Microsoft will include a more advanced version of its Kinect sensor and camera with every $499.99 Xbox One console. Ever since this was first announced back in May, Microsoft has defended adding the Kinect to the Xbox One package, even calling it an "essential and integrated part of the platform."
But what if the Kinect sensor is not connected to the Xbox One, as a result of the sensor breaking in some way, perhaps from falling off its perch near a TV? Will Xbox One owners still be able to play games? In IGN's weekly Ask Microsoft Anything Q&A, Microsoft Corporate Vice President Marc Whitten was asked that very question. After hyping up the advantages that Kinect supposedly brings to the Xbox One, he wrote this statement:
That said, like online, the console will still function if Kinect isn’t plugged in, although you won’t be able to use any feature or experience that explicitly uses the sensor.
That statement would seem to confirm that the Xbox One doesn't really need the Kinect for its core features. While games made specifically for the Xbox One's Kinect hardware, such as the recently delayed Kinect Sports Rivals, won't work without it, the vast majority of Xbox One games can still be played without the sensor. So far, the launch of the Xbox One, which is due in November, won't include any games that will require the Kinect hardware, although that could change between now and the launch date.
This piece of news also might serve to fuel speculation that Microsoft could launch a version of the Xbox One without the Kinect as a way to lower its overall price. So far, Microsoft has denied any plans to offer the console without the sensor.
Source: IGN | Image via Microsoft
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