MS confirms voice control for Kinect

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 24 August, 2010

Update: After reports suggested otherwise.

UPDATE: Microsoft has confirmed that Kinect WILL launch with voice control.

In a statement given to Eurogamer Microsoft said: "Voice control is an exciting part of the Kinect for Xbox 360 controller-free experience and we can confirm that it will be available at launch in November 2010.

"Only on Xbox 360 will you be able to navigate the Kinect Hub using your voice to control your movies, TV shows and music. We do not have additional details to share about local voice availability at this time."

The confusion appears to revolve around the use of non-English languages with Kinect.

ORIGINAL STORY: When Microsoft's motion-sensing add-on Kinect launches this November it will not allow gamers to interact with their Xboxes using their voices as promised.

Voice chat software Video Kinect, premiered during Microsoft's E3 2010 press conference in June, also misses the cut, MCV reports.

Instead the feature will be integrated after Kinect's released.

Marketing manager for Xbox Live EMEA Robin Burrowes said: "We will be announcing when voice control will be turned on in due course."

The move is likely to disappoint many who have pre-ordered the £130 Xbox 360 motion sensor.

We were looking forward to telling our Xboxes to turn off and on and play movies, as Microsoft demonstrated at E3 2010 in June, when Kinect launches in the UK on 10th November.

Last week Microsoft's vice president of interactive entertainment Chris Lewis told Eurogamer core gamers will "love that they can jump into a game like Joy Ride, which should really appeal to the hardcore community".

Well, at least there's Kinectimals.

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (115) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • JimWest #1 1 year ago

    Broken promises before launch. Never a good sign.

  • riceNpea #2 1 year ago

    it gets better and better..


    next week they admit it can't recognise your movement due to artificial cataracts

  • DavidBoring #3 1 year ago

    the best thing that could happen for kinect is that it develops like the ps3. a slow start with many features missing, but constantly getting better.

  • AphoticCosmos #4 1 year ago

    *facepalm*

    I was actually still interested in Kinect just for the voice control thing, which was pretty winzor.

    Do they want this thing to fail? Is this Microsoft aping Casino Royale where Ballmer has a few billion riding on Microsoft stock collapsing after the utter failure of Kinect? I want it to succeed, it seems Microsoft does not.

  • midnight_walker #5 1 year ago

    Is this a joke? I thought this was a major feature of the Microsoft 32X.

  • hardtech #6 1 year ago

    The one feature I was interested in.....if the price tag didn't like ludicrious already this just makes it more so

  • metallicorphan #7 1 year ago

    i am sure it will be included by the time i get it..in a few years

  • Arwin #8 1 year ago

    It's becoming easier and easier to just stick with playing around with Move this year and post-pone even glancing at Kinect until late next year. If the biggest part of Kinect tech is software, then Kinect isn't ready yet.

  • insincere_dave #9 1 year ago

    Initiating Windows voice control...

    *open Firefox*
    *load bookmark [link url=http://www.play.com*
    ]http://www.play.com*
    [/link]
    *select "my account"*
    *select "kinect" order*
    *cancel order*

  • Eraysor #10 1 year ago

    Kinect is looking to be a brilliant product (El Sarcasmo strikes again)

  • Markitron #11 1 year ago

    FFS, what are they gonna take away from it next? My bet is they will announce it wont recognise people that are not white, athletic and part of an upper class american family

  • LetsGo #12 1 year ago

    Was anything not 'faked' during that E3 conf.?

  • reelbigkris #13 1 year ago

    What games are comign out for the kinnect this year? I've yet to find any reason to justify kinnect as a purchase. I'm interested in the sony move (ridiculously interested) so might pick that up with a copy of "the fight". Bbut what is coming out for kinnect to get me interested?

  • 32768Colours #14 1 year ago

    At this rate the only thing Kinect will be able do on 10th November is "Kinect" to the 360.
    Edited by 1 at 24/08/10 @ 13:04

  • Vanmunt #15 1 year ago

    hate to kick something when its down, but... what a load of shit. With move winning the best new gadget at gamescon, looks like MS may have backed the wrong horse again. Kinect may be brilliant in the future, just not as it is.

  • BAM! #16 1 year ago

    Kinept

  • Markitron #17 1 year ago

    Also, since its not working yet does that mean the E3 voice/chat presentations were all lies? If it worked then, why not 6 months later?

  • TopKatt #18 1 year ago

    Kin ell.

  • riceNpea #19 1 year ago

    how difficult was it to incorporate? judging by my XBox experience online, MS need only install a handful of racist and homophobic phrases into the software.

  • iamian #20 1 year ago

    core gamers will "love that they can jump into a game like Joy Ride, which should really appeal to the hardcore community"

    Got my number...

  • NotSoSlim #21 1 year ago

    All kinds of fail to be honest. So it is basically an eyetoy? All for £130!!! MS have rushed this as soon as they heard the Move release date imo, have they not learned that rushing products is not always the best solution

  • midnight_walker #22 1 year ago

    "Was anything not 'faked' during that E3 conf.?"

    The collective sighs and feeling of intense disappointment of every gamer across the world?

  • menage #23 1 year ago

    I'm not going near this thing. I really like what MS did with the 360, but this just reeks of failure.

  • woodnotes #24 1 year ago

    Launch it when it's ready, Microsoft.

    Remember what happened last time?

  • Dolly #25 1 year ago

    Shut up Sony Fanbois, this is da smoothest & best LAunChed product EVERZDD!!!

  • Lee_Morris #26 1 year ago

    The most promising part of the whole thing and they haven't got it there for launch.

    I'm starting to see alot of similarities to the PS3 launch but it's not a console and won't be allowed 3 years to find it's feet.

    I bet the shareholders love the entertainment division at MS. The divisions starts posting profits and they crap this paperweight out. MS shouldn't have put most of their eggs in this basket.

  • makeamazing #27 1 year ago

    Scary thing is in the USA its just had a massive pre-order boost, and this far out, looks like it could have a massive launch day. So i dont think on the whole that these issues are going to dent it.

  • Embar #28 1 year ago

    Who are these perfect families that get together and hug over console games? Show me the stressed out single mum buying a kinect out of emotional guilt to get her brats to shut up and give her 10 minutes of peace, only then for them to erupt into an all out brawl over who's room it gets to go in. Then I'll look at your product.

  • enfilade #29 1 year ago

    Jesus Christ. These Kinect trailers make the Wii Commercials look like episodes of The Sopranos. The PS3 adverts blow this twee shit out of the water.

  • darleysam #30 1 year ago

    Wait, so the people supposedly cancelling their orders were getting it because of the voice-control thing? Which previously was being treated as a cursory feature? And will be patched in anyway?

    I'm not sure everyone's being completely honest here.

  • rotmm #31 1 year ago

    Why release it at all if it can't do the "basics" promised.

    Surely this will only mean bad press for the device, and kill off any slim chance it actually had of being a success?

    Stupid.

  • r4z0rbl4d3 #32 1 year ago

    So now it's too expensive AND lacks even more features than before? Wow... Instant fail.

  • Caimbeul #33 1 year ago

    Kinect just keeps becoming less and less...

  • porkface Verified Features Editor, Eurogamer Network #34 1 year ago

    Hmm, seeing as Kinectimals, a launch game, is built around Kinect voice features I think this quote may be a little misleading. Interested to see MS's official response.

  • Hog-lumps #35 1 year ago

    I assume the voice action will be 'turned on' via a download able patch?

    If so, what if you haven't got an internet connection? You're stuck without that functionality?

  • Trigga_Tybalt #36 1 year ago

    kinect. it only does nothing.

  • jag10 #37 1 year ago

    So the usual, create a basic product but create the illusion that it's something amazing.

  • icematt12 #38 1 year ago

    The only time I was interested in Kinect was immediately after E3. Then I got thinking, saw people using it and had Microsoft giving facts in statements to really bring my interest downhill. I was going to wait for a price drop and (what I predict) a future model anyway.

  • drxym #39 1 year ago

    Microsoft - "I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further."

  • slippysloppy #40 1 year ago

    Wow this looks amazing!!!
    ...for Americans with huge homes, everyone else FAIL!

  • citizenHUNTER #41 1 year ago

    £130 for something which at the moment has very little in the way of real games with real value, up against something moderately priced (effectively a tenner more for the whole shebang needed than buying a second controller would cost), something which has very demonstrable, effective gaming uses which will really offer up new ways to play, and with precision.


    I loved Kinect when they first announced it but frankly, they keep lowering the bar they originally set, while Move, as much as it is just a WiiPlusPlus, actually works and is brilliantly implemented at a reasonable (very reasonable) cost.

    I see a future for Kinect but it seems the 360 version is pretty much a test-bed for the real successor to Kinect coming to a Xbox 720 sometime in the next 3-4 years.

  • Grievous1976 #42 1 year ago

    What a laugh, what with this and Fable 3 losing its promised features like the online weapon auction system and no Kinect Support my interest in Microsoft as a whole has waned 100%.

  • Retro_ #43 1 year ago

    Edge Magazine have a huge Kinect feature this month, however, Edge themselves don't take part, it's clearly a huge PR spin by MS as it's all the devs talking. Hidden elsewhere in the magazine, Edge mention that Sony have sent them a MOVE and that they are deeply impressed with it, this is whilst almost appologising for Kinect having centre stage this month. Made me laugh!

    Seriously though, every day, MOVE comes across as being a seriously decent (and working) piece of hardware whilst Kinnect has ever more smilie PR bods biggin up their product. I guess that'll fool a lot of folk.
    Edited by 1 at 24/08/10 @ 13:28

  • Widge #44 1 year ago

    Or motion control.

  • midnight_walker #45 1 year ago

    So this means that when we say "Fuck off and die in a fire skittles", or "Why don't you introduce yourself to that poacher skittles", he'll just sit there, blissfully unaware of my instructions?

    This makes me a sad panda :(

  • PhoenixMDK #46 1 year ago

    @darleysam While it may be blown slightly out of proportion, I fully believe people would cancel pre-orders over this. Admittedly I *don't* have Kinect pre-ordered, because none of the launch titles interest me, but the voice control was main reason I was considering it. I imagine many of the core gamers considering early adoption may now choose to wait until some games designed for them are actually released.

  • Antaios #47 1 year ago

    Next announcement: no Kinect at all at launch.

  • Widge #48 1 year ago

    This is just a blantant ploy for PR spin so Microsoft can say “look how we add features post launch unlike Sony”

  • spenner #49 1 year ago

    No, but I will still be able to walk into a shop and tell it to "get to fuck"

  • TopKatt #50 1 year ago

    I think MS should abandon Kinect and bring back that Project Natal thing they announced at E3 2009, that sounded much better!

  • Gambit1977 #51 1 year ago

    Oh dear...
    A generation too early. They should have developed this as a console in itself, waitin for the next 'cycle', and being ready.

  • LondonSquare82 #52 1 year ago

    So can someone recap for me what Kinect DOES still do out of the box?

  • Dolly #53 1 year ago

    "So can someone recap for me what Kinect DOES still do out of the box?"

    Are you sure we're even still getting a box?!?

  • Xboxfanuk #54 1 year ago

    wow...red dead kinect

  • BlinxHDD #55 1 year ago

    "So can someone recap for me what Kinect DOES still do out of the box?"

    Track your whole body! But no part of it very well.

  • mcwildcard #56 1 year ago

    This stinks of 'OMFGwehavetogetthisoutquicklybeforeeveryonebuysintoMove!!' syndrome.

  • carrotcake #57 1 year ago

    yeah I'm sure that joy ride is gonna be big with the hardcore. whose idea was it to make that a kinect game with invisible steering wheel. surely less accurate and more tiring than steering with a controller. if we are gonna be using invisible things I would rather they make an air guitar game.

  • 32768Colours #58 1 year ago

    Whilst I like the fact that web-enabled products can be upgraded easily over time, imrpoving the interface, features and stability it's scenarios like this that strike me as an abuse of the privilege such products possess.

    Improvements and refinements to a completed product are one thing (a good thing usually), but this is different. This is a blatantly unfinished product being rushed to market in time for Christmas.

    Yes these features will be included eventually but noone who was looking forward to voice control thought "Oh, that'll make a sweet patch for my Kinect when it comes!". Everyone fairly assumed it was an out-of-the-box feature. The promise of firmware updates at some unknown point in the future is simply not enough to add value to an unproven product that was already looking overly expensive.

  • BlinxHDD #59 1 year ago

    And Joy Ride looks cack.

  • randompanda #60 1 year ago

    This place is gonna be great fun when Kinect actually launches

  • mcwildcard #61 1 year ago

    I heard that Kinect boxes will only contain an 'IOU 1 Kinect' voucher, wrapped round a brick.

  • Negotiator #62 1 year ago

    This is a huge problem, and was a big selling point. I have been looking forward to Kinect for a long time but this has angered me, to point where I won't be buying one in november. On a side note, people saying they will get move instead because of this feature being missing is pretty stupid if you ask me. Move and Kinect both look at the moment like we should wait and see, I am very disappointed.

  • DazzeL190 #63 1 year ago

    I completely get people's scepticism and disappointment with Kinect. I share most of it but will try before I consider buying at launch. I am a least curious about this. Move, not so much as I've seen it all before on Wii.

    I bet Kinect out sells Move by a good margin. It's not aimed at us but casuals and they might buy because it's new and different. People with Wii's won't upgrade to Move as it's too similar. I can't see it selling amazingly to the core either - I guarantee after a few months the early adopters will say "it's quite good but I think I prefer a controller".

    Will be interesting to spectate anyway.

  • layleeloo #64 1 year ago

    Hahahaha classic. A feature we have promoted beyond belief we will give you at some point, but we don't know when. Yeh, cracking marketing guys

  • drxym #65 1 year ago

    @PhoenixMDK the reason I think it will lead to cancellations is not because people absolutely wanted microphone support but because its a clear sign that the software isn't ready yet. Either it isn't optimized sufficiently to cope with processing voice and movement at the same time, or it's too inaccurate and doesn't work properly.

    I'm sure they'll get it working eventually but its a bad sign and enough to spook people out of being early adopters.

    It's also worth comparing and contrasting the BS demonstrations like Milo to what the end product is. Milo implied voice recognition amongst other things. I guess Milo will have to lip read if he wants to hear you. I wonder what this means for Kinectimals.
    Edited by 1 at 24/08/10 @ 14:00

  • midnight_walker #66 1 year ago

    Patches are all well and good, but what if your console isn't connected to the web? Perhaps like the idealistic middle class white family, who isn't necesarrily too dumb to figure it out, but who just don't really give that much of a hoot about their console being online?

    Shipping unfinished products with the expectation to patch in previously-promised features after launch is such a huge no I don't even know where to start.

    Oh, and Kinect is shit.

  • Cappy #67 1 year ago

    /Lando

    This deal is getting worse all the time!

  • Skandalle #68 1 year ago

    This wont end well...

  • drumbaby #69 1 year ago

    But just think of all the amazing stuff it CAN do at launch...like...like...um, like....eeerrrrrrrrrrrrrr

  • kinky_mong #70 1 year ago

    Excellent news! This should see Kinect crash and burn even more quickly, so Microsoft can get back to making proper games for their existing market rather than trying to poach customers from the Wii's dwindling userbase.

  • layleeloo #71 1 year ago

    @dazzel190

    Incorrect. I have 360, wii and PS3 and I am most certainly getting move as well as my wii. Purely because it's more refined. FPS are better with a wii like control method as it's closer to a moiuse so Socom will be infinitely better with move than a controller so people with a wii do see value in move. Its like saying anyone who has DVD won't get blue Ray. Course they will, it's a higher def which is basically what move is to wii.

    As for Kinect, I'm not convinced. Sure kinect is a high def eye toy but I'm just not convinced by it. When I tried it at Alton towers it failed to impress me purely because it is casual only and I don't see the value considering most 360 owners are hardcore, not family. All be it with the exception of buzz games and the like. With move you can still use it for the hardcore games and it can enhance them, where as you can't do hardcore games on kinect. Look at the trailers of a guy playing a quake style shoot Em up. Auto running and he just jolts his arm back like a gun to fire? Its horrendous.

    The kinect technology does intrigue me and maybe I'll invest at some point pending what they do with the games and the price, but I can't say it will outsell move as move appeals to casual and some hardcore, where kinect is purely casual on a hardcore machine. Time will tell I guess.
    Edited by 1 at 24/08/10 @ 14:08

  • andywilkie35 #72 1 year ago

    Shit product just got shitter! Enjoy your body waggle chumps!

  • menage #73 1 year ago

    Denied by MS now.

  • darleysam #74 1 year ago

    What people are reading from this is that voice-recognition doesn't work, has never worked, and has been faked from the start. Which is absurd, considering the number of times it's been documented as absolutely working, by numerous sources ranging from the skeptical to the enthusiastic. What's likely is that it works, but they've discovered some glitches or potential flaws that need some code to fix up. It's not a scam, it's not a crushing failure of the hardware, it'll be some tweaking. Considering how it's meant to work (learning the audio-profile of the room to cancel out background noise and better detect and identify voices), I can easily believe that there's some undiscovered stumbling blocks in there.

  • Dolly #75 1 year ago

    Whahharghghhwwkinectwaggahwhhehawhshite

    "Boy, you said it Chewie!"

  • darleysam #76 1 year ago

    Oh hey, there was no story after all. Everybody pre-ordering again, then?

  • Jay-ITFC #77 1 year ago

    Chris Lewis told Eurogamer core gamers will "love that they can jump into a game like Joy Ride, which should really appeal to the hardcore community".

    Oh yeah, I can't wait to drop 40 quid on that game that was gonna be free.

  • Goodfella #78 1 year ago

    Dis-Kinect.

  • lucifon #79 1 year ago

    Updated - voice control is in at launch. Fail report

  • MiniAmin #80 1 year ago

    Oh, there's an update now.

    Makes a nice change from the usual "We do not comment on rumour and speculation"

    Kinect will still fail though, mwa ha ha ha!

  • Ignatius_Cheese #81 1 year ago

    SDF back to amber alert.

    Stand down the Movefighters but keep your eyes on the horizon.

  • des #82 1 year ago

    Nice,more Kinect advertising.

  • brseg #83 1 year ago

    Big cock-up from some reporters here. Someone must've badly misinterpreted this 'quote' :

    Marketing manager for Xbox Live EMEA Robin Burrowes said: "We will be announcing when voice control will be turned on in due course."

  • TopKatt #84 1 year ago

    Phew, so voice control WILL be included it launch. Now it's TOTALLY worth £130.

  • NotSoSlim #85 1 year ago

    MS have failed on do many levels with the PR of kinect. Good thing for them is they will market this so much people won't even care

  • Goodfella #86 1 year ago

    Well that has ruined all the fun, boooo!

  • Toothball #87 1 year ago

    Nice turnaround. Quickest one I've seen for a while.

  • BlinxHDD #88 1 year ago

    Which languages DOES it work (badly) for then?

  • BlinxHDD #89 1 year ago

    Just checked and apparently Sony's PlayStation Voice Recognition (PSVR) supports 6 languages: Japanese, English, Italian, French, German and Spanish with more to come. I don't know what uses it apart from SingStar.

  • MiniAmin #90 1 year ago

    [link url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TFZ6KdGtTI&feature=rel ated
    ]http://ww w.youtube.com/watch?v=3TFZ6KdGt...[/link]

    BAM there it is.

  • midnight_walker #91 1 year ago

    "Which languages DOES it work (badly) for then?"

    I imagine it has trouble deciphering Welsh through the thick layer of gob obscuring the mic.

  • Spekingur #92 1 year ago

    Voice recognition isn't the same as voice control, you know.

    Funnily enough Windows Speech Recognition in Windows Vista and Windows 7 supports English (United States), English (United Kingdom), German (Germany), French (France), Spanish (Spain), Japanese, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese.

    So... yeah. I'm guessing that this might be a database thing or current limitations of the actual control software.

  • sneetch #93 1 year ago

    @Spekingur
    Voice recognition isn't the same as voice control, you know.

    Funnily enough Windows Speech Recognition in Windows Vista and Windows 7 supports English (United States), English (United Kingdom), German (Germany), French (France), Spanish (Spain), Japanese, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese.

    So... yeah. I'm guessing that this might be a database thing or current limitations of the actual control software.

    That's me screwed, no English (Ireland) they'll never be able to decipher my sexy accent ;(

    Presumably Kinect will have to install language databases from a disc? I can't imagine that we want or need a bunch of languages other than our native one clogging up our discs. Makes me wonder about the practicality of the 4 GB Xbox slims too. Or indeed the old arcades.
    Edited by 2 at 24/08/10 @ 14:55

  • Negotiator #94 1 year ago

    I'm back on board, Microsoft have done it again, innovation and revolution is what Kinect is all about.

  • RexRunti #95 1 year ago

    "It won't work sitting down!"... yeah it will, "The voice control won't be available at launch"... yeah it will.

    Is Sony in charge of MS's PR now?

  • Golgo #96 1 year ago

    @midnight walker - can't decide whether you are a twll-tyn or a fwrch...probably a fwrch.

  • darleysam #97 1 year ago

    I've done some research and have absolute proof that 100% of people who use Move will die eventually. Why isn't this being reported?

  • TopKatt #98 1 year ago

    @darleysam

    Links to your evidence please????

  • lockload #99 1 year ago

    ps3 fanboys am cry, eurogamer tried their best to please you but were forced to correct the article

  • jonthepymm #100 1 year ago

    @ darleysam

    Gotta agree with Topkatt. Less than 50% of all humans who have ever been born have died. Where is your evidence? I'm going to live forever. Maybe.

  • Paulie_P #101 1 year ago

    I think this news is unfortunate, it is one of the few things that interested me in Kinect. Even though the functionality will be patched in eventually, this does make it seem like a rush job by Microsoft.

    I can't help but think that Microsoft would've been better focusing their resources on something else instead of this. I think the whole point of Kinect is to avoid having to release a multitude of peripherals for things like fitness games and such but the no controller thing brings in its own problems such as the lack of direct feedback to the player.

    Might still get it for that dancing game though, just to appease my daughter and get one over her mother who got her Just Dance on the wii. Although I don't think a 4 year old would know the difference! :-S

  • riceNpea #102 1 year ago

    why are people in the world still not speaking in English?

    how the hell do you want me to understand you?!

  • mcmonkeyplc #103 1 year ago

    This thread is priceless.

    First off come the SDF slagging it off, then they suddenly go quite....

  • sneetch #104 1 year ago

    @mcmonkeyplc
    This thread is priceless.

    First off come the SDF slagging it off, then they suddenly go quite....

    What? You expected people to continue after Eurogamer corrected the article? What would they say?

    SDF indeed. The original story was "When Microsoft's motion-sensing add-on Kinect launches this November it will not allow gamers to interact with their Xboxes using their voices as promised" I think that would be enough to make the most blinkered Microsoft fanboy sit up and take notice.

  • Paulie_P #105 1 year ago

    I wonder if anyone who cancelled their preorders will go back and preorder one now?

  • simplesimonsays #106 1 year ago

    I'm really getting fed up with Kinect, I've got a preorder down but with each passing day i'm getting more sceptical about what it can actually do. I'm fairly excited about the potential, but all i've seen so far are generic "Tech Demos" or incomplete games in staged demonstrations (Which are rarely successfull, unless featuring non-live gameplay.....cough...Kinectimals).


    I'm starting to think that the only way Kinect can survive is if they suddenly announce a "Wand" and "Nunchuck" controller add on and going the same route as Move, because this "You are the Controller" thing is just becoming a noose with which they will hang themselves.

    Please prove me wrong Microsoft, I really want it to work, but at the moment there appears to be as much chance of that happening as my copy of Fable 2 allowing me to plant a seed and watch it grow.

  • Calgon #107 1 year ago

    Haha I wonder how many SDF peeps here edited or deleted their comments here after the update.

    Before update:
    "the only decent feature I was interested in and it wont be there at launch... it was all lies innit"

    After update:

    "Shit I praised kinect... better say it was a shit tacky feature anyway and kinect will fail and move will pown all cos sony says it will... innit"

    :) Before any defensive clowns say it Ive no problems with anyone saying Kinect and Move(just as bad if not worse imo... "but its playstation tho innit?";) aren't lookin worth it at the moment I'd agree. Both too pricey, neither look to have a killer app yet either although I have a feeling Dance Central will be a big hit with others. Having said that though some people are desperate for Kinect to fail(it's obvious to spot the difference in peoples reasoning), I would like MS to pull it off simply because they took the biggest risk... and some fanboys have selective memories Move wasn't known till AFTER there were roumers of project NATAL floating around months before the unveiling at E3.

    If it does fail I wouldn't be too fussed but if they pull it off(i.e prove that the downgrade hasn't hampered its performance too much with the games) and offer stuff I want with it then I might actually give it a go. Sorry to go against the trend of hating kinect cos its cool and makes you seem more of a hardcore gamer but I couldn't give a toss about anyone else, I make my own mind up whether something sucks or not when its been out long enough to judge.
    Edited by 2 at 24/08/10 @ 18:32

  • Commodore75 #108 1 year ago

    So ... launching in Europe with only support for English language? Really?
    What about Japan? Sounds doubtful for MS to launch the Kinect in Japan with only support for English VR.
    If this were to be the case, then I guess VR is as good as dead for now.
    And how long would people have to wait until other languages are "patched in"?
    Edited by 1 at 24/08/10 @ 18:53

  • Geordiemp #109 1 year ago

    Im interested from a will it work point of view - google struggled with UK accents...

    [link url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/3479305/ Google-iPhone-voice-recognition-tool-baffled-by-British-acce nts.html
    ]http://ww w.telegraph.co.uk/technology/ap...[/link]

    When asked to search for "iPhone" the results varied wildly. A user with a Scottish accent found his phone opted to search for the term "sex" instead, and suggested a link to an adult web site.

    Class, I am looking forward to all the kinect thought I said this threads.....just for fun

  • ronuds #110 1 year ago

    Kinect sure loses a lot of features mysteriously through rumours... probably from people who have never even used the thing. It's sad how badly some people want this to fail - a device they have no obligation to buy.

  • Calgon #111 1 year ago

    Argentlupine I already pre-empted that response though, its obvious to spot the difference as I said between honest critisism and fanboyism, not everyone who doesnt fancy Kinect is a member of the SDF(Sony Defence Force = someone who is simply blinded by their bias for Sony/playstation and will "defend it" by the most pathetic means), I myself stated that I dont really see much to sway me at the moment for example as did many others.... So you were saying? :)

    As for the tongue in cheek comment about fanboys altering/taking back their "only good feature taken out haha" comments, if you notice I never claimed I had checked either, its just something that wouldn't suprise me with the level of the average EG troll these days, ie maximum bias > next to no integrity.

    Just because you cant see the bias doesnt mean others can't, not that you would admit it by the sounds of it, even the most blatant trolls claim not to be fanboys what does this tell us about YOUR arguement... not worth much is it? "Oh so you just think everyone who thinks the PS3 is shit and sony are the most overrated company in the game is a fanboy huh..."... thats basically the cookie cutter response when a troll gets defensive(I aimed it at Sony just incase you missed the point and nodded your head instead lol), seen it so many times before, we all have so lets cut the BS about there not being any sony fanboys here then eh? ;)

    If I have to wade through their posts in nearly every bit of kinect news or 360 exclusive, I think its fair I'm allowed to have a bit of fun with them every now and then, which is all I was doing really. :)
    Edited by 4 at 25/08/10 @ 00:20

  • Geordiemp #112 1 year ago

    SDF ? Xbot ?

    The one good thing about Kinect is it seems to unite all core gamers and players in anti kinect, just becuase its more casual than the most casual wii party game and makes us all heave.

    I have a 7 year old son, and we have 2 xboxes, and even he says the games look crap and for babies, and we go back to transformers cybertron multiplayer on 360 !

  • hazelam #113 1 year ago

    voice control works then?

    but pressing a button works too, and quicker.

  • makeamazing #114 1 year ago

    You have to ask the question why reports such as these surface, something is not exactly right with the message/picture in my opinion. The original statement did suggest that some form of voice/video would not be released by the released date.

    So MS PR has to do better and have the same message, because its really dropping the ball right now.

  • Loghorn #115 1 year ago

    And people still want this? LMAO.

    Plus Microsoft would be stupid to alienate core gaming (unless they want to lose the majority of the current fanbase which made 360 very popular). If they & the Kinect defenders honestly think that Kinect is going to succeed, then they're delusional & are living in la-la land.

    1.) For one thing, many casuals already own a Wii. Why would they go & spend more money just to play Kinect (or Move for that matter)? Nintendo has already gotten the casual market locked down. Even if they get the Kinect bundle, it only comes with 4 GB of space for storing games, etc. What's gonna happen when they need to upgrade the HDD? Especially with updates, etc., that will eat up the hard drive like candy.

    2.) What would happen if Nintendo drops the price of the Wii down this holiday season? Then that's definitely going to get even more attention than Kinect & the 360 bundles will, especially for those who don't own either one of those systems.

    3.) There are a lot of technical problems with Kinect such as lag, etc. (That's from what I heard, anyway). This thing is coming out in another two months, & if MS doesn't fix it soon, you're going to hear a lot of frustrations & complaints from consumers, & a LOT of Youtube videos talking about how much it fails/sucks.

    4.) People like myself are always going to prefer to play with a regular controller in our hands, & to relax while playing games. Give those who have already pre-ordered Kinect a week or two at the most, & they're going to either let that thing sit & collect dust or to sell it altogether, & will want to go back to playing REAL games with a REAL controller.

    5.) Speaking of games, their Kinect launch lineup is absolutely pathetic. The only game on that list that might seem interesting is "Child Of Eden," but even that, & other games such as "Fable 3," "Forza with Kinect," & "Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows: Part 1" can all be played with a regular XBox 360 controller. Most people would be paying attention to games like Halo: Reach, Gears Of War 3, & Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 once they're out.

    Only those that will purchase Kinect are idiots. I'm planning to buy myself a 250 GB XBox 360 S system to catch up on certain games that I missed out on (including new ones, of course, like Halo Reach coming out), but I won't buy Kinect at all. Also, this thing has come far too late into this gen. How many add-ons & peripherals have succeeded when coming far late into a consoles life? Especially if the prices are higher? Ask Sega with the "Sega Activator" & the "32X." When will companies ever learn that?

    If Kinect (&/or move) succeeds, & replaces regular controllers next gen, then this will be my last generation for buying games & gaming consoles. I'm dead serious. I also feel that gimmicks like this & motion controllers becoming standard for next gen will cause the death of the gaming industry. We need both "Casual & Hardcore games" to succeed like they have in the past & present up until this point.