Xbox One 399$ w/o Kinect coming in June

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lacroyx
lacroyx Posts: 5,754 Member
Starting June 9th Microsoft will be offering the Xbox One without the Kinect camera.

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/399-xbox-one-without-kinect-launching-in-june/1100-6419601/
from article link above:

"Today's news is seriously surprising, as Microsoft executive Phil Harrison said last August that Microsoft had "absolutely no plans" to release Xbox One without Kinect.

Spencer said more than 80 percent of all Xbox One owners actively use Kinect, with an average of 120 voice commands per month on every console. If you buy a $399 Xbox One and decide later that you want Kinect, Microsoft will start selling standalone sensors sometime this fall. Pricing was not disclosed."


thoughts? I still am going to wait. Last time I bought a console at launch was the Sega Saturn, which I still have and own Panzer Dragoon RPG.

Replies

  • StarGeezer
    StarGeezer Posts: 351
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    This was likely driven by economics: Sony has sold roughly 2 million more PS4's than Microsoft XBox One's during the same time period, since there respective launches were only separated by one week in November 2013. Pricepoint is consistently one of the main reasons given by consumers for choosing the PS4 over the XBox One.

    I was in a unique position to get Launch Day Editions of both consoles this generation. Both are good, solid bits of hardware. And while I do use the voice commands with the Kinect (mostly for changing channels/volume on the TV when I'm sitting at the computer and not near my remote), I probably could have lived without it quite comfortably. Ironically, I got a PlayStation Camera for the PS4 for Christmas, and it also supports voice commands, but I never use them on that console. Nevertheless between the two, the PS4 sees the lion's share of actual gameplay. The XBox right now (at least until something worthwhile comes out on it) is a glorified media center that I use for watching TV, Twitch, etc.

    Sad but true.
  • daybehavior
    daybehavior Posts: 1,319 Member
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    Interesting. I read somewhere (i think on Forbes) the X-Box actually has been losing money for MS for years now.
  • StarGeezer
    StarGeezer Posts: 351
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    Here's an interesting article about this topic:

    http://www.wired.com/2014/05/xbox-one-kinect/
  • oxers
    oxers Posts: 259 Member
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    Still not worth it imo.
  • soulmotor
    soulmotor Posts: 7 Member
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    It can only help. The biggest reason a lot of the people I know went to PS4 was the perceived cost difference. When comparing apples to apples, the price difference really wasn't that much. I went the One route mostly because I have my Gold membership paid through 2015.
  • Gilbrod
    Gilbrod Posts: 1,216 Member
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    Still not getting one. I like how it's pitched as "We are listening to the consumers voices" stance. Both Microsoft and Sony are losing money on the systems. I think Nintendo is the only one that makes money for each piece of software sold.
  • arcticfox04
    arcticfox04 Posts: 1,011 Member
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    Interesting. I read somewhere (i think on Forbes) the X-Box actually has been losing money for MS for years now.

    It was Bill Gates pet project. Investors have been wanting M$ to sell the Xbox Division for years now.

    This gen consoles are lackluster. 2 years 2 late on hardware/graphics. PC gaming is really starting to pick up "Steam" can you say.
  • FairlyOddChelle
    FairlyOddChelle Posts: 40 Member
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    It seems kind of chicken**** for them to offer it at this price now, it should have always been an option for people that didn't really want Kinect. My Kinect for the 360 was only bought because I won a Call of Duty tournament at the Microsoft Store and paid like, $25, if that for the sensor, two games and a 1600 pt. card. I don't think I would've invested in it, though, on my own.

    For the One, as much of a surprise as it is, I really only use my Xbox One for games that use Kinect, it's basically my gym at the moment. (Most titles I'd just rather play on the PS4.) But, I think a lot of people I know would've bought it on launch if it wasn't for the price. It's a smart decision, but kind of annoying. I'm excited to see what their press conference will be like at E3.
  • GalactusEmpire
    GalactusEmpire Posts: 90 Member
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    I bought the Xbox One Titanfall bundle when it was released on midnight. I played it pretty hardcore for about 2 weeks. Afterwards I didn't touch it. I look at my Xbox One as a waste of money. I enjoyed Titanfall, I purchased it because my brother had it for Xbox One as well. But now we are burned out on it, and there are no other worthy games of purchasing. I am a big PC gamer and I love tinkering with my rig, but I don't have that kind of connection with a console.

    IMO Consoles are all just playing catch-up and hopefully will be losing their luster soon enough so that developers will once again go to PC for game releases.