I was perfectly content to let my previous thoughts on the Kinect stand on their own, and move on to more positive pastures; however, Kotaku had to go and push the issue, and they dug up some very interesting information.
Turns out, you can’t play the Kinect while sitting.
Now, that may not strike you as a huge concern, given the fact that the whole point of the device is to get you moving. And, as a father of a son who loves his literal down-time, I should be very excited for this; howeer, I’m not. Hearkening back to my original thoughts on the Kinect, it’s not the technology I’m denouncing, its the company’s hands in which it rests.
Now, add into it this new piece of information from Kotaku:
Officially, Microsoft says that the sitting question is unfounded. In a mock Q&A that had appeared on the company’s press site but has since been removed, they field this question themselves:
Q: Are there any games or experiences I can do while sitting on the couch?
A: Absolutely. The games and experiences are designed to be as fun to watch as they are to play-they’re designed to get you off the couch. And when you want to enjoy movies, music, and ESPN on Xbox 360, you can control your entertainment hands free from the comfort of your couch.
Notice how Microsoft says that there are games and “experiences” that are designed to get you off of the couch. This is misleading, as they then list what you can do while sitting: Watch movies, listen to music, watch ESPN, and control the Kinect menu.
AWESOME! I really can’t wait to do all these new things with the Kinect that I was never able to do before, like sitting and watching a movie…at the same time!
If Microsoft thinks forcing players to stand while playing is not going to be an issue, then they severely dropped the ball in R&D; because, there are countless complaints from gamers about having to move their hand to use a sword or turn a wheel with the Nintendo Wii.
Will I buy a Kinect? Probably, just because I’m always looking for that new tech. toy to enjoy with my son. Do I believe in this particular product’s future? No, not really.
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Filed under: e3, Uncategorized, videogames Tagged: | 360, e3, kinect, microsoft, nintendo, sony
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