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Microsoft wants you X-cited

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reactosguy:
http://www.montrealgazette.com/technology/Microsoft+wants+cited/3574339/story.html

Kinect will hit shelves on November 4. It will be sold in a bundle with an almost eponymous game and Xbox 360 for $300.

Unlike Nintendo Wii, which relies on controllers, Kinect uses motion sensors and sensitive microphones to perform actions. They say "Xbox, stop" to end the game.

But as great as this sounds, Kinect is probably a late-game failure. The Nintendo Wii has already gained ground, and it's unlikely Kinect will flood most of it. This is a prediction, but I hope The Nintendo Wii isn't below sea level anytime soon.

Please share your discussions. Do you think Kinect is a game breaker or a game failure?

Aloone_Jonez:
 I don't know.

Expensive attachments for games consoles don't have a history of doing well, especially when some games will require said extensions: Sega tried it will the super CD and 32x for their Megadrive (Genesis in the US) and it didn't take off, they should've just released a new console with both features built-in and maybe offered them as upgrades for Megadrive owners. The problem is it limits the market to those who already have an Xbox 360 so perhaps they should offer it to new Xbox 360 customers at a third of the price?

Refalm:
Nintendo proved that expensive attachments can work. They did it with Wii Fit, which is highly successful.

It sells for € 85, but it includes a few really great games. That makes the price payed for a new feature okay, since the new feature costs € 35, taking into account that games usually sell for € 50.

What Microsoft is trying to do with Kinect is similar, create a new feature, and attach games that support the new feature. The proposed price of € 130 is a tad too high, especially considering there are no games bundled. They expect people to buy a feature, and buy the game that supports that feature for € 50 extra.
There's also a chance that it won't pick up, since all the casual gamers are using the Wii. Xbox gamers usually are online multiplayer fanatics, and probably not interested in jumping and arm waving by using a glorified EyeToy.

Lead Head:
The problem with all these motion controllers, is that they seem to be a novelty. Everyone I know with a Wii was very excited about it at first, but they now either A. Use gamecube controllers / hold wii-mote in traditional console fashion or B. Don't play their Wii at all.

IMO, Kinect will be popular at first, then just pan out to be a gimmick.

Aloone_Jonez:

--- Quote from: Refalm on 26 September 2010, 13:43 ---Nintendo proved that expensive attachments can work. They did it with Wii Fit, which is highly successful.

It sells for € 85, but it includes a few really great games. That makes the price payed for a new feature okay, since the new feature costs € 35, taking into account that games usually sell for € 50.

What Microsoft is trying to do with Kinect is similar, create a new feature, and attach games that support the new feature. The proposed price of € 130 is a tad too high, especially considering there are no games bundled. They expect people to buy a feature, and buy the game that supports that feature for € 50 extra.
--- End quote ---
That's really my point, it's more expensive than Wii fit and doesn't include any games.

What Nintendo did only worked because it came with good games and was reasonably priced which is why I think MS are making a similar mistake to Sega back in the 90s.

I don't have either an Xbox 360 or a Wii and if I wanted to buy a games console other than the traditional type with controllers, I'd buy a Wii, rather than spending money on an Xbox, then more on the extension and even more on a game.


--- Quote ---There's also a chance that it won't pick up, since all the casual gamers are using the Wii. Xbox gamers usually are online multiplayer fanatics, and probably not interested in jumping and arm waving by using a glorified EyeToy.
--- End quote ---
That's probably also true: the Xbox is probably aimed at more hardcore gamers, the Wii is aimed more at everyone else.

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