Microsoft: Xbox One Won't Require Kinect To Function

UnknowingFool writes "Microsoft has reversed course on another aspect of the Xbox One. Though Xbox One will come bundled with a Kinect sensor, the console will work without it. Critics were had suggested that an always-on video and audio sensor could be used to spy on users. Microsoft's Marc Whitten said, 'Games use Kinect in a variety of amazing ways from adding voice to control your squad mates to adding lean and other simple controls beyond the controller to full immersive gameplay. That said, like online, the console will still function if Kinect isn't plugged in, although you won't be able to use any feature or experience that explicitly uses the sensor.' This is the latest reversal from Microsoft since they killed the phone-home DRM and made it region-free."

Comments

Wait until the first patch

[Anonymous Coward]

Microsoft will come up with some reason to re-reverse and require the Kinect to phone home and inform Big Brother whether you're actually watching the ads shown before your movies. You know -- so they can help the MPAA provide "better" unskippable movie previews.

Re:Rock and a hard place

[Anonymous Coward]

Exactly. If overweight games wanted to actually move they'd play real sports.