Microsoft: Hardcore Kinect Games in 18 Months

I can see this really kicking off if they manage to first get all the kiddy titles out just before xmas.

Plans would be to release kinext now, build a hype, then release all the xmas titles in time for xmas. This could be the wii killer.

I think in this context, "hardcore" needs to be replaced with "fun for more than 15 minutes".

Does he mean 18 months from now, or 18 months from the Kinect release date? Either way that's going to be around the first quarter of 2012, and it's not going to leave much time before the next generation consoles start picking up steam. Given these games will be targeting the "hardcore" crowd, it may be too late for the XBox360 Kinect strategy to really work for this demographic.

Unless Microsoft manages to get hold of rights for Mario, the Wii will not be killed.

I would think that the next gen consoles would be out by then... Maybe the new consoles will use it also.
What do I care, I am a PC gamer!

Sounds like a plan for failure. They had years to get developers on board.

I didn't buy a wee because I don't want to move around while playing games. What makes you think I want to move around while playing your console, M$?

Please fail and move along.

In another word, you buy the kinect right now but have to wait at least 18 months to "fully" utilize it...

I'm not the only one who thinks kinect is super lame. So stupid. I just don't get why Microsoft is praising it as if kinect is gonna be the next best gaming experience. I'm not gonna buy one until it proves itself as something other than casual.

He shares the same views as 90% of the current 360 owners. So umless ms hopes to double the ownership of the 360 this winter, and get about 10% of the totaal ownership to buy aa kinect it will be a total failure, not just a hard fail. I can't see more than maybe 100k kinects being sold purley because the adverage 360 ownerbeing the sole user, and also above the age of 10 plays a big role in this too.

At least that means developers aren't abandoning traditional control schemes any time soon, at least for hardcore games. You should use motion controls where it makes sense, instead of trying to fudge motion controls in for EVERYTHING, like some Wii titles.

Augmenting a controller with voice commands and gestures might not be a bad idea though, for some titles. Especially if they're optional (you can still do it with the controller). I'd like it if I could choose the dialog options in ME by saying a brief phrase aloud, again, optional.

what's the problem with kinect? i think it's pimp to control the xbox with jedi gestures and voice commands. I do a lot of netflix and watch a lot of movies from my computer via xbox with windows media player.

You mean they'll still be making new stuff for xbox 360 18 months from now? God consoles suck! They are the worst thing ever for the gaming industry... everything gets held back.

oh yea that what hardcore gamers want. to be playing halo by pointing there fingers at a TV like an 8 year old LOL

no, he shares his view with the hardcore crowd. the kind of gamers that post on websites like these. the casual gamers are a massive portion of the demographic. they simply dont come to websites to post their opinions.

if you dont want it, dont buy it. but something tells me it will be a runaway success for MS. Its not aimed at you, its aimed at the wii gamers who have outgrown the old hardware, and want something deeper. but who still are not 'hardcore' gamers.

Geez. It's really amazing to see so many haters. It's a new experience for crying out loud and YOU don't have to be interested in it...but maybe kids or your wife will. My wife is very interested to see what its going to bring. But then again she's the prime target for Wii fit and anything else that would family fun for the kids and her. She isn't interested in Kinect with a first person shooter. Oh, but wait...what if you could play civilization and move the avatars with your hands. Or a real time strategy game? Hmm...how about play chess with your friend while streaming video to each other of each other? How about a virtual light saber duel in your respective living rooms, while seeing avatars of each other superimposed or totally virtualized?
THINK a little deeper here and I bet you could all keep brainstorming some hot applications for this...I can think of at least 10 more.

Read between the lines: No new console for at least 18 months! 360 from 2005-2012 on the fantastic X1950 XT ATI card, yay for technology! Consoles are such a joke!

As usual MS ripping off the UK and EU.

Not charging what the product is sold for in the US but charging what they think people will pay

I think the type of "hardcore" experience people expect is impossible with Kinect, unless they start releasing some type of add-on controllers for it similar to the PS3 motion thing.

You can't play non-casual games that require actual movement in a 3D space by standing in front of a camera. An analog stick is pretty much a necessity. I'm sure they could make it so you lean in a direction to move or something stupid, but it wouldn't be fun.

I hope you work for Microsoft and aren't that insane to believe that. Unless you think 360 is going to double its sales number with this. Not to mention it's pretty much designed to only play casual games. It's a glorified EyeToy and will be just as popular or less popular than that was.

Those kinds of "gamers" buy an iPod touch and download "apps", or they trick grandma into buying MW2 for them. The kinect has no defined genre that will want it purely so they can play games. It's either a "i have more money than common sence" novelty, or will be bought by a parent with hopes that their kid will play some "game" with them, one that involves rubbing a tiger...

My god! They want to drag on with the 5 year old Xbox 360 for 2-3 more years? (Considering 18 months for the arrival of games, they would probably launch more for another year or so).

Looks like I won't be buying a XBOX 360 with Kinect for another 18 months then. Until then, there's always PC games and kiddie games w/ my Wii.

cmon, this was over before it even was on the shelves...

I'm actually more interested in the instruction manual. I mean if it looks anywhere close to this one it might be a hit!
http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2010 [...] se-kinect/

That is EXACTLY what Chris Lewis said in the article.

You people seem to lack common sense. MS now is going for all the fans of the wii and there are plenty of them. To say they fail shows your lack of business sense at least until it comes out. If it flops then they fail if it's a hit like the wii was they win wither you like it or not makes no differnce.

I still like the idea of squad FPS games where you give commands using your hands, just like you would in real life.

you would pay £120 to wave your hands to start/stop a dvd?are you on drugs?you would get bored of it after 5mins/or all your friends have seen how "cool" it is..and switch back to a controller.

Assuming both Kinect and Xbox360 games work on the next generation of the Xbox that doesn't seem too daft. Maybe more horsepower from a new generation would also help ensure there's no lag; plus combining the whole thing with 3D might make it more involving.

Despite it making a slight mockery of the 'controller-less' system, having a wireless gun device would probably work quite well if they want to have a first person shooter - for a start it prevents there having to be a very sensitive movement detector for the trigger finger. Bung an analogue stick on the back of the gun for thumb controlled movement (or somewhere else) and you solve that one - whether it'd be more or less effective than a similar thing without kinect, who knows until someone tries it. Encouraging people to dive around their living room to avoid things as a last resort would be quite funny, even if just for other people to watch.

no you fail. families/kids who own a Wii are not going to part with £250 on a new console just to play games that are like the ones on wii.