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Interview: Aaron Greenberg, on Kinect core games, flailing

JoyStiq: "Can you tell us about the decision to have these two separate events and what the Natal event is really supposed to accomplish from a media perspective, that tomorrow's press conference won't be able to do?"

AG: "For us, this is a really special year. It was ten years ago that we unveiled the original Xbox and this is actually my tenth, and our tenth, E3. It's the beauty of our business. This will be the biggest year in the history of Xbox and really as we thought about E3, we've never had this much to share at one E3 as we do this year. We've taken a very non-traditional approach to E3. I think with what we're doing with Natal and working with Cirque du Soleil to bring that to life is a whole new way to tell a story."

Shang-Long5823d ago (Edited 5823d ago )

wonder how long ppl will keep calling it natal.
I liked that name better, tho and the rumor the wave.

KINGKON515823d ago

"technology-free event" I wonder why?

-Alpha5823d ago (Edited 5823d ago )

"There is absolutely no sacrifice at all for our core games experience. In fact, hands down, we have a better core games lineup at E3 this year than we've ever had before. Same for Live – a lot of great Live innovation that we'll be sharing as well."

Well that damn well better be true. I'm massively disappointed with Kinect and from what I'm hearing they pretty much showed all they are going to show for it and broadcast that Tuesday. I was expecting so much more, and this has made me incredibly skeptical towards Kinect, much more than I originally was.

It seems that for the hardcore the focus will be on LIVE improvements and the games. I am especially expecting major improvements for LIVE and generally a lot more content. I would also like to see a restructuring of the service. Come on MS, cut LIVE fees in half.

negrito2115823d ago

when he said there focusing on blockbusters...a blockbuster is a sequel bottom line M$ cant produce games like sony does cause of the lack of studios. in a way they can but in general how many games come out for all the systems that are junk???!! M$ bites to much are with xbox your always "fragging"

SOAD5823d ago

What does your last sentence say?

Imperator5823d ago

I want some TRUE exclusives, some new IPs. Something that will make having a 360 and possibly buying a redesigned 360 worthwhile. At this point, Kinect has been a major disappointment in my eyes. I won't dismiss it yet, but I am doubtful. Hopefully, MS will prove us wrong.

SOAD5823d ago

If you don't have a 360 and you're not interested in the current offerings such as Halo or Gears or Crackdown then I doubt you're going to be interested in what they'll have to offer next. Microsoft caters to a particular demographic.

Whenever Microsoft tries to appeal to a wider demographic the sales fall short and they get criticized for stepping outside of the boundaries of their demographic. For example, Microsoft has done a lot to try and garner a strong userbase in Japan. MS has secured many JRPGs and launched a major marketing campaign in that nation, but regardless sales have been poor. The Japanese just aren't interested in their machine. Maybe it's the stigma surrounding hardware reliability, maybe it's because it's an American product. Regardless, MS has been supporting Japan for quite some time.

But ultimately, Microsoft's Xbox console is still being labeled a shooter box even though it has a diverse library of games. People would rather pigeon hole it into a category and ignore Microsoft's efforts to appeal to a larger audience.

So, if you don't like the Xbox 360 now and are not interested in its Blockbuster titles, then stop coming into 360 only threads and saying shit like, "Well, it's Microsoft's last chance to show me something impressive, otherwise I won't buy a 360."

DaCajun5823d ago

@^^^ if you read closely he says "make HAVING a 360 and possibly buy a redesigned 360 worthwhile." For the language challenged it means he owns a 360 and he what's more exclusive and new games to make having the current system he has worth owning and make maybe buying the rumored redesigned one worth it also.

SOAD5823d ago

"If you don't have a 360...."

@da cajun

If *you* read my post closely you would see that I said "if" and that I am not specifically speaking to Imperator.

crapgamer5823d ago (Edited 5823d ago )

They said they had 20-25 games to show for it. We have seen like 6. I am 100% certain we are going to see more, including at least some hardcore games.

I am excited that they have a lot of games to show, even if the slim and name of Natal got leaked.

*Edit* The name Kinect wasn't supposed to be let out today and certainly not the slim 360. Those are leaks. They showed off a few games for the casual market, which is the core for this item to be honest. Seems like it was a good show with a general positive flow. It was the 2nd most tweeted thing on Twitter, which was good at getting the word out, it means people are in fact interested in it.

I am sure we will see some of the hardcore stuff tomorrow, I mean we know Fable 3, Ghost Recon will work with it, so it's the surprises that keep me interested.

Sitris5823d ago

I'm pretty sure they have had a confrence in front of a crowd, or did i miss something?

And the thing they air on tuesday is a pre-recorded show, probably the one that happened today. Or at least thats what i beleive it is, monday may reveal some actual games, not crap like what they have now. With pretty much all games having kinect in the title, just as bad as Move Party. Casual crap *full stop*

Imperator5823d ago

Well, MS intended to keep everything secret. That's why today's conference was very closed. The redesign and the Kinect were probably going to be the highlights of tomorrow's conference. It got leaked.

Sitris5823d ago (Edited 5823d ago )

The redesign was leaked link please haha tried googling just got a bunch of crap, link would be awesome thanks in advance!

Edit: Nvrmind found it, and i stand corrected crap gamer thankyou.

IdleLeeSiuLung5823d ago

You sound really disappointed and frankly I didn't expect too many hardcore games to begin with. With that said, wait until tomorrow for MS E3 conference. After all Greenberg said:

"So I'd really think of Sunday night as an entertainment experience. It's massive in scale. It's a one-of-a-kind Cirque experience that you've never seen before and you'll never see again."

It sounds more like the Natal Experience as just that an experience, and not intended to announce anything. He further says that the experience is completely in control of those Cirque people:

"We've really left this in their full creative control, but it's about unveiling the name and the experiences with the world for the first time ever, in a very entertaining way. It's an interactive event, you may have heard that we're calling it a "technology-free event." So from that standpoint, there's no photos, no video, no liveblogging, all that kind of stuff. Just like if you went to a normal Cirque show. But in this case what's different is that they've spent a lot of time with Natal and the experiences, the technology, and that truly guided their creativity about how they're bringing this to life in a new way.

So it's interactive; the audience participates in the show. And it's really a story about a journey; there's actually a hero boy that goes on a journey. It's hard to describe it with words, but the best way I would describe it is that it's about going back to a moment in time, really before technology existed. And that's the magic of Natal: Instead of us learning to use the technology, the technology adapts to us and kind of disappears. The story and the journey, and how this is brought to life in a really entertaining way, is unique and one-of-a-kind."

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 5823d ago
negrito2115823d ago (Edited 5823d ago )

this fat clucker avoids almost all of the questions.he sounds and talks like a programed robot.but from the interview you can tell the new designed xbox is coming thou and hulu also.when arron denys a rumor and/or jokes about it then that means...yes its coming

Hallmark Moment5823d ago ShowReplies(1)
gta28005823d ago

He can't really answer any of the questions. Most questions that were asked had confidential answers that will be revealed at E3. I liked that the Natal rave video made him laugh tho. Even they're laughing at their own shit.

niceguywii605823d ago (Edited 5823d ago )

"There is absolutely no sacrifice at all for our core games experience. In fact, hands down, we have a better core games lineup at E3 this year than we've ever had before. Same for Live – a lot of great Live innovation that we'll be sharing as well. And then the Natal stuff."

Big day tomorrow.

captain-obvious5823d ago

hopefully MS wont do the same
but if it did work out well for them
then yes MS will follow Nintendo and the casual crowd

thebudgetgamer5823d ago (Edited 5823d ago )

i honestly think microsoft will throw the core gamer aside for some of that wii money.

imo

dizzleK5823d ago

i think he took his response to interviews from these guys-

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

Show all comments (33)
20°

Joy Ride Turbo - The Beginning of the End for Xbox Kinect

Joy Ride Turbo launched 10 years ago today. The first title was Xbox Kinect exclusive, yet this sequel failed to support the device at all.

300°

10 of the Biggest Video Game Hardware Failures Ever

Cultured Vultures: "Sadly, not all hardware is created equal, and no matter how much developers might try, some gaming hardware just fails to hit the mark. We’ve compiled a list of 10 gaming hardware fails, and boy did some fail hard."

Read Full Story >>
culturedvultures.com
Knightofelemia1583d ago

I would label the Power Glove, Kinect, and that Tony Hawk skateboard more as hardware addons hardware failure would be like the Virtual Boy and one day Stadia.

Magog1583d ago

Kinect was bundled with every Xbox One and inflated the price on an already underpowered and low RAM machine so for the One it wasn't an accessory as much as a white elephant.

CaptainHenry9161583d ago (Edited 1583d ago )

Definitely the RROD but that power glove had a lot of issues as well. The Kinect just didn't work

1583d ago
CrimsonWing691583d ago

Hardware add-ons are more like RAM or a video card, basically components that enhance capabilities or performance of the computer.

If you really want to get technical the Kinect is more of a peripheral device, kind of like a keyboard or mouse to a computer.

ThatsGaming1583d ago

The person in this article obviously is not up on their gaming history....

Sega Saturn, Sega Dreamcast, Coleco Gemini, Commodore 128, Commodore Amiga, Atari 5200, Atari 7800 were all massive failures and in most cases cost their companies participating in future gaming generations.

Gamer791583d ago

Sega saturn (successful in Japan) and dreamcast were not failures.
Seems like you're not up on you're gaming history

septemberindecember1582d ago

@Gamer79

How in the world are the Sega Saturn and Dreamcast not seen as failures? They both sold around 8M each, which is much lower than the ~30M that the Genesis had sold before it, and even the Master System before that. They were both the worst selling consoles in their respective generation (PS1, N64 outsold Saturn, PS2, GC, and Xbox outsold Dreamcast). Both of the consoles were incredibly short lived. The Saturn was discontinued in every territory but Japan after just three years. In Japan the console was discontinued after six years. Meanwhile the Dreamcast was discontinued worldwide in 2001 after launching in most territories in 1999 and in Japan in 1998. The failure of the Saturn and Dreamcast lead to Sega pulling out of the hardware market. Which, by the way, all of this occurred when Sega was massively dropping the price of their consoles quickly to compete. Sega was hemorrhaging money at this point.

None of this indicates a successful console. Saying the Saturn was a success because it did better in Japan is like saying the Vita is a success (they both sold around the same amount of units in Japan). Even the Wii U outsold these consoles worldwide.

Magog1583d ago

The picture should be the 360 RROD. When I think of gaming hardware failures that's what springs to mind. Kinect and it's bundled price tag definitely hobbled the already underpowered Xbox One though for sure so I would give it a close second place.

porkChop1583d ago (Edited 1583d ago )

That's not what the author means by failures. It's about hardware that failed in terms of sales (Wii U) or just failed to deliver on its promise (Kinect).

Magog1583d ago (Edited 1583d ago )

Given that the 360 had a year head start, much easier hardware to develop for, was cheaper, and still ended up in third place I think it qualifies especially when you factor in the frustration and huge losses incurred by RROD.

porkChop1583d ago

Selling over 80 million consoles isn't a sales flop. We get it, you don't like Xbox, but that doesn't mean the 360 is suddenly a failure.

Rhythmattic1582d ago

Porky....
You know how many people I know bought a 2nd or third 360 due to RROD? Even when MS had to confront the issue with replacement systems, my mates couldn't wait for even the turnaround of sending it in, and waiting for a replacement.,,..,..
If that's how you consider it a win... OK.. but so is having 5 , of which 3 don't function.... Its a win win....mwhahahahaha

porkChop1582d ago

"my mates couldn't wait for even the turnaround of sending it in"

You're acting like it would take months. When I sent my 360 in I got a new one literally 5 days later. As soon as MS had tracking confirmation that you sent yours, they'd send a new one to you the same day. No one is going to spend hundreds to buy a new console instead of waiting a week. I swear you guys pull some of the dumbest shit out of nowhere and think people will actually believe it.

Regardless, none of this changes the fact that this isn't what the article is even about.

Rhythmattic1581d ago (Edited 1581d ago )

Porky
"You're acting like it would take months"
Sometimes it could.. FFS.. 'Strya here...
Best turnaround I reckon was 2-3 weeks.....
Either way, My mates experiences still exist.. So Sorry, no point trying to earn Xbox Achievements when it doesn't feature in what was a situation you never dealt with,,,,
3 of my friends would disagree (overall, 10 extra Xboxes purchased)
Regardless.. MS sold a lot of 360's that was due to this reason.. That is sales. Fact

"none of this changes the fact that this isn't what the article is even about."
Headline says HELLO !
Oh and "Sadly, not all hardware is created equal," that's enough to pass this on without taking your article bias into consideration.....
As for the rest.... Ok.. But you've actually gone out of your way to give MS a Pass... Fap on.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 1581d ago
Aloymetal1583d ago (Edited 1583d ago )

Yup, and because of that big fiasco MS had to fork out 1 billion but knowing them I think they're very proud of the 360, it's the only time a MS console reached 80mil+ sales, RROD played a big part of that and a record they will never break again.

Rhythmattic1582d ago (Edited 1582d ago )

So true.. Even when MS accepted they where caught out in the biggest lie of any generation, The wait for a replacement was outweighed by just buying another, and having one be returned as a backup, which, btw, generally failed on first swap.
I own honestly can't believe MS tards are just supporting , or arguing why and what MS did by just dismissing it....

lonewolf101583d ago

Lol I had the Atari Jaguar, surprised its "competition" the 3DO isn't on the list too, both as "popular" as each other.

SullysCigar1583d ago

Lol same. Played the crap out of Aliens Vs Predator and Tempest 2000 .... aaand that's about it really!!

lonewolf101583d ago

Sad but true that was pretty much it.

Kurt Russell1583d ago

Agreed, I never actually saw a 3DO make it to retailers in the UK. At least the Atari Jaguar was sold for around 6 months.

lonewolf101583d ago

It made it to some my brother got one, fared just as well as the Jaguar so most probably hard to find in general.

darthv721583d ago

3do had way better games. Jaguar not so much. Neo Geo sold less than both and yet isnt considered a failure. Go figure.

LWOGaming1583d ago

Stadia is a weird one. It hasn’t sold at all well but in terms of how it works it’s still miles ahead of Xcloud in terms of stability and performance. Xcloud is still a way behind and that needs sorting but it will be in time. Stadia for me is one of those things that will go down as a what could have been moments. With better marketing it could have been a roaring success. I still play it and it remains the best place in my opinion to play CyberPunk 2077. Only platform I have played it on without having any issues at all. The tech is great. The concept is fine. Marketing terrible. Shame really.

Magog1583d ago

The sales model was awful. They should have teamed with an existing player to allow for local and cloud access to games or a gaming subscription service.

LWOGaming1583d ago

It was a strange mess from such a huge company, as I said, as a system it works really well but without gamers it’s nothing. Such a waste,

LWOGaming1583d ago

The Xbox One was Microsoft’s Nintendo Wii U. Undercooked, undersold and just an unholy mess. The thing is with any of these failures is to learn from them and thankfully both Nintendo and Xbox did just that to the benefit of gamers everywhere.

Show all comments (39)
120°

Pivotal Decisions in Gaming History - Xbox Goes All-In on Kinect

Xbox 360's Kinect had flopped yet Microsoft insisted on mandatory Kinect for Xbox One, driving the price up and alienating their potential customers.

Read Full Story >>
techstomper.com
darthv721760d ago

the tech was pretty damn good but their focus on making it the centerpiece was not. Had they opted to keep it as a secondary or even tertiary device, it may have found new use for AR/VR.

PrimeVinister1760d ago

Maybe. But they were two early for VR and too late for motion control

1760d ago Replies(2)
Godmars2901760d ago

Their focus was marketing metrics. Information gathering for targeted advertising. Also "event curating" or head counting for special TV events. If MS had had their way with always online and mandatory Kinect pre COVID, as and during it they'd likely be turning into dominant presence in many Western homes. Be getting subsidized by Disney and other streamers as well as the NFL.

Thing was, Kinect as an actual game system, its games, just weren't ready. MS moved on it too soon. Thankfully.

Atticus_finch1760d ago

Sorry but it was incredibly bad for gaming. The thing barely worked as intended and the games were broken shovelware. And let's not forget all the lies from Xbox to try and sell it. What happened to Milo?
It's like Xbox it's a perpetual lying machine.

PrimeVinister1760d ago

I had almost forgotten about Milo. It looks so unbelievable in retrospect. How did anyone believe it?!

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 1759d ago
TheEnigma3131760d ago

Kinect requirement, TV focused, DRM, and $100 buried Xbone before it even stared.

PrimeVinister1760d ago (Edited 1760d ago )

I think Kinect was the worst of the bunch. They reversed DRM overnight and try to play down the TV stuff when they realised it made them look disinterested in gaming.

Kinect stuck around for six months, preventing sales and making more and more people upset when they dropped the Kinect and the price.

Atticus_finch1760d ago

Don't forget the inferior hardware which affects their game development to this day.
And the constant boasting and lying that hasn't change very much to this day.

kayoss1760d ago

I was kind of excited for the kinect. It had potential. That was until i tried it at one of their Microsoft store. The thing was so laggy and worker who was there, had no clue what he was doing. It kind of made rethink about buying an Xbox One with Kinect.

PrimeVinister1760d ago

I had already been turned off of the idea by Kinect for 360. Even when it worked, the games were bad and showed no potential.

Wii made you understand what they were going to do with it within about 10 seconds of Wii Sports. It went on to become a bit of a joke but at least it worked and had a purpose.

Thundercat771760d ago

The damage to the Xbox brand was so hard that til this day they are just the last place brand in the market.

PrimeVinister1760d ago

Totally. They haven't been really all that relevant since.

Godmars2901759d ago

That has to do with repeatedly failing, having to reaffirm only to again fail at creating a competent flow of decent games.

@PrimeVinister:
Until Game Pass and BC are mentioned. Only for the point to be missed.

kayoss1759d ago

thats because they dont know what they want to be. A gaming console, Television, or a gaming service?

Godmars2901759d ago

@kayoss:
They wanted, expected, to be Steam. To have everyone coming to them and paying for the privilege. That's the exact mentality on display when they tried to push always online.

brewin1759d ago

Its sad because the Xbox one version of Kinect was actually pretty solid. Not for motion games, I couldnt care less about those, but for the other features that are now commonplace in the gaming ecosystem. Things like voice control and optional motion features in games. Stuff that Sony did with the PS camera was pretty sweet and they could have done some of that stuff with Kinect.

The tech was pretty sweet when implemented right though. Who remembers the implementation in Dead Rising 3?! You could lure zombies away by saying stuff into the kinect, it was a bit hokey at first, but it actually enhanced the game significantly once you learned all the different voice commands. There was and still is nothing else like that!

The focus on TV seemed to be an issue for people, but the TV pass through had some real potential. They could have had cable companies giving the XBone out instead of cable boxes! I understood what they were trying to do, but they needed to show the games too, and thats where they lost the core gamers. Being able to jump right to a sports event or TV show with out leaving the console was actually a pretty cool thing. I spent many nights switching between NHL games or TV shows and jumping right back into my games seamlessly, just by telling Kinect to do so. It was better than people care to admit, but I loved it!

People say XBone had no games, but on launch I got Dead Rising 3, AC Black Flag, Watch Dogs, Killer Instinct, Battlefield 4, Forza 5, and Ryse. That was actually a pretty solid lineup in hindsight! Then later on it got gems like Quantum Break, Dead Rising 4, Sunset Overdrive, Gears 4 and 5, the Ori games, Rare Replay, Forza Horizon 3/4, State of Decay 2, ReCore (SUPER UNDERRATED GEM), Halo 5, Halo Wars 2, and all the great 3rd party stuff as well! I dare anyone who sat on the Xbox One to go back and give it a shot now.

It was actually a pretty great console all things considered. Yes the PS4 had better 1st party stuff, stuff that MS just couldnt top or even compete with, but there are some really great games that a lot of people missed out on that they would probably really enjoy if they actually played them. Thats why I recommend a Series S and Gamepass to a lot of people, as its a great way to get an awesome lineup pf games for super cheap!

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