[Vallen Chaos Valiant]

Originally Posted by Duo Maxwell

It won't be considered as a wrong move if the price is on the same range as the PS4, I believe.

We both know that is impossible. MS has no intention of actually sacrificing profit to promote the Kinect; much easier to assume their customers can be forced into buying it full price.

[Nightengale]

Originally Posted by Westlo

Kinect made 360 sales skyrocket to the point where it's about to overtake the Wii in America....

It created a huge momentum which increased 360 sales trend... but at what cost?

The hype and excitement for Kinect has basically simmered down in the past few years, as Kinect-games have failed to excite. It's suffering from the same situation the Wii faces, where only a few games utilise the Kinect, and even fewer do it well.

Kinect 2.0 is an amazing piece of hardware & technology, but it's lost a lot of the magic that came with the debut of the original, due to the 'reality' of the Kinect market setting in.

I mean, just look at what Kinect is being used for in games now, and how excited the devs are for it.

They're talking stuff like looking at your expression, subtle things like sound and shaking your body... things that barely scratch the surface of what a Kinect can do.

[Klashikari]

I really don't know what they were thinking but...
Xbone Launch markets decreased from 21 to 13 (Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland for 2014).

I know their primary market is the US, but after ignoring completely Asia for launch day, reducing the markets in Europe by 40% is really a red flag.
With all the backtracking decisions thus far, Xbone launch is convulated beyond belief.

[Witch of Uncertainty]

Well that sucks. Guess I'll cancel my preorder.
FU Microsoft. :|