The Kinect may no longer be required for an Xbox One to function, but that doesn't mean Microsoft is going to stop making it a key part of the Xbox One experience.
Shortly after Microsoft announced they were removing the requirement to always have a Kinect attached to the Xbox One console for it to function, rumors began circulating that we’d eventually see a cheaper “Kinect-free” version of the console. However, Microsoft PR rep Albert Penello has officially denounced such rumors.
In a new post on the NeoGAF forums, Penello directly challenged accusations that Microsoft had “lost its vision” after having reversed its stance on so many policies regarding the Xbox One. He made it clear that just because the Kinect no longer needs to be connected to the Xbox One doesn’t mean Microsoft no longer believes the Kinect is an essential part of the system. In fact, he went on to say that, while it is possible to navigate all of the Xbox One’s dashboard menus using a controller, it’s actually a lot easier to do so using the Kinect’s motion and voice commands.
Penello ended his post by saying that Microsoft has absolutely no plans to offer a version of the Xbox One that doesn’t include the Kinect. Microsoft may have had second thoughts about used games DRM, always-online functionality, and even Kinect system requirements, but when it comes to keeping Kinect as a core part of the Xbox One experience, the company is holding its ground.
The full post can be found via the link below.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=76121819&postcount=1327
