Is Microsoft’s “Kinect” Worth the Money?

In the ongoing console war, the “big three” (Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony) are constantly trying to find ways to outdo one another in the video game market. Microsoft’s latest attempt at this is their revolutionary device that they call Kinect. Riding on the wave of motion sensing gaming started by the introduction of the Nintendo Wii, Kinect takes the idea a step further by completely removing the controller from the Xbox 360. With this bold move, Microsoft essentially turns you into the controller, and the cameras installed in the device allow your motions to be transferred into the game. On paper, this concept sounds like a flawless business move on Microsoft’s part, and Kinect seems like a gadget anyone could have fun using. The question is: is it worth the $150 price tag?

Not long ago I had the opportunity to observe a number of people testing out a demo version of the device, and what I saw left me questioning whether or not I should buy it right away, or wait a while until the system is perfected. The problems I noticed had to do with the gameplay of the machine, and how well the motion sensors worked. For simple movements, the cameras detected and replicated them perfectly, but when the movements became quicker and more complex, the in-game character would either not move at all, or move in the opposite direction of the player. After paying such a high price for the Kinect, no one should have to put up with such headache. Additionally, the only games available for the Kinect are quite simple, and the hardcore gamer will quickly lose interest.

All in all, while Kinect has enormous potential for the gaming community, its November 4 release date is far too early. It may be able to attract new players who have only a slight interest in gaming, but its limited list of games will not be able to hold hardcore gamers’ attention. My recommendation: wait a year for Microsoft to update the specs and for more games to come out, and then the Kinect just may be worth the money.

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Tagged as: Kinect, Microsoft