Microsoft has confirmed that it is no longer manufacturing the Xbox Kinect accessory, with Alex Kipman (creator of the Kinect) and Matthew Larsen (GM of Xbox Devices Marketing) confirming the news in an interview with Co.Design.
Microsoft will continue to support customers who bought Kinect, but it’s unclear whether developer tools will remain supported.
Originally released for the Xbox 360 back in 2010, the Kinect was designed to change the way gamers approached game, by using a depth sensor and in-built microphones to allow players to control the Xbox’s functions through their body or their voice, providing more accessibility for gamers and encouraging Xbox users to get up off their coach and have a more interactive experience.
Microsoft’s Kinect sensor, which sold millions across its Xbox 360 and Xbox One iterations but was often criticized, is officially dead. Ahead of its next earnings report later this week, the company has revealed that it has put an end to manufacturing of the device, meaning those still sitting on store shelves will be the last ones available for purchase.
The news was shared by Kinect creator Alex Kipman and Xbox Devices Marketing GM Matthew Lapsen in an interview with Fast Company. Support for the device will continue, so there’s no need–at least in the short term–to worry if you’re someone who still enjoys playing the odd game that uses it or pausing Netflix with a voice command.
This comes as little surprise. Originally launched partway through the Xbox 360’s life cycle, Kinect sold millions and opened the platform to new types of games, like Dance Central. Microsoft then decided to make it a mandatory part of the Xbox One package, driving up the price of the system at launch to $500. It would later be made optional, allowing Microsoft to bring the price down and attempt to appeal to those with no interest in voice controls or motion sensors, though seemingly too late for the system to catch up to Sony’s competing PS4 in terms of sales.
If it had not already been clear, the future of Kinect came into focus when Microsoft released the Xbox One S, the first new iteration of Xbox One. The system revision lacked the necessary port for Kinect, necessitating the use of an adapter for those who still had one laying around. Similarly, the upcoming Xbox One X lacks an integrated Kinect port.
Kinect’s non-gaming applications have proven to arguably be more useful, even providing medical uses. And while the device itself may now effectively be dead, the technology behind it will live on, as aspects of it are used to power Microsoft’s HoloLens augmented reality device.
Bandai Namco has released another new trailer and batch of screenshots for Dragon Ball FighterZ. This video focuses on one of the game’s newly revealed characters, the Saiyan general Nappa.
As V-Jump magazine detailed, Nappa has a few unique tricks in his repertoire, which are shown off in the new trailer. The burly Saiyan can plant Saibamen, which will sprout and help him in battle. He can also fire a powerful beam blast from his mouth. You can take a look at Nappa in action below.
Additionally, Bandai Namco has shared a new batch of screenshots for Captain Ginyu, the other new character revealed in the most recent issue of V-Jump magazine. The images show off the flamboyant warrior’s own unique arsenal of skills, such as his signature Body Change ability. You can also see a screenshot of Ginyu Force members Jeice and Recoome fighting alongside Ginyu in battle, similar to the way Android 17 can momentarily join Android 18 for certain attacks.
It’s the end of the world, and Thor feels fine! Well, maybe not, at least not if the trailers for the truly exciting-looking Thor: Ragnarok are any indication, but as the apocalyptic event that signals the end of Asgard and everything else looms in the MCU, let’s find out just what “Ragnarok” means!
Over the years, this quintessential element of Asgardian legend has played a background role in the unfolding story of the Marvel hero and his fellow warriors, at times galvanizing them into action to try to preserve the status quo and stop the destruction of all they know and love. But where did it all begin? We’ll do our best to dial it all back, but it’s important to note that we’re dealing with an endless cycle here. Brace yourself for confusion, True Believers! Spoilers from the comics follow…
Warner Bros. will publish an “updated” retail version of Rocket League when it hits stores this holiday season, Psyonix announced today.
This retail release, which will be available for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, will be an updated version of the hit game, though specific details on its content “will be confirmed at a later time.”
Psyonix Vice President Jeremy Dunham called Warner Bros. “the ideal partner to help push Rocket League to another level.” Dunham notes he was “impressed” with the publisher after previously teaming up for Rocket League’s Batman v Superman DLC.
Warner Bros. has announced details regarding the future of Middle-earth: Shadow of War – the latest video game to be set in JRR Tolkein’s fantasy universe – and it certainly gives players plenty to look forward to, particularly anyone who has invested in the Season Pass.
Over the next couple of months, two new tribes of Orc will be introduced to Shadow of War, with the Slaughter tribe arriving in November and the Outlaw tribe following in December. Both expansions will introduce new tribal fortresses along with throne rooms, monuments and outposts, as well as new Epic and Legendary Orcs which can be defeated for enhanced loot, including brand new Legendary gear. The Slaughter tribe are specifically noted as being “the most bloodthirsty in Mordor”, with a warning for players that they can lay an ambush at any point. The Outlaws, meanwhile, hold a “deep contempt” for both foreign invaders as well as Lord of Mordor.
Gear.Club Unlimited is in the enviable, and risky, position as the first proper racing game on the Nintendo Switch, and it succeeds, in context.
For a PC sim racing player, it’s easy to be frustrated at AAA simcade games that are severely limited by the lack of hardware availability. Why bother wrestling an ultra-realistic Koenigsegg with all the assists off when you’re stuck with a non-customizable wheel or a controller? These frustrations don’t exist with Gear.Club Unlimited, since the game doesn’t present itself as feathering the edge between real-life and virtual racing.
This isn’t to say that the game is completely lacking in physics, but rather that it has just enough of it. The real success is the game’s pick-up-and-play factor. The varying cars differentiate enough to translate through the controller. You can tell the difference between the weightiness of a BMW M4 and a Lotus Elise’s petite figure. The straightforward selection of driving assists will enable less experienced racers to attempt competing with the veterans. The hardest settings provide veteran racers enough of a challenge with the Switch Joy-Cons / Pro Controller to keep wanting to play, but without often-frustrating pseudo-realism. It’s fun in the way that older Need for Speed titles are fun. You pick up the controller, choose the car that you have on a wall poster, and race.
We’ve teamed up with THQ Nordic to offer 10,000 keys for the multiplayer closed beta for Aquanox Deep Descent. The beta will run from Friday, October 27, 6:00 PM CET / 9 AM PT / 5 PM BST, to Sunday, October 29, 11:59 PM CET / 02:59 PM PT / 10:59 PM BST.
Aquanox is a PC first person underwater vehicle shooter set on a near future Earth, deep below the sea. The beta includes two game modes, Team Deathmatch and Deathmatch, which can be played 4v4 or 8v8 depending on the map. There will be four maps available to play during the beta, two of which are brand new for this beta.
Schwarzenegger has been speaking about the next movie, which will be directed by Deadpool‘s Tim Miller, and suggested that it is taking a back-to-basics approach and will ignore most of the events in the films since 1991’s Terminator 2. In an interview with Business Insider, the Austrian action icon explained that the titular killer robot and Hamilton’s Sarah Connor will be the only characters who appear from earlier movies.
“I think Cameron and Tim came up with a concept where they can continue on with the T-800 but make a whole new movie,” he said. “What they are doing now with this one is basically to just take a few very basic characters, like Linda Hamilton’s character and my character, and dismiss everything else. Just move away from all these rules of the timeline and other characters.”
Schwarzenegger explained why the new movie wouldn’t go down the route of confusing multiple timelines like Genisys did. “It’s hard to come up with new ideas when you stay within that framework,” he said.
In a recent interview, Miller hinted that the movie will avoid the huge-scale, effects-laden style of Genisys and 2009’s Terminator Salvation. “Believe me, there was no lack of things up on the whiteboard,” he said. “He could do this and he could make a marching band out of endoplasmic metal, but who the f**k cares? I don’t want to see that. So we’re trying to keep it grounded like Jim did for Terminator.”
There had been some confusion about whether a new Terminator would happen at all. Terminator: Genisys was originally intended to be the first part of a new trilogy, but its box office failure ended this plan. Subsequent reports suggested that Paramount had abandoned the idea of any more movies, before Cameron’s return to the series was confirmed last month.
We have a crack at taking on the bullet meanies in Enter The Gungeon on Switch!