As time goes on, more and more gaming consoles will be released and will only get better and better with each passing year. But as more consoles are released, we forget about the older gaming consoles that shaped how we game. In this mini-series, we'll be looking at some forgotten consoles that you probably had yourself! In our previous blog within this series, we focused on the Nintendo DSi and Apple Pippin! This time, we check out another iconic gaming company, Xbox. Here's the long-forgotten Xbox Kinect. Let's go!
Related blog: Exploring Forgotten Consoles: Virtual Boy
What is the function of the Kinect?
The Xbox Kinect was an accessory that worked alongside the Xbox 360 game console. It was a long, speaker-shaped black console with a lens on one side and the iconic Xbox logo on the other. The console sat on the TV pointing to the gamer. Released in 2010, it contained an array of microphones, an active-sensing depth camera that used structured light, and a colour camera. To simplify it, the Kinect was a controller-free gaming controller which tracked the bodies of various players in its field of view. There were specific games made for Kinect so that players could physically interact with the gameplay.
How many games were released for Kinect?
- Kinect Sports Rivals - 2014
- Carnival Games - 2011
- Dance Central - 2010
- Fruit Ninja - 2015
- Kinect Adventures - 2010
- Kinect Disneyland Adventures - 2011
- Air Guitar Warrior - 2017
- Shape Up - 2014
Why did the Kinect flop?
Now you will be waiting for us to explain why the Xbox Kinect was a massive failure and how it was discontinued in less than a year. Wrong. The Kinect was very successful, people loved the interactions with the games and the fact that new, premium games were created. The console was discontinued in October 2017, lasting an impressive 7 years. When it was released, the console was estimated to have sold around 8 million units in the first 2 months of release. Because of this, the Kinect won the Guinness World Record for the 'Fastest-Selling Consumer Electronics Device'. As well as this, the Kinect was one of the first consoles to have an impact not only on the gaming community, but the medical community. Due to its motion-sending tech, the Kinect was used (and still used) to help perform CT scans. When the Xbox One released in 2013, the Kinect was compatible with this console too.
So why did the console become forgotten? The main reason was due to its practical limitations, needing such a large amount of space to use, as time went on, people just didn't have the space. Mobile and handheld gaming got more popular, and people just stopped bothering with the Kinect. When it was discontinued in 2017, no one really cared; it was a shame, but it certainly earned its position in our series.
Related blog: Gaming De Ja Vu
Conclusion:
The Kinect is the first console in this series that wasn't actually a failure, but literally just forgotten. We'd love Xbox to bring this console back for an update, especially with the news that they're creating a handheld console within the next couple of years.
Is there an obscure gaming console you remember from your childhood? Do you want to learn more about it? Drop us a comment and we'll look into it! Until then, check out our previous blogs from within the mini-series.
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