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Microsoft: Xbox One Won't Require Kinect To Function

Posted by Soulskill on from the hmm,-what-do-we-complain-about-now? dept.

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."

16 of 216 comments (clear)

  1. Rock and a hard place by SniperJoe · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Is it me or does it seem like Microsoft is between a rock and a hard place now? They've spent months telling us about how the Kinect was mandatory and that it would be used by all their games moving forward! Now developers are going to have to acknowledge that it is optional and that a substantial portion of the population won't use it. Furthermore, people are going to ask, if it's optional, why are you forcing me to buy it?

    For every one of these u-turns they make (after touting the features that these things apparently relied on), they just seem more and more boxed in.

    1. Re:Rock and a hard place by war4peace · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I think a substantial portion of the population WILL still use it. Microsoft's stance change solely means they want to turn off the most vocal naysayers, that's all there is to it.

      --
      ...gis sdrawkcab (usually not responding to ACs; don't bother posting as AC)
    2. Re:Rock and a hard place by rwven · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I think developers, knowing that players will at least have the hardware, will be free to make Kinect required for their specific games. I'm imagining some kind of art on game cases to specify this, like there was for the 360.

      The fact is, most games/developers weren't going to use that rubbish anyway. That kind of control simply isn't the future because people don't WANT to play games and use interfaces that way. It's FAR more of a hassle to wave your hands around than it is to just push a button or move a control stick. If it was 100% reliable like handheld controllers are it'd be one thing, but the kinect as it stands has like a 40% success rate at actually understanding what you're trying to get it to do.

    3. Re:Rock and a hard place by Penguinisto · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Simple answer, really...

      They'll see if they can slip all that DRM and restriction back in once enough customers have bought one. They'll claim that piracy is massive, and that they had to take drastic steps, etc.

      Sort of like how Sony popped in that little update on the PS3 that killed OtherOS, but this time with an excuse that the common folk will rationalize.

      --
      Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
    4. Re:Rock and a hard place by UnknowingFool · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I think part of the problem of MS was the doublespeak that they used and unwillingness to admit that they were implementing features users did not like. For example, gamers wanted to know if there was an offline mode. MS responded that the Xbox One did not require a "persistent" Internet connection but the device had to phone home once a day .

      Gamers wanted to know if used games could be played. After a long and confusing answer about how the new console would allow you to trade in your games at retailers, MS admitted that the game developers could limit that ability and that you could share/sell only under certain situations.

      This last concern with the always on and required status of the Kinect module had MS trying to allay fears by saying that you could turn off the console. But they didn't mention that turning "off" the console did not turn off the module. An "off" console could be turned on by speaking "Xbox on" which means the Kinect module was always on.

      --
      Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
    5. Re:Rock and a hard place by Electrawn · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Quite simply, the main feature Microsoft has been touting to advertisers is the ability to detect who is in the room and target ads accordingly. The gold mine is not in Kinect for games, its for the TV/Video/Music/Netflix/Hulu consumption and the "big data" of being to tell that there is a 30-35 white male (recognized and tracked via Bing), 30-35 white female (Not logged in but we know her profile), and another 25-30 female guest that we have an 90% confidence is person Y who has a bing account. Lets target Ad X, Y and not Z.

      MS will put Nielsen to shame with all that mineable data. There will be still be people who leave the MS eye on all the time, at least now you have the option to unplug it.

    6. Re:Rock and a hard place by Mitreya · · Score: 4, Insightful

      unwillingness to admit that they were implementing features users did not like.

      That's because with MS Office or Windows they never have to! They are too used to having users suck it up and deal with whatever unwanted features happened (or whatever wanted features did not happen).

      Actually having to deal with customer demands is a relatively new experience for Microsoft.

    7. Re:Rock and a hard place by cybertears · · Score: 5, Funny

      Gamers are the worst thing that has happened to gaming.

    8. Re:Rock and a hard place by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      You can't really apply logic to the actions of any of the console manufacturers. WiiU is a flop, Xbone is a train wreck, and the PS4 is only praised for not fucking up.

      Did you miss all the updates the 360 received over it's tenure? Many added features, but most increased restrictions, closed loopholes, and offline ban-flagged consoles so that when they went back online they were instantly banned. Many updates actually removed features such as Facebook, Twitter, and Netflix Party mode. Granted they may have been sparsely used, but it comes down to the argument of who owns the right to define how the consumer uses legally purchased hardware and what rights the user has to modify said hardware if it's operating code is copyrighted by someone else.

      Singling out the PS3 as if it were "exactly one time in console history" that a vendor changed the capabilities of a system is at best dishonest and at worst a feeble attempt to make the PS4 look less appealing while doing nothing to improve the standing of the Xbone. With all three consoles failing spectacularly, the clear winner for next-gen is Steam.

  2. Ok, so it won't. At launch, that is. by Opportunist · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Will it still not require always-on and Kinect-connected after a year? I'll wait to see.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  3. Doesn't matter ... by gstoddart · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Sorry Microsoft, but it just doesn't matter any more.

    You've told us where you'd like to go with this, you've as much as told us you don't give a shit about what it is that we want.

    So, as much as I like my XBox 360 -- I won't be replacing it. Certainly not with this thing which is more about what Microsoft wants than what is good for consumers.

    My XBox 360 got banished from a network connection when I started seeing ads in the home screen and in the games -- and as much as you keep trying to back pedal, the damage is done, and I am not interested in your shiny new toy.

    Maybe if you hadn't acted like such arrogant assholes who said "this is what we're making, deal with it", consumers wouldn't be saying "well, we're not buying it, deal with it".

    Instead, I can say quite heartily ... not buying it, don't care, and go pound sand.

    --
    Lost at C:>. Found at C.
    1. Re:Doesn't matter ... by The+Moof · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Then why do they keep removing all the heinous features everyone complains about?

      They were very stubborn in their defense of the heinous features... until pre-orders opened up for both consoles. The PS4 was trouncing the X1, which likely was their "oh shit" moment. Since then, they've been slowly rolling back the features. I think it's too late to recoup the lost pre-order sales, but may save some face for sales down the road.

    2. Re:Doesn't matter ... by HeckRuler · · Score: 4, Insightful

      This, exactly.

      Imagine you're looking to go on a cruise. You shop around for a cruise ship to go on. It'll cost a pretty penny and there are ships of various sizes and quality. And then there's this crazy captain that, while his ship is new and shiny, openly states that all passengers will be shackled, chained to an oar, and sold to the highest bidder once they reach port. Upon hearing the lament of the crowd, and hardly anyone signing up, he has a change of heart: No shackles, no chains. So come on, we're all looking for a good time here. I've turned over a new leaf. Trust me. I don't REALLY want to brutally dominate your every waking moment. It was just a silly idea I was floating out there. Hey! If you don't like chains, I don't like chains. Not that I'm saying the chains were a bad idea. I still think you'd really like them. But for now there will be no chains on my ship.

  4. Re:sneaky sneaky by afidel · · Score: 4, Informative

    Nope, another announcement in an interview yesterday said you'll be able to physically disconnect it so if you're really paranoid that they're watching you then just unplug the thing.

    --
    There are 4 boxes to use in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, ammo. Use in that order. Starting now.
  5. It seems that the drm will still be there though by Zimluura · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It seems that the drm will still be there in some form though.
    http://www.ubergizmo.com/2013/07/forza-5-requires-download-before-it-can-run/

    though they've been backpeddling from that too.
    http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/07/18/forza-motorsport-5-install-offline-details-clarified

    best case i could give them is a wait and see approach.

    when i look at these factors:
    the xbone fiasco.
    the windows8 mess.
    consumers seem to like apple now.
    ms' abysmal presence on mobile devices.

    it's seeming very plausible that consumers will realize there just is no good reason for microsoft to exist anymore. about the only customer they haven't alienated is the ms office user.

  6. Latest update: by crashcy · · Score: 4, Funny

    XBox One is no longer a gaming console. Microsoft has reversed the policy about playing games on their upcoming console. The company has not revealed what it will do now, but given the amount of anger over every move they have made so far, industry analysts believe it may be their best decision now to just do nothing.