Can Wii Gamers Connect With Kinect?
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Microsoft is starting the hard sell for its upcoming Kinect full-body motion-sensing system for the Xbox 360. NY1's Adam Balkin filed the following report. A few years ago, one might have thought only a clinically insane person would want to jump, dodge and play dead in the privacy of one's living room. Now, players of motion-controlled games want to do just that.
For its part, Microsoft is starting to ramp up enthusiasm for its motion-sensing Kinect System for the Xbox 360, which is out this holiday season. For starters, developers have finally announced that the camera and microphone set-up will cost $150, and include the outdoorsy title "Kinect Adventures."
"The magic of Kinect is that it's actually tracking your joints, so as soon as you step in front of it, it understands you're human and it's ready to follow your motions. So anything you do, your avatar on-screen does," says Erin Hofto of Microsoft Xbox. "There's nothing in your hands, you're not stepping on a dance pad, it's all controller-free. So the moment you step in front of it, you literally become the controller."
For those who have not seen the Kinect in action yet, titles range from exercise-themed, to dance-themed, sports-themed and even one game involves virtual pets.
Besides allowing gamers to play without controllers, the Kinect system also allows gamers to control their entire home entertainment set-ups.
"You can scroll through your movies with just the wave of your hand, when you find a movie you want, you simply stop and say, 'Play movie,' and your movie actually starts playing," says Hofto. "There's Facebook, Twitter, Netflix, Zune movies and all of that stuff will be Kinect-enabled, so you can experience all of that without using your controller."
It is uncertain whether formerly non-gamers who have now become casual gamers thanks to the Nintendo Wii will want more and new ways to interact with titles, or will take a "been there, done that" attitude.
"If a Wii is the only game console you have, it's probably unlikely you'll go out and buy an Xbox 360 and the Kinect system for roughly the same type of motion-control gaming," says Dan Ackerman of CNET.com. "But if you already have an Xbox and want to have a more family-friendly experience, a more casual experience, or you just like the idea of not using a controller, then this technology is certainly worth checking out."
Many analysts say the price of just the Kinect sensor alone -- just $50 less than a new Wii system -- especially in this economy, could prove to be a tough hurdle for Microsoft to clear when Kinect hits shelves on November 4.