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Microsoft Dropping Kinect Requirement From Xbox One

Starting today, users can purchase a $399 version of Microsoft's console without the voice and motion device. It ships on June 9.

May. 13 2014

Posted by: Patrick

In This Episode:

Xbox One

268 Comments

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whitegreyblack

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@dayve86:

I sure as hell hope Sony is going to drop back down to $399 in Canada now, but they'll probably double-down on that boneheaded decision.

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matatat

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Edited By matatat

I think they should have at least gotten some games worth buying out the door first before revising prices and hardware. Like is anyone here already going to go out and get one ASAP just because there isn't a Kinect? It seems like if there was a game that made someone want the console they would have already bought one. The funny thing is there was such a high demand for the PS4 camera that retailers couldn't keep it in stock, yet everyone is sour on the Kinect.

Disjointing the user experience like that is kinda a joke. They should have just removed the restriction from the start or stuck to their guns if they wanted to push that technology. Now that its optional there is zero reason to ever do anything with the Kinect. I only ever use the voice controls on the Kinect but I support the idea behind trying to improve the technology and find better uses for it.

Aside, I'm curious how the UI will be affected as there are a couple features that I literally can't find any way to get to except using Kinect voice controls (and I've looked around thoroughly for them).

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whitegreyblack

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@manmadegod: It's such a strange cycle. Remember that Sony did basically the same thing from the PS2 to PS3 generation, too. It's incredible that a corp like MS didn't see that they were repeating the same idiotic mistakes.

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HerbieBug

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Edited By HerbieBug

@manmadegod said:

I hope this gets tuned into a Harvard Case Study. How do you mis-read the market SO BADLY? A market in which you were just the system leader? Gotta love business suits actually having no idea what they are doing.

Hubris. The idea that the vocal detractors of their planned feature set only represented the opinions of a small, i think maybe in their minds, insignificant, part of the market. Failure to understand that motion and voice control schemes in their current form are not nearly capable of the fidelity needed to deliver a satisfying experience for the user.

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deactivated-5c9d14856890c

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Everything is Kinectdead

/gets coat

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AngriGhandi

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Edited By AngriGhandi

Competition, baby!

It's a rough mistress. But in the end, we all win! (Assuming we are not Microsoft employees.)

I mean, for me, a simple folk who wants to play Quantum Break and Halo but doesn't care about robo-cameras from the space future, I'm glad to know that the system will be a hundred dollars cheaper than it would have been when I inevitably cave in and buy one to go with my PS4.

I've been used to my TV not doing anything when I scream at it for years-- no need to change that now!

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EthanielRain

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PS4 will be $349 after E3

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Toxin066

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@frobitz said:

Everything is Kinectdead

/gets coat

*slow clap*

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Jimbo7676

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I cannot wait for the tell all book concerning the XBone.

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csl316

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Edited By csl316  Online

Good, sold, thank you.

I was going to buy one this year, but if their E3 showing is good I'll buy one on the spot.

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ObiKwiet

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Edited By ObiKwiet

@df said:

Hope this news is in time for this week's podcast then!

They usually record on Mondays unfortunately.

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subyman

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Good. Too bad I already bought a PS4 months ago. Maybe I'll get the Xbox One some day.

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whitegreyblack

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It's amazing to see the two different approaches between Sony & Microsoft this generation being such a mirror to the start of the previous console cycle.

What a difference - Sony underestimated the demand for the stand-alone PS camera and was unable to keep stock on shelves; and MS overestimated the pack-in Kinect and is now making it an optional accessory.

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DJJoeJoe

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I think it's pretty cumbersome to do most of the Game DVR stuff without voice, in fact I'm pretty sure it's close to impossible since you'd have to have it snapped before you even want to record something, which kinda nullifies the "Oh snap record that moment" kinda situation that you can capture with just the voice commands. It becomes, "Oh snap let me back out to the home dashboard, launch the DVR in snap mode then wait for it to load up... wait for it... ok now select the start recording, choose which time range to save... ok there. also I've been killed in-game a few times during this..."

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BoneChompski

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Edited By BoneChompski

Pandelerium.

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knoxt

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"We realize now that the kinect was kind of a stupi-'

'Nope, more positive, try it again-'

"The Kinect never really had any fanbase, didn't work, and we reali-'

'No, still not getting the message across here. One more time-'

"The Kinect is AWESOME, but we love our fans so much that we want to offer as many wonderful possibilities as we can here at macroshaft, and believe in our products and will never apologize for anything. So Kinectless XO, you're so very welcome consumer!"

'alright, we're getting there..'

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roulette1986

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PS4 will be $349 after E3

This is blatantly going to happen. FINISH HIM.

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wenis

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Hilarious!

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xdarnokx

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Microsoft flip-flops just as much as any politician. I already bought a PS4 at launch, and now I think I'll pick up a Xbone in the next few weeks.

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bacongames

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Whaaaaat? This is nuts. Video games!

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Jedted

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It always seemed like MS was committed believed in the potential for Kinect but they didn't know how to sell it. They must be really hurting financially if they're willing to cut the Kinect just to sell more boxes.

Well at least now maybe we'll see retailers selling discounted XB1s and Kinects separately.

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MeatSim

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The Kinect voice stuff still seems cool to me, but I would rather go with a lower cost console.

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deactivated-5afdd08777389

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I thought Kinect was essential to the experience? Haha. Still a smart move, even if it's a little (but not too) late.

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gektech

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Edited By gektech

i thank the gods of poor sales

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deactivated-62776885f2059

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Weren't there at least 2 other stories which hit after they recorded a bombcast? Seems weird. What about recording it on a later date? I know that it would be stupid do move the bombcast, because of this I'm just thinking out loud. And I bet that the news stories would happen on the new day after they recorded the podcast.

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deactivated-61f341f558336

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Ehhhhhh.

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deactivated-62776885f2059

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A lot of people speculated that Sony would drop the price whenever MS decides to do it, right? Let's wait and see.
Best move from Sony would be to include their camera(Eye or whatever it's called) AND drop the price.

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BradBrains

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Edited By BradBrains

wait people now think the xbox is good because of no kinnect? Its still the same system except without a fancy hat. don't let them fool you

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ccso151

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Anyone else think that us day 1 people are getting F'ed? First the Titanfall bundle for the same price as base and now this! I don't want a kinnect and most gamers don't want one either. I'll never day one a console again.

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ObiKwiet

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This actually kind of bums me out. Kinect is not a horrible idea on paper, it's just that no one has really done anything interesting with it yet. If it was mandatory in every box, at least that would give devs incentive to try stuff with it.

Oh well. RIP Kinect.

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roulette1986

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Edited By roulette1986

Given the estimate unit cost for Kinect is larger than the price drop, Microsoft are probably actually making more money per unit than they were with the old SKU.

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Reximus_Prime

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I think this move takes away one of the features I use most, and that's the voice commands. I like being able to use the console without the need of a controller, and I think those that do NOT like Kinect would actually find that they enjoy that feature (when it works). By selling a console without it, will cause those people to skip over it and lose part of what makes the Xbox One different than the PS4.

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arcn

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@anwar: This is starting to become my biggest issue with the bombcast, especially with all these companies releasing this type of news on Tuesdays. They should either record it Tuesday afternoon, or put out a giantbomb reax video so they can talk about it on the day of.

Anyway Microsoft has to have some kind of heavy UI redesign plans in store right? Because when I saw the guys do their Xbox One livestream there seemed to be a ton of "okay how do I get to that option without the kinect."

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Roland1979

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@anwar said:

A lot of people speculated that Sony would drop the price whenever MS decides to do it, right? Let's wait and see.

Best move from Sony would be to include their camera(Eye or whatever it's called) AND drop the price.

That's financially impossible (aka financial suicide).

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xdarnokx

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@reximus_prime: I do not like Kinect and I dislike voice commands because I usually play when my wife and son are asleep, so talking to my console is frowned upon. However, not including Kinect and chopping off $100 will likely get me to buy one to put in the empty spot between my PS4 and Wii U.

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deactivated-62776885f2059

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BasketSnake

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Edited By BasketSnake
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ChrisTaran

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Edited By ChrisTaran

Changes nothing for me. Still never buying a One.

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ManMadeGod

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Edited By ManMadeGod

@manmadegod: It's such a strange cycle. Remember that Sony did basically the same thing from the PS2 to PS3 generation, too. It's incredible that a corp like MS didn't see that they were repeating the same idiotic mistakes.

@manmadegod said:

I hope this gets tuned into a Harvard Case Study. How do you mis-read the market SO BADLY? A market in which you were just the system leader? Gotta love business suits actually having no idea what they are doing.

Hubris. The idea that the vocal detractors of their planned feature set only represented the opinions of a small, i think maybe in their minds, insignificant, part of the market. Failure to understand that motion and voice control schemes in their current form are not nearly capable of the fidelity needed to deliver a satisfying experience for the user.

I'm pretty sure all Microsoft did was run the numbers on Xbox 360 Netflix & Media users and said "O shit, lets go after these people". Problem is the 360 came out at a different point in time than the Xbox One. Trying to sell a $500 box to put under a TV to watch movies/TV shows in 2014 is a hard sell. Chrome cast costs what, $30?

They also seem to not understand the power early adopters have at moving systems via word of mouth.

I understand it's easy to sit here after the fact and shake my head at the Xbox One, but come on. A little market research and common sense would have figured this out.

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Roland1979

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@anwar: It was very hard to tell.

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Alucitary

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Now that's desperation. Goodbye entire business model.

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masterrain

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Pffffffaaaahahahahahahahaha!! :D

I enjoy a great deal of delicious schadenfreude from watching MS have to backpedal on damn near every policy and feature they knew people did not want but decided to force feed anyway because they're fucking microsoft complete with the they will buy what we offer them attitude.

Yay any sort of innovation or deviation from the norm is killed by a console war driven fanbase. Let's continue to just have over-priced under-powered PCs that can't be upgraded. Yaaaaay.

I can't believe all people wanted from this generation was more powerful hardware, how boring. If consoles continue to just be corporate branded PCs then they are doomed.

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NoodleUnit

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This is all they had to do to compete. Better late than never, I guess.

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deactivated-62776885f2059

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@roland1979: I know, sarcasm isn't really detectable through text. My bad, should've added a smiley face or something like that. ;o)

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Nomin

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The console for all intents and purposes officially launches when the $399 version is released next month, I guess. Interesting that the console is now actually cheaper than PS4 in Canada, about $50 or so.

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Edited By wchue

this just means all those people who would not buy it with a kinect will now buy it w/o

i'm just not one of those people

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xCharlieSheen

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Well, Duh. Patience is a virtue. I'm glad I waited.

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EthanielRain

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Edited By EthanielRain

@av_gamer said:

When the only game worth playing on the Xbox One is Killer Instinct, you know things have gotten bad. Titanfall didn't become the killer app Microsoft was hoping for. This move only shows the desperate need for the Xbox one to keep up with Sony whom seems to be coming on with their releases. Still, even Sony is not doing as good as expected.

Simply put, many people aren't impressed with these Next-Gen consoles so far. And many people have turned to the PC for their gaming needs.

Any sources, or just making this up? Every article I've seen has been crazy positive about the sales figures for this gen.

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Beanpants

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What an absolute trainwreck. Changing your game plan over and over again at the slightest hint of backlash doesn't instill consumer confidence in your product or your ability to support that product.