After moving 10 million units since it went on sale last fall, the Microsoft Kinect has been named by Guinness as the fastest-selling electronics device in history. Owners of the video game motion controller have also picked up about the same number of titles, but so far it appears that Kinect hasn't given much attention to the hardcore gamer niche. But Microsoft says new titles are on the way.
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Guinness World Records has just announced that Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT) Kinect is the fastest-selling electronics device ever. In its first 60 days on the market, more than 8 million of the Xbox 360 accessory units were sold, and to date that number has eclipsed 10 million
With this many Kinects installed around the world, it's now pretty clear it's a viable platform for developers to look into. Although estimated game sales have also surpassed the 10 million mark, as of now, it seems few of the games built for the motion controller address a hardcore gaming audience.
Early Promises
Two years ago, when Microsoft first revealed Kinect, initially code-named "Project Natal," it promised it wouldn't just be another console peripheral, but rather a completely new experience. It would effectively be like a brand new video game system. The company used a lot of marketing speak to introduce the world to the new motion-controlled platform, setting itself up for a lot of high expectations.
However, while some of the high-profile Kinect titles so far -- like "Dance Central" and "Kinect Sports" -- have garnered critical praise and high sales, they lie almost exclusively in the category of casual gaming.
One of the problems the Nintendo Wii has faced has been its inability to attract a lot of high-budget games. Because of its reliance on motion controls, developers and gamers alike have generally looked at it as a haven for casual, family-oriented software rather than big-budget, in-depth hardcore titles. Though the Wii has enjoyed good sales overall in its four and a half years on the market, it's so different from the conventional gaming system that it's struggled to break out of the casual niche.
Where Kinect Needs to Go From Here
For Kinect, reaching high sales is only part of the story, Chris Morris, a freelance writer and video gaming expert, told TechNewsWorld
Morris told us, "The company took a big gamble developing the device and it has paid off tremendously, attracting a significant installed base of customers. The big question is will publishers be able to create high-quality games that capture that audience's imagination and keep them using the device, or will there be a glut of mediocre titles that turn people away?"
Microsoft doesn't want to get stuck in that rut, otherwise it will appear as nothing different. But it's not apparent there have been any multi-million-dollar projects for Kinect so far, as there have been with other Xbox 360 and PS3 games.
However, that could change in the coming year or two.
"We're just scratching the surface of what Kinect means for gamers; what you're seeing today is just the beginning," a Microsoft spokesperson told TechNewsWorld. "The development teams behind some of the biggest blockbuster franchises of all time are using Kinect to evolve how games are played."
What's Already In Store
Microsoft also emphasized that Kinect isn't just about games. It's about an entirely new way to experience entertainment, such as controller-free ways to access services like Kinnect and Hulu Plus, a Microsoft spokesperson said in correspondence provided to TechNewsWorld by Edelman's Trisha Rule.
If nothing else, the Kinect titles sold to date have attract a wide base to pump up sales and make it a commercially viable platform. That is step one; the road to pushing the Kinect envelope is the next step.
"The development teams behind some of the biggest blockbuster franchises of all time are using Kinect to evolve how games are played. From LucasArts' 'Star Wars' for Kinect and Turn 10's 'Forza Motorsport 4' to Q Entertainment's 'Child of Eden' to Twisted Pixel's 'The Gunstringer,' what you're seeing now is just a glimpse at what we have in store for core gamers this year," the spokesperson said. "The possibilities are endless but our goal with Kinect for core audiences has always been to create tailor-made experiences that gamers will love."
However, Morris seems a bit less convinced that winning over the core crowd needs compelling Kinect content, telling us that they didn't have a problem with the way Xbox 360 was working before Kinect.
"That group seems perfectly happy with the Xbox 360 controller, and Microsoft likely isn't going to want to rock that boat too much, since they have a firm grasp on that segment of the gaming world," he said. "You'll see a few nods -- such as the rumored Kinect inclusion in 'Gears of War 3' -- but I suspect it will be optional."
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