Microsoft is continuing its latest trend of changing its mind on almost every restriction presented to gamers at this year's E3 Conference. The latest reversal has Microsoft announcing that Kinect won't be a required feature on the Xbox One.
It all began when the company debuted its next generation console alongside its rival from Sony, the PlayStation 4. Microsoft had grand plans of making the Xbox One an exclusive and technologically advanced product that would require users to constantly be wired into an Internet connection and have space to adequately run the console's features or else the console wouldn't work. This sparked major public backlash and saw Xbox fans declare their allegiance to the PS4. Since then Microsoft has shed away its restrictions bit by bit. They began by getting rid of the restrictions on sharing and trading games, followed by the restriction that forced users to check-in online once every 24 hours.
Now the latest from the Microsoft reversal pipeline is the end of forced Kinect capability. In an interview with IGN, Xbox One platform architect Marc Whitten broke down the new policy.
"Like online, the console will still function if Kinect isn't plugged in, although you won't be able to use any feature or experience that explicitly uses the sensor."
Unfortunately for those with small rooms or those who were hoping to save a few bucks by not purchasing the Kinect, Microsoft still won't avoid making you buy the accessory. PCMag reports users will still have to pay for the motion sensor as it ships with all Xbox One consoles right in the box. If you're worried about your movements in a tight room setting off the sensor every time you get up to grab a snack or use the bathroom, Whitten and Microsoft have you covered.
"You have the ability to completely turn the sensor off in your settings. When in this mode, the sensor is not collecting any information. Any functionality that relies on voice, video, gesture, or more won't work," Whitten said. "We still support using it for IR blasting in this mode. You can turn the sensor back on at any time through settings, and if you enter into a required Kinect experience, like Kinect Sports Rivals for instance, you'll get a message asking if you want to turn the sensor back on in order to continue."
Tell us what you think, is Kinect the way of the future for gaming or are you pleased that Xbox users can opt out of turning their entire living room into a gaming space?
