Treating the Kinect Like an Apple Product - ChaseB's Blog

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ChaseB's Blog

Treating the Kinect Like an Apple Product Stuck

Posted on February 9, 2011 at 05:14 PM.

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Source: pulse2.com

The Kinect has had a strong showing so far in terms of moving units. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer revealed at CES that the Kinect had sold eight million units in its first 60 days on sale. While that number ended up being a shipped amount and not a sold amount, the numbers were and still are impressive.

However, the selection of games is much less impressive at this point. While the Kinect is technically a peripheral, it's more like a new console because games have to be designed for it. For this reason, there is almost no reason to play it at this point -- beyond Dance Central and perhaps two or three other titles of varying quality. In fact, at this point the best thing going for the Kinect is the "hacking" community that has discovered some really cool things to do with the Kinect technology.

The unfortunate part of this from Microsoft's standpoint is that they have to keep the momentum going now without marquee titles to back up the "new car" smell of the Kinect. Unfortunately, help may not be on the immediate horizon. After all, even a game like Child of Eden, which I am really looking forward to because anything that is a spiritual successor to Rez immediately gets on my radar, was designed with more than just the Kinect in mind.

If Microsoft can't successfully fill this void, the company may suffer a similar stagnation that Nintendo has had to deal with when it comes to the Wii. In addition, for gamers it just means Kinect owners don't have much to play right now.

Really, this whole situation basically just reminds me of how I treat Apple products. I am in no way one of those Apple fanboy-types, but I don't go out of my way to hate on Apple products either. I wanted an iPhone the moment I saw it, but I didn't hop on board until the 3GS model. I want an iPad, but I won't jump on board until at least the next version comes out.

Relax Steve, you'll get my money eventually.
Source: Inc.com

And I want a Kinect, but I need more reasons to buy it, at least beyond the obvious allure of just having a cool new piece of technology.

For example, the Apple 2G was a perfectly acceptable first-generation phone. But the phone was not even 3G; the App Store was not where it is now; and my current iPhone 4 puts it to shame. In other words, I feel justified having waited.

From a sports gaming standpoint, the Kinect is certainly intriguing, but sports developers seem to have an outlook similar to mine. In the upcoming months, Top Spin won't be Kinect compatible, and neither will Tiger Woods. At the very least, the newest version of Virtua Tennis is going to Kinect it up.

VT aside, this seems like a missed opportunity for sports developers. In the past, I feel like sports games have been forerunners for new gaming technology, but beyond the exercise market and Kinect Sports, the sports games feel a little light so far.

Where are all the "I kicked my flat screen" stories that are similar to the Wii injury incidents?

Now, whether this had more to do with developers getting development kits too late in the development cycle or because publishers were waiting to see how the Kinect would sell before throwing some weight behind the new product is really irrelevant. The simple fact is that we have to wait around twiddling our thumbs while awaiting a real Kinect showcase that may help bring a new sect of games (sports or otherwise) to the forefront.

Comments

# 1 blazer003 @ Feb 10

Good blog. Very much in the same boat on new tech. I won't buy a Kinect till I see some quality titles out there that actually make me want to play. Also, I feel like if you look at the plodding progress that Madden and NCAA football make each year, it will be a while before EA puts any effort into the Kinect or Move. After all, they're not going to sell that many more copies by including Kinect or Move controls.

# 2 charter04 @ Feb 11

Good blog. The only problem I have with the waiting game is if everyone waits then the product wont improve at all, it will stop being made. I knew that when I got the Kinect. I like the games we have and some of the things I can do with it. I also wanted to get one so they sell enough. So I agree with what you say but if you want it to be great you have to buy the product, sometimes before its great.