Home Gaming More rumours of a Kinectless Xbox One

More rumours of a Kinectless Xbox One

2 min read
32

But then how will we see hilarious stuff like this?

Microsoft’s newest console, the Xbox One is a fine bit of tech, and it’s doing pretty well – but not nearly as well as Sony’s PlayStation 4. Its games don’t run as well, it’s more expensive and it’s bundled with Kinect. If the rumours are correct, Microsoft may just be trying to fix the latter two problems.

Rumours of a cheaper version of the Xbox One – one minus the new Kinect – have been around since Microsoft first started doing its big 180 degree shifts. According to the current marketing, Kinect is integral to how the Xbox One works. It was originally set to be always on, but angry consumer worried over security and privacy convinced Microsoft to offer the option to turn it off.

And it might be turning right off. According to NeoGAF’s more often right than wrong prolific leaker CBOAT, Microsoft is set to announce a newer, cheaper, Kinectless version of the console around May – depending, of course how the console does until then.

Judging by current performance, it is something that could happen, with the PlayStation 4 currently outselling the Xbox One 2-to-1 in its home territory.  We still don;t have an official release date for the Xbox One here in South Africa, but it’s possible that by the time it does launch, we’ll have the option of picking the console up without its motion-sensing peripheral.

Of course, that would render the system’s voice control useless, and it would be a tacit admission by Microsoft that they were wrong to include it in the first place. So far, Kinect has not been the great differentiator that Microsoft was hoping for – but it is still early days, and I have no doubt that some clever developer will use the peripheral in new and interesting ways.

Do you think Microsoft would ever sell  Xbox One without Kinect, and would that help convince you to buy one? I definitely still want an Xbox One, and I’ve seen nothing from Kinect that’s convinced me I have to have it. If a cheaper Xbox One without the peripheral was released, I’d certainly pick that up.

Last Updated: February 14, 2014

32 Comments

  1. FoxOneZA

    February 14, 2014 at 11:05

    This is like Ninty dropping the tablet controller.

    Reply

  2. Rikus

    February 14, 2014 at 11:10

    Impossible! The Xbone will not work without the Kinect!* It is not as simple as just flicking a switch or unplugging the Kinect.

    *Yes, that was sarcasm

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief in Vegas

      February 14, 2014 at 11:11

      XD

      Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      February 14, 2014 at 11:22

      But how do you turn it on without Kinect? 😛

      Reply

      • superjulias

        February 19, 2014 at 01:07

        the button on the console. that lights up. its touch.

        Reply

    • Mighty Meh

      February 14, 2014 at 11:31

      I’m pretty sure they will just act like it never happened. They won’t deny it but never will they say that they backtracked.

      Reply

    • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

      February 19, 2014 at 06:25

      lol, good ol’ Mattrick’s Jacket!

      Reply

  3. Alien Emperor Trevor

    February 14, 2014 at 11:11

    I’d be surprised if they did sell one without the Kinect, especially so soon. I don’t know if it would change anyone’s mind though – they spent far too much time talking about how essential it is to 180 again.

    Reply

    • Rikus

      February 14, 2014 at 11:15

      I agree. The problems with the Xbone is far more than the integrated Kinect.

      If they do a 180 again, does that mean the Xbox One essentially become half an Xbox 360?

      Reply

  4. Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!

    February 14, 2014 at 11:19

    It would most certainly help boost sales.

    But Microsoft also need to do something about the sub par performance before people will really start taking an interest.

    If I was to buy an Xbox1 or PS4 at exactly the same price I’d still go for the PS4 because I know most of the cross platform games just simply run better on the Playstation

    Reply

  5. Umar Reborn

    February 14, 2014 at 11:21

    Because Titanfall is a hotly anticipated Kinect game

    Reply

    • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

      February 14, 2014 at 11:51

      BOOM! 😀

      Reply

  6. Hammersteyn

    February 14, 2014 at 11:24

    If it can work without Kinect a lot of people will get their socks back. Also how will they then monitor how many people is watching a movie?

    Reply

  7. RinceandLeSIGH

    February 14, 2014 at 11:31

    Nah. I don’t see them doing this. They have built a 10 year business model that will work in America. They will be in almost every household by 2020 as an integral entertainment system. They are in for the long haul…

    Reply

  8. hillbilly gamer

    February 14, 2014 at 11:36

    NSA must be quite unhappy about it. 😡

    Reply

    • HvR

      February 14, 2014 at 12:44

      Or they got tired of looking at their fat countrymen sitting in front of the TV bitching and swearing about 720p 30fps.

      Reply

  9. Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

    February 14, 2014 at 11:51

    But.. but… the Cloud requires Kinect!!!

    Reply

  10. Tarisma

    February 14, 2014 at 11:56

    But how will MS watch its players then

    Reply

  11. DrKiller

    February 14, 2014 at 12:53

    We all know this will never work without a Kinect… How are you going to turn the Xbox One on?

    Reply

    • Double-O-Six and a half

      February 14, 2014 at 14:00

      Ummm, maybe you’ve heard of this new fangled technology called a “Power Button”… you can now even get them on a button box without wires, a kind of “remote control” if you will… What will these crazy critters think of next dagnabbit!!!

      Reply

      • DrKiller

        February 14, 2014 at 14:02

        Wait wait wait… You want to get up to press the (so called) “power button”? You sir, are brave!

        Reply

        • evilfangs .

          February 15, 2014 at 01:23

          Hold your controller power on button down and it powers on your Xbox one.

          Reply

  12. trueLies

    February 14, 2014 at 14:19

    And what about all that money the NSA paid Microsoft to have that camera facing the public and on at all times. To late they sold there soul.

    Reply

  13. Gr8_Balls_o_Fire

    February 14, 2014 at 15:05

    This must be disappointing news for @XboxSignOut.

    Reply

  14. Brian Murphy

    February 14, 2014 at 17:48

    If Microsoft is indeed planning on cutting the price of the system to try and increase sales, then the only real alternative they have is to cut functionality. With some of their major shareholders already advocating the spinning off of the Xbox division, it would certainly irk them more to see Microsoft selling the console at a loss. So, their hands are kinda tied at the moment for how they move forward.

    You either dump Kinect, and try a relaunch of sorts, or stand pat and roll the dice. Unfortunately, I’m not sure even this will help since there is no question as to which system is more powerful. And if people keep seeing multiplatform titles coming out better on the alternative, and consequently, all their friends getting the alternative….it’s just going to snowball.

    I still would like to point out though, ~3.1 million units in less than 3 months isn’t terrible. It’s just not going nearly as well as the competition. It could be worse, it could be 11 months in and only ~5.7m units.

    Reply

  15. slopp E secnds

    February 15, 2014 at 02:49

    Xbox One without Kinect would be a tragedy. Obviously few of you have an Xbone or you would know that it is incredible! I love how so many of you sit here and trash a system you dont even have. And dont sit here and tell me your friend has an xbone, or you played one at a store, and now you kow all about the system. Until you have a few weeks to learn how to use the Kinect correctly, you have no idea of what it can actually do. Taking the Kinect away from this system would do nothing but ensure that no great games would ever be made for the Kinect. If everyone dosen’t have it, dev wont develope for it, simple as that. The gaming community is so short sighted that all they can focus on is frame rate and resolution. If these things are your concern then you should be a PC gamer or get a steam box when it comes out. Actually, once the Steam box comes out, PS4 will no longer have the best specs to brag about, so it is a moot point.

    Reply

    • mike

      February 15, 2014 at 15:07

      Its funny you sticking up for kinect tells me you dont own a xbox. It only undetstands you when you yell at the top of your lungs, and half the commands are useless. Im so dissapointed in the xbox not to mention the likely event of halo 5 being delayed till next year..the main reason i bought an xbox 1 this year was to play halo 5 Not 2. All i know is if 343 ruins another halo its hello sony for this guy….. no point in having an xbox if halo is crap

      Reply

  16. angel

    February 17, 2014 at 10:53

    I used kinect and it works fine. The commands are very specific if you missed a word it wont work that will improve with time. Xbox has some great games and upcoming great games.

    If you have an xbox you should check out, max: the curse of the brotherhood

    Reply

  17. Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

    February 19, 2014 at 06:25

    I don’t see that happening any time soon, but Microsoft will definitely be on damage control when Titanfall doesn’t close the gap in March and April (let’s be honest, it won’t). They’ll probably scramble to get a firmware update out to divorce the OS from Kinect – in preparation of an eventual kinectless boner.

    Reply

  18. stockwoodie

    March 11, 2014 at 17:08

    Why not create an XBone with a speaker in the actual unit. No need for Kinect / Cameras. This would allow voice controls to still function.

    Reply

  19. Madlady37Rulez

    July 5, 2014 at 17:52

    I had an Xbox one….I did not like it at all. It was too much money, so I took it back. Sometimes things dont need to change for the sake of trying to be number one or for the sake of the market. Improve on the 360, make better updates for it. I dont like Playstation, though I have never tried it, been loyal to Microsoft, also playstation got hacked and got my info. So I am stuck with the 360 and my PC games.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Check Also

Xbox Series X Restock Update Today: Track on Twitter, Walmart, Best Buy and More

New consoles are on the horizon, and while Sony and Microsoft have spoken plenty about wha…