Microsoft Reverses Again: Kinect Not Required

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

According to an interview posted by IGN today, Microsoft has yet again flip flopped on another one of its stances. Previously, Xbox One required Kinect to be on at all times for the console to function. This is no longer the case according to Marc Whitten of Microsoft:

"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... You have the ability to completely turn the sensor off in your settings. When in this mode, the sensor is not collecting any information. Any functionality that relies on voice, video, gesture or more won’t work. We still support using it for IR blasting in this mode. You can turn the sensor back on at any time through settings, and if you enter into a required Kinect experience (like Kinect Sports Rivals for instance), you’ll get a message asking if you want to turn the sensor back on in order to continue."

One has to wonder if preorder numbers are the reasoning for this circus. Since June, Microsoft has taken off its DRM along with a slew of features, added some of the features back, overclocked the GPU, and now this. How does this effect developers? Especially ones that have coded their game confident that Kinect would be on at all times. This has to cause some headache, and its unclear if MS will ask them to make changes to their games near the end of development cycles. This definitely has the potential to get ugly after consoles launch. The first game that requires Kinect to play could cause the blame game between devs and MS. In the midst of walking back for irate gaming, its possible that Microsoft could also cause a strain on his developer relationships early on.

Sources

http://www.ign.com/a...-about-xbox-one

http://kotaku.com/xb...roso-1113142909

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[Sledgstone 8,672]

WTF. Microsoft keeps surprising me.

 

As long as the Kinect is still sold with every xbox I don't think the developers will complain, because if everyone has a kinect then it'll simply be a matter of plugging it in or turning it on.. but if the system is sold in a new version without the kinect, then the developers will have the right to bitch their asses off because if they design games to use a piece of equipment nobody owns, then they will be screwed.

 

If anything, it looks like MS is giving people a way to turn off their big brother camera system. Maybe all those NSA stories about how the government might spy on people through their Kinects forced MS to make some changes to help pick up their pre-orders. Honestly though, these "turn off the camera and microphone" functionality should have been a default feature. It was reminding me of the anime Sword Art Online.. there is no log off.. its a feature.. you're always connected now..

[Myk JL 1,730]

Still for me they'd either have to have a new Kinectimals (still with cats) or an Xbox One not bundled with Kinect.

 

As for most devs who would complain about this they shouldn't be limiting themselves to very specific tech like Kinect, Wii U Pad, etc. They want to complain they're not making as much money as they intended? Then they shouldn't being making games that can only be done with console exclusive controllers.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

Microsoft forgot that you cant just force a product a limited audience wants on your entire customer base. I don't want a kinect, I'd rather pay $100 less. The only reason they are changing all of this stuff before it comes out is sales numbers. There is no other explanation. If they're preorder numbers were solid, they would have continued with the "screw the customer" attitude.

 

And to add to the clusterf*ck: http://kotaku.com/xbox-live-family-subscriptions-convert-to-individual-ac-1099325395

[Sledgstone 8,672]

Wow. That would have pissed me off if I had an Xbox 360.

 

Also, if MS is still making these changes to their new console, then I'm going to assume this new Kinect off feature will be part of that huge software patch when the system needs to connect to the internet on day 1. Which means the Kinect will probably be required to be connected to the system for it's initial turning on, connecting to the internet, then patching.. then you can disconnect from the internet and shut off the kinect. They should have stuck to their initial designs and plans.

[Strider Hiryu 2,704]

Honestly MS grow a pair and stand your ground. Quit pulling shit out just to make people happy, you'll eventually just piss us off for being whiny little pussies. (yes I'm being serious here, I respected them for sticking to their guns because people need to realize (yes even us) that this will eventually happen whether we like it or not).

 

Sigh, MS keeps shooting itself in the foot. I'm getting pissed off more now that they're taking this shit out then I was when they announced that it was required.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

If MS would have not had "always on" Kinect from the start and explained that the DRM would benefit those that publish their own content on Xbox one by protecting their intellectual property, they would have come out a lot better. Instead they told people to screw off if you had a bad internet connection, and then came back with a figurative "We're sorry". It definitely makes them look desperate. I agree that completely digital is going to happen in the future, and I'm for that. Always online and always on isn't the answer for the future, but if you're going to try it, you can't bully a customer base into liking it as they attempted to do. As I've said, if Steam can function offline, then so can any console that has DRM. The answer was right in front of them, they could have at least tried to sell it like Steam even if it was more draconian. MS should fire their entire Xbox PR division, this is a marketing nightmare. First impressions are king, and a lot of people who have not been following closely are still going by word of mouth that always on/online is still a feature.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

All of MS's PR is crap. The only thing MS can do now is try to bust out that CoD Dog again and hope for some new CoD exclusive features or premium matching making abilities.. oh wait they did that already..

 

http://news.xbox.com/2013/07/games-smartmatch-feature

 

I bet CoD Ghosts match making will be the same quality as the PS4's.. horrible.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

Well COD's match making on Xbox has been a lot more amazing than PS in all honesty. LOL. I did see that PS4 was beating even PC on a BF3 facebook poll.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

With the amount of pre-orders the PS4 has already received, I can only imagine the amount of people that will be on BF4 on that system. With the PS plus membership that gave BF3 away for free and latest humble bundle on PC having BF3 in it, EA/Dice has really gotten Battlefield into the hands of a lot of new customers. Very good PR for them.. but even more bad PR for MS:
 
http://www.psu.com/a020541/Battlefield-4-devs-side-with-PS4-following-Xbox-One-launch-delay

 

With the Xbox One delayed until 2014, the door is open for Sony and the PS4 to capitalise in the eight countries where it will have a head start.

Microsoft's bad news continues as two core Battlefield 4 developers have now made their opinions on the delay known via Twitter with both siding with the PS4. Gameplay designer Alan Kertz, who hails from Sweden, one of those countries that will suffer the delay, took to the social media channel to air his views.

“"I see Microsoft seems intent on making it easier and easier to pick PS4 for Gen4 in Sweden," he tweets.

Gameplay designer Gustav Halling also chipped in: "Not sure what Xbox is thinking when not launching in a progressive country like Sweden, we always buy what is hot and that will be PS4." He has since removed this comment.

While the Xbox One has suffered with some negative media scrutiny since the launch press conference focused on the console’s power as a T.V. box rather than a gaming machine, not to mention the way it made the embarrassing u-turn on its DRM policy, PS4 pre-orders have been going through the roof. These latest comments from respected developers only serve to make matters worse.

The release details for the PS4 will be announced at Gamescom in Cologne next week. Let's hope there's definitely not a delay for Sony's new gaming console!

 

Ouch.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

Sony hasn't changed 50 things on their console like MS has... all the backing down and flip flopping caused this delay no doubt. This is Ultra 64 and Wii all packaged into one with the blunders they are making. Then there is no telling how long you're gonna have to wait for your day one patches to download. I wonder how that is going to affect people with no internet... they are probably having to put a patch disc in every box they've produced so far for people that cant get online to download the patch and would get screwed by the daily check-in preset. This isn't only PR damage, that costs money to go back into the production line and fix all of this.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

I'm guessing those countries that are being delayed are going to get the patch already put on the system.. because if the Xbox One is delayed AND it needs the patch still, then that would be even worse.