What Killed the Microsoft Kinect?

If you're like me, then you have a Kinetic sitting in your closet. I'm sure some of you wanted to know why are there not any Kinetics at the video gaming stores or electronic sections?  Here is your answer. 

The Kinetic was Microsoft's Xbox answer to Nintendo's Wii.  Microsoft's Kinetic came out in 2009 selling over 80,000,000 units mostly b/c it was mandatory accessory with the Xbox One for some time.  The for nearly 10 years, the Kinetic sold less than half the units of the Wii.   The Kinetic did not move more units for several reasons:

Technology not Functional
The main reason the Kinetic was killed was due to the technology for the Kinetic never working properly with the console and video games.  Nintendo Wii had games that were functional and fun such as Wii Sports that integrated the motion capturing control technology with the video games.

The motion capturing ability for the Kinetic was a camera that sensed not a sensor like in Wii. The Kinetic had 2 cameras that provided depth as a sensor, but the data for the two cameras could not capture the image of the human body properly.

Advertising
Marketing was really good for the Kinetic.  The Microsoft spent over $500,000,000 to advertised on globally across all communication channels including on shows like Oprah and Jimmy Fallon.  What really hurt the Kinetics's advertising was the lack of Apps.  We live in the "there's probably an app for that" world.  Microsoft never found a way to integrate Apps on the phone or console with the Kinetic which really lost its a core audience.

Lack of Fun
The major reason why the Kinetic was killed was b/c it was not fun.  Xbox did not have a library of games that utilized the technology.  Dancing games really did not need the Kinetic and the other games did use the technology at all.  Video Game Developers knew about the Kinetic's poor quality and really did not bother to use it with their games.  Basically, there was not any reason to buy it.  Soon word of mouth killed the Kinetic.  Microsoft stopped making the last of the Kinetics in December 2017.

And there you have it.  The reasons the Kinetic was killed were Video Game Developers rejected using the technology for its video games and consumers hating the Kinetic's lack of functionality.

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Dead Rising 4 and E3 2016

I can't believe E3 is here already!  I guess with tv shows like xplay and stuff being cancelled, there isn't a lot of gaming news and hype around the event.  One particular game that I can't wait to get my hands on is Dead Rising 4.

I'm liking the return of our survivalist reporter Frank West as the main character.  There was downloadable content in Dead Rising 3 to play as Frank West, but it's not the same as having a whole game to yourself with a pioneer.   

It looks like the game will take place around Christmas in the town of Willamette.  Not information has been provided on the story or why Frank West is rampaging on zombies here, but I like the elemental gadgets and tricked out vehicles that I saw in the trailer.  It looks like there will be an emphasis on crafting like in Dead Rising 3.  I'm hoping we get more content this time around because I blew through Dead Rising 3 in a weekend.

Dead Rising 4 is expected to be release around Christmas time on December 6, 2016. 

Xbox Elite Wireless Controller price and release date

For this post the visual marketing in the pictures will speak for themselves.

The elite controller adds four bumper pads under the grips, a textured rolling pad that replaces the standard D-pad and hair-trigger locks. The best aspect of the Elite controller is its ability swap the parts for your personal configuration.

The elite controller will be useable for the Xbox one and Microsoft computers.  The controller release date is October 2015 and will sell for $150. 

Microsoft to unveil the next Xbox in May

The Verge reported that the company will hold an event on May 21 to reveal the new console, with a more complete look to follow a few weeks later at E3 2013.

Industry watchers had initially expected Microsoft to unveil the successor to the Xbox 360 later this month, but sources tell The Verge that the event was pushed back.

Xbox 720 will use an AMD x86 processor.  Plus, AMD  in giving chips to Sony for the PS4.  Way to profit off your tech guys. A shift from x86 formats in xbox 360 means game discs won't be supported and backwards compatibility will only be possible through emulation.  Here we go again guys. For those of you not old enough to remember Xbox 360 didn't support the 1st xbox software.  I don't know if its laziness or Microsoft just wants you to pay for 2 separate systems.

Like the PlayStation 4, the next Xbox (currently codenamed 'Durango') is expected to be on store shelves before the end of the year. People familiar with Microsoft's plans say the system's features are, in fact, remarkably similar to what Sony has already unveiled.

Microsoft has always had an advantage with the non-gaming components of its consoles, though, and recently hired the former president of CBS Television Studios to lead its efforts to form an Xbox studio. The company is also expected to unveil an integrated (and vastly updated) version of the Kinect motion sensor as a component of the new Xbox.

Xbox 720 will sell for $300 Xbox gold subscribers and for non-subscribers $500