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Xbox Gaming system has finally done it. It has broken free of controllers! Microsoft’s new Kinect system allows players to interact with games simply through sounds and physical gestures.
Microsoft on Sunday unveiled new technology for its Xbox gaming system that allows players to interact with games without using a standard controller.
The system, which Microsoft has labeled Kinect, features a camera, audio sensors, and motion-sensing technology that tracks 48 points of movement on the human body. That means players can control on-screen action simply through physical gestures and verbal commands.
The Kinect sensor, a slim, black device that resembles a Web-cam, is designed to plug directly into the Xbox 360 console.
“You are the controller,” said Mike Delman, Microsoft’s corporate VP of global marketing for Interactive Entertainment Business. “You simply step in front of the sensor and Kinect sees you move, hears your voice, and recognizes your face,” said Delman.
Kinect, developed under the code name Project Natal, could up the stakes in the game console wars. If it works as advertised, it could steal momentum from the Nintendo Wii. The Wii also offers motion control, but players must hold a physical controller for it to work.
“People who are intimidated by a controller or a game pad will finally get to unlock some of the experiences that are possible in the living room, gaming and non-gaming alike,” said Marc Whitten, Microsoft’s VP for Xbox Live, in a statement.
Microsoft unveiled Kinect Sunday at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles. The company did not immediately identify games that would support the technology, or reveal information about pricing and shipping dates.
