Support NeoGAF

[IbizaPocholo]

Phil Spencer believes Kinect was one of Xbox’s ‘biggest contributions to gaming’ | VGC

Xbox boss says the peripheral helped expand awareness of accessibility…

www.videogameschronicle.com

Speaking in an interview in the latest issue of Edge magazine, the head of Xbox was asked what he thought Xbox had contributed to the industry, to which he replied that creating Xbox Live on the original Xbox then making it standard on every Xbox 360 console was one of the best examples.

However, Spencer then went on to the cite the Kinect as the second key contribution, an answer that may prove surprising to some given the peripheral’s less than stellar reputation among Xbox users.

“Was motion control the way everybody should play every game? I’d say the answer to that is no, in my view,” Spencer conceded, before pointing out that the Kinect and its games were still important in changing Xbox’s image.

“Prior to that, it’s not like everything was M-rated games, but when we started doing things like Kinect Sports and things from other developers – [like Double Fine‘s] Happy Action Theatre and the dance games –that really opened our eyes to the breadth of what the Xbox could be.”

Spencer also notes in the interview that the Kinect was the catalyst for Xbox’s future steps in making video games accessible to players with disabilities, citing “very heartfelt emails” from parents of children who couldn’t play games before the Kinect arrived.

“I look at the accessibility work that we’ve done – whether it’s the Adaptive Controller or software work that we’ve done – and I think you can draw direct lines back to Kinect.

“Not specifically the device itself, but just about what a gaming platform can mean to more people. And that’s a journey we’re still on.”

Kinect originally launched on the Xbox 360 in November 2010, and was a motion-sensing camera device which let players control games with their own bodies.

 

[Gameplaylover]

The concept was great, but people didn't want to be forced to pay 100 bucks for it last gen. This huge mistake gave Sony an easy win.

 

[alienator]

it was basically a ripoff ps eyetoy and wiimote without holding the wiimote, with worse lag and even worse titles. But thrust Phil to make it sound like its the best thing ever happened for gamers.

 

[Kagey K]

While it's contributions to gaming are dine, it's still being utilized and advanced upon in many other fields (especially medixal)

 

[Banjo64]

The concept was great, but people didn't want to be forced to pay 100 bucks for it last gen. This huge mistake gave Sony an easy win.

That, plus the NSA saga at the same time where it was confirmed out MS and other tech giants had back doors for government spying. The whole thing was meme-worthy in its disastrousness. Always hated Kinect, it’s arrival signalled the end of the 360 as a serious platform.

 

[GHG]

The idea of always online was a great contribution as well Phil. You should bring it back along with Kinect, would be a shame to let such great contributions to the gaming industry be forever relegated to the history books.

 

[SSfox]

:LMAOGIF:

 

[Kagey K]

it was basically a ripoff ps eyetoy and wiimote without holding the wiimote, with worse lag and even worse titles. But thrust Phil to make it sound like its the best thing ever happened for gamers.

It was much more, but just like VR making games to fit it isn't feasible.

It's still being used in many non gaming fields.

 

[Banjo64]

But thrust Phil

Freudian slip there mate

 

[M1chl]

Not as controller, but for garage motion capture, probably.

 

[Gameplaylover]

That, plus the NSA saga at the same time where it was confirmed out MS and other tech giants had back doors for government spying. The whole thing was meme-worthy in its disastrousness. Always hated Kinect, it’s arrival signalled the end of the 360 as a serious platform.

Yeah but like the how to trade games video, the always on or the fact that the PS4 was stronger those are things 99% of the casuals never heard of. But 100% of the casuals saw the price tag.

 

[Allandor]

it was basically a ripoff ps eyetoy and wiimote without holding the wiimote, with worse lag and even worse titles. But thrust Phil to make it sound like its the best thing ever happened for gamers.

nah... it wasn't so bad. Only the ideas were not that great what to do with it. E.g. i was forced into games such as Ryse ... why .. I really don't know. I never wanted to shout on my TV.

But for party- or kids-games it was optimal. Things like kinect sports or dance central worked great. But other stuff ... well wasn't so great. I would still use my kinect 1, if there wasn't the compatibility issue. That they weren't compatible with kinect 1 did also break the neck of kinect 2.

 

[The_Mike]

Eh, I don't know how to think about Spencer saying that kinecr is one of the greatest contribution to gaming they did, when they literally stopped supporting and using it so fast.

Seems like a very weird statement to pin out a project like this that has been abandoned so fast.

 

[alienator]

Freudian slip there mate

Damn that was a bad one. I'll leave it in for hilarity ;p

 

[Fermbiz]

I think Kinect is one of the biggest contributions to landfills.

 

[azertydu91]

Weird because according to kingfey it wasn't part of his vision.

 

[STARSBarry]

I think Kinect is one of the biggest contributions to landfills.

I remember after the release of Halo 5 after playing the game for an hour I took it out gathered up all my Xbox one launch edition kit and games and marched it off to GAME. I remember when I saw the receipt they gave me £1 each for both the Kinect and Sunset overdrive for trade in value and I just laughed...

Ended up using it to get a PS4 Pro in the end.

 

[Zathalus]

Obviously some people are having trouble actually reading the article.

“I look at the accessibility work that we’ve done – whether it’s the Adaptive Controller or software work that we’ve done – and I think you can draw direct lines back to Kinect.

“Not specifically the device itself, but just about what a gaming platform can mean to more people. And that’s a journey we’re still on.”

He is referring to the accessibility options that started with the Kinect, not the device itself.

 

[kingfey]

Weird because according to kingfey it wasn't part of his vision.

Read it again.

Spencer also notes in the interview that the Kinect was the catalyst for Xbox’s future steps in making video games accessible to players with disabilities, citing “very heartfelt emails” from parents of children who couldn’t play games before the Kinect arrived.
“I look at the accessibility work that we’ve done – whether it’s the Adaptive Controller or software work that we’ve done – and I think you can draw direct lines back to Kinect.
“Not specifically the device itself, but just about what a gaming platform can mean to more people. And that’s a journey we’re still on.”



He pointed out that Kinetic was very important to xbox, because of what it does for accessibility. And I agree with that. Having a motion camera control to play games was revolution. But because it had camera, people didnt like it. Something good that Don Matrick has done. And Phil continued that vision. And we still seeing Xbox working on this issue to this day. Making gaming easier for disabled people.

(I Hate when I am replying to someone, and the post of other reply is there)

 

[Max_Po]

My only fond memories of Kinect are PEOPLE yelling XBOX TURN OFF in Call of Duty and laughing when one of the players would go offline.. .

 

[Moses85]

As a gimmick… ok.

But it was part of this console and that was the reason the hardware was so weak.

 

[Farawayfromhell]

Honestly I miss some features, like shouting: "Dooooctooooor or I need ammunition!!!" while playing Battlefield, in my opinion it was a nice added value, then everyone can think it was totally useless, but for me it was an integral part of the immersion in the game, I also enjoyed a lot with the dedicated arcades with my wife.

 

[Rubik8]

This is why we shouldn’t listen to anything these corporate talking heads say. They are spin doctors that are divorced from reality. Kinect sucked and nearly killed the brand.

 

[skit_data]

It wasn’t a bad peripheral, it was actually pretty cool. The mistake was trying to include it with every X1 (even though I get that it would be necessary for wide adoption for game creation).

 

[Flintty]

It was good for those shitty dance games and that’s about it.

Anecdote: I got my daughter temp banned from playing online. I was doing a dance on her account and got carried away and removed my tshirt. The clips were auto uploaded to Live.

someone clearly got offended by my manly 16 stone beef slab of a body and reported it.

 

[assurdum]

 

[captainraincoat]

Kinect was great for recording gameplay clips but outside of that ….yeah it was crap

 

[Vognerful]

It was a great piece of tech. I am always surprised when I see it used in many applications outside gaming.