130°

Has Kinect failed gamers?

MMGN: It's been roughly one and a half years since Kinect launched worldwide in late 2010, selling over 8 million units in its first 60 days and making the Guiness World Book of Records for being the "fastest selling consumer electronics device" ever.
Since then, the motion-sensing device has sold over 18 million units as of January 2012.

It's safe to say from a financial and commercial standpoint, the device was a success as a product, and has no doubt helped prolong the life-span of the Xbox 360 and helped Microsoft sell millions more consoles.

But what else has Kinect notably accomplished or changed other than impressive sales? In my opinion, not much.

Read Full Story >>
360.mmgn.com
StrongMan4967d ago (Edited 4967d ago )

Yes. 99% of Kinect games don't sell past 300k and most of them score in the 50s or below. Even powerful names like Star Wars, Disneyland, and Pixar can't help Kinect games sell past 700k and this is on a system where supposedly the exclusives sell well. EVERY core Kinect game bombs hard. Just look at the latest core Kinect game Steel Battalion which scored a 39 metascore and a measly 20k sales. That is the lowest score and lowest sales of any exclusive of all time. If that's not failing gamers then I don't know what is. Look at the rest of Kinect games released this year like Huant and Diabolical Pitch. Yep, you guessed it, they both sold less than 300k and both scored low. Notice the trend?

4967d ago Replies(7)
ApolloTheBoss4967d ago

And yet Microsoft still believes that they are attracting the casual gamer with it. Microsoft is full of a bunch of idiots.

tehpees34967d ago (Edited 4967d ago )

Well technically they are attracting the casual gamer with it. Thats why it became the fastest selling consumer electronics device..... when it first came out.

But now that leads me to a serious question. Why do people buy such garbage?

EVILDEAD3604966d ago (Edited 4966d ago )

LOL @ this fanblogger claiming because HE doesn't enjoy HIS Kinect that all 18 milion people dont.

Listen at how far he has to reach to complain about Kunect.

'Kinect's failure in providing gamers with quality first-party Kinect titles is also reflected in the fact that only one of Microsoft's big three exclusive franchises (Halo, Gears and Fable) are being made to really use Kinect (Fable: The Journey)'

How ridiculous is it to claim that Kinect has failed because it's not used in every Micrsoft hardcore exclusive.

But it also show that this guy has no clue about the games Kinect is used in or he would have known that other than Fable..Kinect is used in Halo Anniversary and Forza 4.

Who cares if we never got Gears: Exile..It led to the the Gears prequel coming next year.

Here's the facts..Kinect is optional and EVERYONE isnt going to enjoy one.

The reason for it's success is for what it DOES and not what it does not.

360 'core' gamers bought Kinect in the millions just like casual gamers did. Core gamers didnt NEED Kinect in Gears 3 or the upcoming Halo 4, or ANY Call of Duty because the 360 controller is absolute perfection for shooters.

Millions of people didn' buy Kinect to play Steel Battalion, but it's clear the game polorized critics.

IGN claimed the couldnt get the game to work, the author claims he had to keep recalibrating..while others like Gamer magizine praised Steel Batallion for praised it's 'responsive Kinect based controls'.

Look at the usual suspects like Strongman claim that Kinect failed because XBLA's Haunt and Diabolical Pitch sold under 300K.

Look at the agrees..that MUST mean sales MATTER right.

'Yes. 99% of Kinect games don't sell past 300k and most of them score in the 50s or below.'

Look let's play Evil's advocate..if sales matter then what does that tell you when Kinect Sports with only a fraction of the 360 install base outsells 'core' games on the PS3 like Uncharted, Killzone 2&3, God of War 3, Resistance, Infamous, and Little Big Planet 2?

If SALES mean everything then Kinect must be doing something right.

Disney has like 15+ titles on the PS3..count how many sold over 700,000.

Count how many titles on Move or even the Wii that sold less than 300,000.

Hey..I'm just using the criteria Strongman used as supposed 'failure' for Kinect..HE is the one who claims SALES matter the most. So if Kinect is a 'failure' for sales then what are those games..according to HIM..not me

Heres the truth I own all of the motion control devices and they all have their advantages and disadvantages..Kinect is far from perfect..but neither is Move or the Wii.

Evil

TBM4967d ago

Hmm i wouldn't know if it failed me as i didn't waste my hard earned cash on this worthless camera.

dedicatedtogamers4967d ago (Edited 4967d ago )

Everyone gets up in arms when Nintendo catered to "teh casuals" with the Wii...

...and yet when Microsoft says "Kinect will be for core gamers" but instead aims it at children and soccer moms, gamers rush to M$'s defense and say "HEY! It's okay to focus on a different audience! Kinect is...uh...it's a lot of fun! Don't say mean things about Kinect!"

LOL

4967d ago Replies(2)
dcbronco4967d ago (Edited 4967d ago )

Strongman aren't you one of those Sony exclusives guys. Considering the install base, most of thos Kinect games still outsell most of those Sony exclusives. Kinect is limited right now because of the parts and USB1.0. Both things are set to change. Most tech kinda sucks when it first comes out. Just pretend they are Sony exclusives and they will sell over time.

And at least they're cheap to make.

CGI-Quality4967d ago (Edited 4967d ago )

Can always tell from a post like this who is emotionally affected. Since Sony is irrelevant to the conversation, you, in turn, look worse than he does.

dcbronco4966d ago

CGI, you would be wrong. I couldn't care less about Kinect. Don't own one and I am not interested unless they develop something better than a remote. I was simply pointing out the hypocrisy. Notice the first sentence were I reference his previous bragging about Sony exclusives. Sorry that got too complicated for you.

Shadonic4967d ago

no it hasn't failed all the gamers just the hardcore and even then when theirs something that's even remotely appealing to said hardcore gamers don't by mods or hacks they bounce back with comments like " Like why would i play like that?" or "Fake!" or "kinect sucks" every time after they witness things like that. Has kinect failed gamers not exactly it soars in the social market but as the CTO of the creators of Epic Mickey has said theres to much bias over the device for people to actually try it he even talks on how its so hard to do skeletal programming when its being done by middle schoolers I mean think about it the only people who have actually pushed the kinect to do things even remotely beneficial to the constant shooting that hardcore gamers want is ubisoft and even then even when they had a movement system in place for the E3 2011 build they basically toned it down to not even allow movement but then we go to just random old people on the internet then we have an easy to make skeletal program, a hack ( wouldn't know if its a hack since hes using a program used by some collage) for bulletstorm, dead island and skyrim that implements everything you can do with a controller to the device that makes it actually work. Hardcore can be done but developers aren't pushing the device or even taking notes from these people.

madjedi4966d ago (Edited 4966d ago )

Right i know your one of the three kinect cheerleaders here, but do you expect anyone to bother reading a post like that.

Learn something called paragraphs, and your studying wow back in the nes we had games with bad or broken controls. You shouldn't have to perfectly/precisely replicate the motions for kinect to recognise them.

Steel battalion was always going to be a niche game, i doubt that many people have a issue with it being a difficult games. But no one, wants to have to put up with a game with a bad or broken control scheme.

Hence why it is dead in sales, patch in voice commands(to both the demo and retail and advertise the new voice commands on the marketplace), screw the games storyline, and make the thing playable for the rest of people interested in the game.

Sorry but i really have a hard time believing, that thousands of 360 gamers are wrong, because 3 people on n4g claim it perfectly playable, your just doing it wrong.

ChunkyLover534965d ago

Why does Kinect have 13, 14 games that have passed the one million mark then? Its not like the install base for Kinect is 70 million like the Xbox 360 itself. The install base is much, much smaller. You'd have to think anything over 100k sold is pretty profitable.

I'd consider your whole 99% theory to be bunk at this point. If you spent half as much time actually playing your beloved PS3 that you spend trolling Microsoft articles, I'd actually believe you were a gamer.

ALLWRONG4965d ago (Edited 4965d ago )

StrongMan "99% of Kinect games don't sell past 300k" that's not true stop making crap up.

Compare Kinect and Kinect game sales to Move :D We all know which one really failed.

+ Show (6) more repliesLast reply 4965d ago
blue7_74967d ago

Most Kinect games have sold over a million like kinectamils, kinect joyride pretty much most of the launch titles have sold over a million and a few others have as well like Fruit Ninja and the disneyland and star wars game will eventually sell 1 million no doubt about that.

The thing with most Kinect games is they sell a lot in the long run they have legs. It hasn't failed gamers since a lot of people like Kinect. It's mostly the "hardcore" gamer who bashes kinect which ironically most don't even own.

News Flash to most uneducated people like you Kinect is not for the hardcore if you still can't comprehend that then I really don't know what to tell you.

It was obvious from when it was for revealed it was geared toward the casual. They release games like steel batallion just to shut most people who complain about Kinect not being hardcore but they don't care. They know who there audience is just look at what games get the actual advertising money it's definitely not these "hardcore" kinect titles it's games like Dance central that get the advertising money. So No I really don't think Kinect has failed the hardcore gamer which it was never intended to please to begin with.

IRetrouk4967d ago

Do you need links to prove that micro said from the start that kinect was for hardcore too? I mean it was mentioned in a lot of interviews, I can post links if you like? Not bashing on kinect just stating facts

blue7_74967d ago (Edited 4967d ago )

lol I guess you lack reading comprehension. Actions speak louder than words I don't care what MS says they can say they are the best console out there is it true just because they said it? By your logic it is.

Like I said judging by what Kinect games MS actually seems to support as in Advertising them a lot it's obviously not the "hardcore" Kinect titles it's the casual games like the Disney game, Kinect sports, and dance central type of games. Have you seen any advertising for Steel batallion as in commercials as much as you see for a game like dance central I'm guessing you haven't because the truth is they haven't. So like I said actions speak louder than words. Not hard to comprehend.

Like I said from the very beginning Kinect was made to entice the casual/Wii gamers you really don't need to be a genius to figure that out. I don't care if they said also the hardcore just look at the launch titles and then you tell me whether they actually cared about the hardcore.

IRetrouk4967d ago

Wow defensive much? Don't get ur knickers twisted man, you said it was never ment for hardcore yet micro came out right at the start and said it was, that all I was saying, you need to calm down with the camera love there bud, it's actually funny how one little comment got u so hyper, my comprehension skills are just fine by the way, all I did was point out that half your comment was based on what u think rather than what the company reps said, micro fully intended to support the hardcore, obviously limitations with the device held that back from happening. Anyway why so defensive?

Shadonic4967d ago

i suppport kinect and yea i remember when they said it and honestly they shouldent have i guess they just belived the developers would be more supportive of the device and have more of an innovative approach to the device or atleast be able to come up with a control scheme that could be implemented into the stander first person game. Ive seen it done for hardcore titles with hacks or mods on the PC just not pushed for on the consoles.

mcstorm4967d ago

@blue7_7 I agree with what you said. I think Kinect has been a success in terms of opening up the xbox name to everyone. What people are missing is the bigger picture. MS said by the 3rd gen of Game console they want the Xbox name to be house hold and the Original Xbox get there foot in the door with the core fans but not enough to make any dent in Sonys sales. Then then looked at the Market when the 360 came out and hit the ground running with the so called core games and the xbox name was fully in the door with the core gamers but Nintendo were running away with the none core market which if you look at sales numbers is bigger than the core market for selling consoles.

The next step for Microsoft was changing the 360 image from being all about FPS games and this is where Kinect came in. It has give the 360 some new IP's Like Kinect Sports, Dance Central, Kinect Start wars, your shape fitness evolved and more and this gave the 360 the image of a console for everyone which is What Sonys market was all about.

Kinect sales are still going strong and I think the core games that have come out so far have worked well. Forza 4, ME3, Steel Battalion (Which works well for me and im enjoying even though it is a really hard game) and Halo CEA.

Kinect is not for everyone just like move or the Wii but for what I use it for it works very well for me and the family. But No matter what people say hater will hate and fans will back it just like a sports team ect.

The world is full of people who like to moan if they don't like something and think they are always right but at the end of the day I think if you like something get it if you don't then don't get it and carry on using the things you like rather than moaning about the things you don't like.

stuna14967d ago

It's not about reading comprehension, it's about false advertising! One would have to be crazy to believe that a nice chunk of the xbox 360 fanbase didn't buy a kinect in the hopes that it would offer some hardcore gaming! That is evident with the sells of all three consoles.

To make it simple, do you think the whole fanbase of the wii are all casual gamers? What about those who purchased the move, were they all casual? No! So why would anyone even consider believing that it was just the casuals that bought into the marketing hype of kinect?!

hennessey864967d ago

Gamers failed kinect, from the minute it was announced it was attacked. It was never given a chance by these gamers who are always crying about the lack of innovation in gaming, I am glad I bought one. I had a lot of fun with it, but it did get boring after a while. At least I gave it a fair chance though. I am just to into my sim racing :)

GribbleGrunger4967d ago (Edited 4967d ago )

'I had a lot of fun with it, but it did get boring after a while'

Reviews, pundits and casual observers told people like you it wouldn't work, but you are glad you bought one regardless, but got bored with it... at least you gave it a tried it though?!

Microsoft loves people like you

You were sold a fantasy based on fake demos and future potential.

stuna14967d ago

Exactly! What's better way to advertise to casual, by using their hardcore gaming fanbase as the test subjects! Word of mouth is a very effective tool!

The beta for kinect was a stroke of genius on micosoft part, it gave them the ability to garner a massive amount of attention right from peoples living rooms. Anyone who came to your home became a potential customer.

mcstorm4967d ago

hennessey86 Do you still use Kinect on Forza 4? I know its only left and right head movement it tracks but imo it helps esp when online racing (if you play inside the car) I also think developers of other racing games should use it but maybe the next F1 or Dirt will use it too. Also if you fancy a change pickup steel Battalion as it is one of the most challenging games I have ever played and if you setup Kinect as per the instructions it also works too.

Alos884967d ago

It was never aimed at us, I just wish Microsoft wasn't constantly pretending that it is.

from the beach4967d ago

I think it's a brilliant system and has provided some of my favourite gaming experiences of this generation, most notably Child of Eden and Steel Battalion: Heavy Armour.

Show all comments (60)
60°

What an Xbox founder thinks of the new Xbox CEO | Seamus Blackley interview

Gamesbeat caught up with Blackley to extract some wisdom about Microsoft’s journey in games, what he thinks Sharma should do, and where gaming can go next. Part of his message is hopeful, but Blackley sees a lot of peril on the road that Microsoft is following. And it makes him worry about the future of gaming.

Read Full Story >>
gamesbeat.com
4d ago
piroh3d ago

"I expect that the new CEO, Asha Sharma, her job is going to be as a palliative care doctor who slides Xbox gently into the night."

LOL

Anyway, let's wait and see maybe Mia Khalifa will surprise us.

rlow13d ago

I’m on the fence about her. I’ll give her chance, but if she is there to finish things off. Well what can you do.

Abnor_Mal3d ago (Edited 3d ago )

After seeing the article of the possible sunsetting of Xbox as said by Seamus Blackley I believe, I went onto X because of a post I saw. It was a gif of Vegeta powering up, the poster commented as Vegeta yelling “Don’t take my fiercest competitor away from me.” Standing there in his blue Sayian/Freiza corps outfit. So it got me to thinking, so let me ask a question to N4G.

If Vegeta is PlayStation, who would Xbox and Nintendo be in the Dragon Ball universe?

Who would be Master Roshi?

I have my own opinion of course, I just want to see what others think.

90°

That’s It, I’m Calling It, Xbox Is Dead, Time Of Death February 20

If you read Kotaku even semi-regularly, you already know that Xbox has been in a weird spot for some time now. And with today’s news that both Xbox boss Phil Spencer and President Sarah Bond are leaving and the new head of the brand will be a former Meta exec who previously lead Microsoft’s AI division, I think it’s time to call it. Xbox is dead. Time of death: February 20, 2026

beerhound6d ago

"The report of my death was an exaggeration." = Mark Twain

derek5d ago

"You would have to be alive first before dying" =
Me

Cacabunga5d ago (Edited 5d ago )

This brand died in the last 2 years of 360 since Kinect announcement.. downfall started all of a sudden until reaching the point of no return with xbox 1 DRM disasters

beerhound6d ago

"The report of my death was an exaggeration." - Mark Twain

BehindTheRows6d ago

So ready to defend that you posted it twice.

In any event, I have a more accurate quote: "It's dead, Jim".

S2Killinit6d ago

Also Mark Twain:
I have never wished death on anyone but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure.

Zerobalance6d ago (Edited 6d ago )

God! Xbox dead again! Boring! Boring. Heard it all before.

InUrFoxHole6d ago (Edited 6d ago )

While I normally agree... The future of xbox is on shaky ground. Well, xbox as we know it. Im not sure what they are shooting for but who they put in charge mixed with Phil retiring and bond just flat out leaving. It's not looking good.

REDDURT6d ago

Im with you but in western countries I have noticed a trend to put women in control to prevent any kind of critics.

F0XH0UND9226d ago

Does this coping mechanism normally work for you?

bsingle406d ago

Get ready to hear it a lot more as the final nail goes home.

derek5d ago

Copilot is running the xbox division now, its first official act was fire Spencer and Bond then sell Xbox for scraps.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 5d ago
Levii_926d ago

Oh come on, Xbox has been dead for at least 10 years now. I think what’s more important right now is Playstation’s death that is very slowly but surely happening through mismanagement and greed.

InUrFoxHole6d ago

Some what agree. Sony is in a better position to unf#$k themselves. Xbox isn't.

Levii_926d ago

True i agree with that, xbox's got nothing

ocelot076d ago

I actually agree sooner Hust is gone the better.

Levii_926d ago

He's being clowned on by the entire internet but i have been clowning on him way before he became CEO. I hate modern PS so much man. To this day i have no idea how Astro Bot happend in this terrible PS era but that was clearly a miracle.

Grilla6d ago

Delusional take, why do xbots always project Xbox’s problems onto PlayStation?

BehindTheRows6d ago

Every. Time! They compare the closing of a studio (one I liked, mind you, but they know their business better than internet dwellers) to the departure of not one but TWO major figureheads at Xbox. On top of Xbox's other problems, they are also now selling their games everywhere (not just PC).

Sorry diehard Xbox fanatics, we've been down this road before. PlayStation has closed studios. It happens. Maybe they weren't pulling their weight. Maybe they have a restructure in place. What ever the case, it won't come any close to tanking their brand. Xbox isn't in that boat. As a piece of hardware, it is all but irrelevant (hanging on only because of Game Pass at this point). It serves no other purpose because you don't even need that console to play its games. If it was just Xbox/PC, that would be different, but here we are.

So, this isn't the SonyToo that y'all love to hang on. Things are not good for Xbox hardware. At all. It is about time to start accepting that.

0hMyGandhi6d ago (Edited 6d ago )

Respectfully, This is probably one of my least favorite tactics in making an argument.
I'll give you an example: If I like the color red, it doesn't mean I hate the color blue.

People lamenting the (potential) demise of the xbox brand has nothing to do with sony or playstation. It has everything to do with xbox. Now, for the sake of argument, you could say that Sony and Microsoft are two peas in a pod, and that they've both made absolutely baffling and worryingly stupid decisions in the recent past. But I truly believe that Xbox would be shooting itself in the foot regardless of Sony's presence (I look at you, Xbox One reveal with always online DRM and the inability to share games).

Sony, on the other hand, is making stupid decisions to stay competitive with the market, and like Microsoft, is seemingly forcing by proverbial gunpoint talented developers to try to make the next GAAS experience and never learning their lesson. I believe that Microsoft squandering RARE is the equivalent of Sony squandering Naughty Dog. Neither platform really knows what they want to be, BUT Sony is alot further along in figuring it out before Microsoft pulls out another revolver and takes aim at another of it's own toes.

Agent756d ago

Xbox died after the Xbox 360. The Xbox One was mediocre, the Series X was game shy. I'm glad Phil is retiring.

S2Killinit6d ago

Exaggerated projection of xbox problems onto Sony. This is what gave xbox the extra slack all these generations to eventually run themselves into the ground.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 6d ago
The_Blue6d ago

This is why the views and comments are low, with lame articles that use divide-and-conquer pretensions.

ApexLanding236d ago

To be fair "divide and conquer pretensions" have been present in the comment section of this website for years regardless of the articles title, composition or intent. It's therefore unlikely that's what's playing a part in low viewership and commenting.

Show all comments (41)
40°

Microsoft has revoked the DMCA takedown that forced an indie Minecraft-like off Steam

Microsoft claimed the indie game uses "Minecraft content."