Kinect Is Fundamental For Xbox One Success, Says Microsoft

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I don't know if this fits into “inaccurate” and “incomplete” information from gaming media, but Microsoft's own executive vice president, Phil Harrison, has made it known that the key driving force behind the Xbox One will be Kinect 2.0.

GameIndustry.biz pulled quotes from the executive who stated that...

"The fundamental, most impactful thing is that there's a Kinect in every box now," ... "There's the ubiquity of the platform having Kinect, whereas before it was always a subset. That made it difficult for developers to invest against 20 percent of the installed base or whatever it was. Having it as 100 percent - that's a game-changer."

This means that any and all games can have Kinect implementation and it's not something that's required as an extra purchase on the consumer's end. The device was the prime focus during the Xbox One's reveal on May 21st, showcasing an easy transition between TV, music, games and movies. The functionality of the Xbox One resides mostly on the Kinect's multimedia voice-activated and gesture dependent mechanisms.

The focus on the Kinect was deliberate, according to Harrison, who believes that Kinect 2.0 will reach a much broader audience than as opposed to just focusing on games, saying...

"By making it simple and instant and complete, it means we can get men, women, old, young to enjoy playing and interacting with the device," .... "It's not just about core gamers; although, they are incredibly important to our future. It's also about finding entry points for all members of the household."

Allegedly, the upcoming E3 press conference from Microsoft this June will focus entirely on games, games and more games.

Some gamers, however, aren't completely won over especially when it was revealed that there will still be the same kind of red tape for preventing indie devs from self-publishing on the Xbox One.

I guess we'll see how much of a Kinect and its games get a focus and how many core games get a focus at this year's E3. We know for sure that two of the eight new IP includes Remedy Entertainment's Quantum Break and Crytek's Ryse. That leaves Microsoft with six more new IP to reveal, and including Forza Motorsport 5, 12 exclusive games scheduled to roll out over the course of the fiscal year for the Xbox One.

I still don't know how well the games will be able to save Microsoft from the potential privacy issues surrounding Kinect 2.0.

Will Usher
Will Usher

Staff Writer at CinemaBlend.