Microsoft has reiterated that there will not be a version of Xbox One sold without Kinect. Speaking to Metro, Microsoft corporate vice president Phil Harrison emphasized that the sensor is an important part of Microsoft’s strategy and is still very much planned to be included in every box. “Absolutely no plans at all,” Harrison said when asked if there will be a Kinect-less Xbox One. “We think Kinect is an integral part of our platform. All of the magical experiences that you get, both as a games-player and also the way you navigate the system are made even more amazing because of Kinect.” “We have shown how Kinect makes the navigation of the system, and the entertainment of the system, more amazing using your voice,” he added. “A lot of what we showed at our reveal back in May was voice-controlled, which is only possible through Kinect. We showed some gesture-based experiences at E3. There are a number of games here. Spark has unique Kinect features, Forza has Kinect, Ryse: Son Of Rome has Kinect voice in it, Kinect Sports Rivals is clearly built exclusively as a Kinect title and I think you will agree looks amazing and has a great feature in being able to put you inside the game. And because every single console has a Kinect with it that means the developers can target the widest possible install base with their games.” Harrison defended Kinect’s ability to recognize the user and display unique content on-screen, but also explained that Kinect will enrich games, even subtly. “Whether it’s a gesture, a very subtle gesture like touching your head to bring up some additional context in the game, or using your body to lean while playing a controller-based game… We think these augmented experiences, where you have a controller-based game which is made better because you have Kinect at the same time… on Killer Instinct the fact that the controller binding works automatically when you hand the controller to someone else on the sofa… Those are things that have real value and real benefits to players,” he explained. “And that’s before we start talking about being able to have a Skype video call with somebody. Being able to use your voice to control an army, to being able to very simply navigate a user interface using your hands – like we have on Kinect Sports Rivals. Not all Kinect experiences have to be you jumping around your living room. And in fact we demonstrate with Kinect Sports Rivals that you can play the entire game sitting down.” Harrison’s thoughts expand upon comments he made last week, emphasizing that Xbox One “will never come without Kinect.” Earlier this month, Microsoft confirmed to IGN that Xbox One will not require Kinect to function, though that’s intended for convenience (or in case the sensor breaks) rather than indicative of future plans. Source - IGN This post has been promoted to an article
