Xbox 720 to fight controller fragmentation with mandatory Kinect?
- By Grant Brunner on February 13, 2013 at 3:34 pm
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The loudest hubbub about the next generation of video game consoles isn’t about new games or even the quality of the graphics — it’s all about the controls. The PlayStation brand has stayed with essentially the same configuration for a decade and a half, and the Xbox 360 controller has become the de facto PC gamepad thanks to widespread support. Now rumors are starting to circulate that the next Xbox will drop 360 controller support, but require the next-gen Kinect.
Kotaku has a source named SuperDaE, infamous for attempting to sell an early Xbox 720 dev kit on eBay, and he has some juicy information about the upcoming console from Microsoft. Despite the next controller being extremely similar to the 360 controller, the 720 won’t work with the older controllers. Supposedly, this is related to a move to different wireless tech, but it sounds like a good way to sell more controllers for $50 a pop. Don’t be surprised if this rumor turns out to be true. That potential accessory money is too difficult to give up.
Unsurprisingly, this report has the next version of the Kinect shipping alongside every single Xbox 720 model. The unconfirmed specs include a 1920×1080 camera, a 512×424 IR depth sensor, and the ability to track 25 different joints on six people at a time. That sounds a lot better than the original Kinect’s lackluster specs, but let’s consider that rumors say that this new Kinect is required to be plugged in to operate the console. Tin foil hat privacy enthusiasts and apartment dwellers with limited space are all collectively wincing at this point.
None of this is written in stone until we hear it directly from Redmond, but requiring the Kinect to be plugged in while demanding an always-on internet connection is arrogant and brave. The Xbox 360 was able to own the traditional console gaming space in the United States during this generation because Microsoft released the hardware early, and had an outstanding online platform — despite the fact that it imposed a yearly fee. An always-online console with baked in next-gen Kinect support might turn off some gamers, but will likely help distinguish the Xbox 720 from the PS4, PC, and Steam Box. It sounds like Microsoft is betting big, and we’ll see soon enough if the Xbox team is able to pull off something special, or if they’ll fly too close to the sun.
Now read: Xbox 720 rumored to have its own Siri, unlock Kinect’s true potentia
