Xbox just took another step towards killing off the Kinect

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In its latest step away from the Xbox One’s Kinect, Microsoft has ended a program giving free adapters to anyone who upgraded from the original console to the newer model, the Xbox One S.

The adapter is necessary to use the Kinect with the new, slimmed down model, since Microsoft got rid of the dedicated Kinect port as part of the redesign. When the S was announced at E3 2016, Microsoft unveiled this limited-time freebie to encourage current Xbox One owners to upgrade, giving the adapter free to anyone who registered all three devices: the Kinect, the original Xbox One, and the Xbox One S.

No end date for the promotion was given at the time, but according to a new report from Polygon the program has now come to a close, seemingly without any advance notice. The support page for Kinect now says the offer ended “in March 2017.”

That means that Xbox One owners who want to upgrade to the Xbox One S will need to leave to their Kinect behind or purchase a $40 adapter. The Kinect itself still sells for $100 as a standalone purchase and doesn’t include the adapter.

This is the latest indication that Microsoft is well and truly stepping back from the Kinect as a central part of the Xbox One experience. In 2014, Microsoft first announced it would unbundle the peripheral, previously included in all Xbox Ones, as a way to cut down the cost of entry. A number of revisions to the console’s UI followed, duplicating or replacing the functionality of the Kinect to make the system more usable for those without the device.

Today, Microsoft’s website doesn’t offer a single Xbox One S bundle that includes Kinect. The peripheral has also never gotten a visual update to match the new white aesthetic of the console, leaving it mismatched for those who do pick it up separately.

With the reveal of Microsoft’s next console, Project Scorpio, just around the corner, it will be interesting to see whether the Kinect is part of that conversation—or, indeed, if it will even be supported at all.

Posted:
Related Forum: Xbox Forum

Source: http://www.egmnow.com/articles/news/xbox-just-took-another-step-towards-killing-off-the-kinect/

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"Xbox just took another step towards killing off the Kinect" :: Login/Create an Account :: 15 comments

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plebPosted:

I've never like the Kinect device

IlcamorristaPosted:

GR33NV3N0M
-Lewy
Halo Sales would have been better at the start without it. At least they know now.... now that it's too late.


I 100% agree with you on this.


i agree with the fact that i wish they did this at launch, however its not too late at all. Sony with the ps3 was leagues behind the xbox 360 and theyre doing ok now, Its all swings and roundabouts whilst one console leads one generation another will lead the next. I have no doubt that when the Scorpio releases it will be leaps and bounds better than the PS4 pro.


I agree its never too late to to release something. Especially before E3. Hopefully they do this as E3 will bring a lot of attention to the console.

IlcamorristaPosted:

315 Well to begin with the Microsoft store never offered a Xbox one S Kinect bundle and the adapter was a limited time so I mean. Limited time do mean things end. However I'm really surprised the Kinect came to the Xbox one as it wasn't super popular to begin with.


Dont think the kinect was used by many with the xbox one. It really killed it thats why Im thinking it will return with Scorpio.

IlcamorristaPosted:

I hope theres a kine-ct for the Scorpio. I dont really use it myself but would be a great feature for people who do.

IlcamorristaPosted:

I'm sure the Scorpio will have the Bluetooth feature which will pick up the Kinect. I can't see any other purpose for them to do this.

315Posted:

Well to begin with the Microsoft store never offered a Xbox one S Kinect bundle and the adapter was a limited time so I mean. Limited time do mean things end. However I'm really surprised the Kinect came to the Xbox one as it wasn't super popular to begin with.

GR33NV3N0MPosted:

-Lewy
Halo Sales would have been better at the start without it. At least they know now.... now that it's too late.


I 100% agree with you on this.


i agree with the fact that i wish they did this at launch, however its not too late at all. Sony with the ps3 was leagues behind the xbox 360 and theyre doing ok now, Its all swings and roundabouts whilst one console leads one generation another will lead the next. I have no doubt that when the Scorpio releases it will be leaps and bounds better than the PS4 pro.

SilkyPosted:

Purposely bought an xbox without one, they're pointless in my opinion.

SkatesPosted:

I put my Kinect in storage months ago, never interested me at all. Seems like it's more appealing towards young children in my opinion.

TJPosted:

Thank god they're getting rid of it


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