Ah, the Kinect. Microsoft's ambitious and unreliable motion control device. First released in 2010 for the Xbox 360, the Kinect was meant to revolutionize gaming by allowing players to control games using their body movements and voice commands. It was a bold move by Microsoft to compete with the likes of Nintendo's Wii and Sony's Move controller.
Back when it was announced in 2009, Microsoft's Kinect sensor for the Xbox 360 seemed like a worthy rival to Sony's Move controller and the Nintendo Wii. The promise of controller-free gaming was exciting, and many gamers were eager to try out this new technology. However, as time went on, it became clear that the Kinect was not living up to its potential.
It was never the gaming revolution Microsoft thought it'd be, but Kinect found some utility in the business world. Companies began using the Kinect for various applications outside of gaming, such as interactive displays, virtual reality experiences, and even medical simulations. The technology behind the Kinect was ahead of its time, but it just didn't catch on with the gaming community.
Years after it didn't take off as a revolutionary gaming peripheral, a gamer spots an Xbox Kinect serving a different and useful purpose. This is a testament to the adaptability of technology and how even failed products can find new life in unexpected ways.
A gamer discovers a sealed copy of an old Xbox 360 game in an unlikely location almost 14 years after the title was released. This serves as a reminder of the Kinect's heyday and how it was once a major player in the gaming industry.
Seattle indie developer Ska Studios' debut title The Dishwasher was a 2009 release on Xbox Live Arcade. It's one of dozens of games that supported the Kinect in some capacity, showcasing the device's potential for unique and innovative gameplay experiences.
Microsoft is discontinuing the Azure Kinect Developer Kit. The company had already stopped making the Kinect after it failed to gain widespread adoption among gamers. The Kinect will always be remembered as an ambitious but ultimately flawed experiment in motion control gaming.
Best answer: There is a small yet passionate Kinect homebrew scene, but if you're a consumer, the answer is simply no. No way, no how. The Kinect may have its dedicated fans, but for most gamers, it's simply not worth the investment.
Microsoft stopped making new Xbox 360 consoles in 2016, but there's still a lot of fun to be had if you take a deep dive into the platform's library. The Kinect may not have been the success Microsoft hoped for, but it did pave the way for future innovations in motion control technology.
