The public will see Microsoft "really deliver" on Kinect this year, Microsoft UK's GM for sales and marketing, Neil Thompson has pledged.
Speaking to trade mag MCV, Thompson said the Xbox platform is moving to a broader audience - and publishers will soon flock to the Kinect platform seeking success.
According to the marketing boss, Microsoft's recent success at the BAFTA's proves it's going in the right direction.
"With Kinect Sports winning [the BAFTA for] Best Family Game, you could argue Xbox is moving to a broader audience in terms of its market appeal," he said.
"And as the install base grows, more publishers will seek success because the range of consumers we're attracting to the platform is becoming more diverse every day. I think people will see that success and love it."
Comments
19 comments so far...
Dred0 on 25 Mar '11 said:
Makes me nervous. My nan says that as the install base grows so the devs lose focus.
Dear developers: Remember Reach. Please.
Leave Nintendogs or equivalent where it belongs.
(cough, cough) did someone say Fantastic Pets?
StokedUp on 25 Mar '11 said:
Yep, the casual audience Thats the reason ill never play one of these.
I honestly think it's just a matter of time before we'll see some sorts of controllers and periperals for this, the whole "you're the controller" thing can only be taken so far before they'll need something to do more precise actions on games.
But i do think there's probably some amzing dancers out there now and some really healthy fit people aswell
roland82 on 25 Mar '11 said:
Not that Im fussy or anything but how many times have we heard this and how many gamers games have actually been announced?
Sounds like a bluff to me. I think doubt over whether Kinect would sell means nobody took the chance developing games early, just like the Wii.
djpray2k on 25 Mar '11 said:
Less talk MS and show us a game or two. Look at Move, Time Crisis works perfectly on Move, would it come to Kinect? No because you need a controller as it can't pick up fingers for firing actions. Top Spin 4 is on Move but it's not on Kinect. Take the hint MS.
The whole you're the controller thing is rubbish. A control pad is a great controller, the human body isn't.
peetay on 25 Mar '11 said:
Sounds like its going to be a bad year for proper gamers on the old 360, roll on gears 3
humanhand on 25 Mar '11 said:
They've already sold a ton of the peripheral. Every sucker who bought one is waiting for something to blow them away. I'm sure most of the hardcore either don't care (like me), or feel like shut up about it. I don't think there needs to be anymore PR on "it's coming." I wonder what the sales figures are for the last couple of months?
solamon77 on 26 Mar '11 said:
I've said it before... Kinect will really start to take off (and be of interest to core gamers) once somebody starts making hybrid Kinect/controller games.
horngreen on 26 Mar '11 said:
Here's how it's selling... http://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/xbo ... ld-record/ Seems it's beating the hell out of Sonys Move.
I'd like to see some games I play actually use it. I'm unfit and NOT a dancer so I'm looking more towards FPSs and things of that nature. Steel Battalion might be cool but as of now I see no need to own one. That said I'm also not one of those "the sky is falling" kind of idiots who think this will spell the end of the Xbox and or hardcore gaming.
sith lord69 on 26 Mar '11 said:
i have no objections to MS spending big on the development of more Kinect games,i personally own a Kinect and spend many fun hours playing the likes of Dance Central,Kinect Sports and Kinectimals with my 6 year old son,what is really starting to irritate me though is how far behind MS exclusives seem to be falling behind Sony exclusives,if u think about the best looking games on the 360-Mass Effect 2,Crysis 2,Gears 3(it's obviously gonna be gorgeous) they are all 3rd party games,i absolutely loved Halo Reach but couldn't help feel a little underwhelmed with the way it looked,i know graphics aren't everything but they do help your immersion in the game world,so come on MS by all means give us some great Kinect games for us to play with the kids,but don't forget all the people who have been onboard since day one of your forray into the console market,the people who purchased your big,expensive and ugly black box with the ridicolous controller,we bought it for the stunning exclusives you were giving us,it just seems you have lost your way a little recently,pumping out yearly updates of halo,and that saddens me,the release of Crysis 2 this week has shown us that the 360 still has the horsepower to compete with the big Sony exclusives so come on MS by all means give us Halo/Fable party,but give us that truly memorable masterpiece that we know you can deliver,cuz when the kids are in bed and kinectimals comes out of the disc tray i wanna be playing an exclusive that wowed me the same way that the original Halo,Fable or PGR did.
damoxuk on 26 Mar '11 said:
Kinect should be selling more what with vastly increased marketing. If it wasn't I'd be firing the marketing guys
But kinect still at the end of the day is aimed at the casual market no matter how much MS seems to indicate otherwise or people who only have 360's want to believe.
Motion control is just not a viable alternative to standard controllers, after a hard days work last thing you want is to start prancing around or waving your arms using motion controllers or not in kinects case. Call me lazy but standard controllers sat on the couch is the best way to play games (well unless i'm at my PC in which case keyboard/mouse owns).
alan666 on 26 Mar '11 said:
they had better deliver !
kreemi on 26 Mar '11 said:
its nearly april already.
Less talky, more gamey please sirs
LordVonPS3 on 26 Mar '11 said:
I haven't seen any games released nor in production that makes Kinect worth getting. You would think that if there were any blockbuster titles coming in 2011 - they'd have been announced already. Child of Eden? Don't make me laugh... That's like saying someone should buy a 360 just for Rez or Death Tank! Minority advocators report to the school nurse.
Given the choice of using a joypad or using Kinect in games like Forza 4 or maybe Gears of War 3, I'd still rather use the joypad. In fact, if a new Star Wars game does come out for Kinect - I'd rather play that with a joypad than Kinect too! I'm not against developers supporting Kinect but the games would only sell better if they also supported joypad controls as well.
In summary, f**k Kinect, how about some more games Microsoft?
cackpants on 26 Mar '11 said:
We are getting into the 4th month now, and nothing has changed!
Start showing the goods instead of talking the crap!
capsule_toy on 26 Mar '11 said:
It's started already... with Motion Sports and Your Shape Fitness Evolved... it's continuing with Dr Kawashima's Body & Brain Exercises and Game Party in Motion... once Ubisoft fully stretch their wings, we'll see....
Blast Kinect Corps
Combat of The Kinect Monsters
Dance Central 2,3,4
Doodle Jump In Motion
Fantastic Pets
Forza Life
Gunslinger
Imagine Kinected Ballerina
Imagine Kinect School Teacher
Imagine Kinect Detective
Imagine Kinect Chef
Imagine Kinect Horsez
Just Dance Kinect
Kinect Babyz
Kinectimals 2
Kinect Joy Ride Tournament Edition
Kinect Free Ride: Forza Edition
Kinect Sports 2
Michael Jackson Experience
Professor Kinect & The Kinect Mysteries... on Kinect
Etc... Some made up, some real
Barca Azul on 27 Mar '11 said:
The next train on Platform three will be stopping at Family, casual and terminating at shovelware central!
damoxuk on 27 Mar '11 said:
ah dang it just shat all over the floor, now wheres that shovel?
Megatrons_Fury on 28 Mar '11 said:
Just goes to show you millions of people can be so very wrong.........
I laughed after playing my friends Kinect mainly because i've been around so long i can tell a piece of crap straight away, it just felt like the Mega-CD and 32X from the second he turned it on, its massively over-priced and although has some lovely positives like a stunning look and great build quality it has absolutely nothing for it save the same old crap Nintendo throw out for their fisher price home console.
Microsoft know developers cannot afford a new console to develop for, they know the world is in recession so they decided to release this turd and hope they can coast on it for the next 3 years until they deliver on a new machine.
If you bought the Kinect your either very naive or have more money than sense and if you can be honest with yourself for just one second you know you regret it.
Congrats to microsoft though, only them and apple can sell a polished turd to the masses!!!
julioaragon on 18 Apr '11 said:
now something bothers me about this article i am confident about the kinect games improving..but they did not mention the box 360 itself,whats coming out that i dont already know? ok gears of war3,rumors about alan wake 2,alot of kinect games focusing on hardcore gamers,madden 12 better on the xbox360,mass effect 3.its a good set of lineups but they should balance out the hardcore games to the kinect new lineuo too