How Kinect Is Changing The Face Of Gaming

Microsoft stunned the video gaming world when it announced Project Natal (now called Kinect) on June 1, 2009 at the Electronic Entertainment Expo. Kinect is a new peripheral for the Xbox 360 console that doesn’t require controllers to play video games. Instead gamers will use their bodies and voice to control the games. The system uses proprietary software and sophisticated motions sensors, along with an RGB camera and multi array microphone to track players in 3D.

In one respect, Kinect is a response to the popular Nintendo Wii. The Wii helped to bring video games to the new and casual game users who are not interested in learning complicated gaming console systems. This greatly extended the market. Kinect takes this concept even further by allowing individuals to play games without even needing to use a controller.

Another way in which Kinect differs from the Wii, is that it has a voice recognition system. The Kinect system also uses a camera to map the gaming environment in 3D whereas the Wii is a positional device. Kinect is able to capture motion and also has voice and facial recognition capabilities.

Kinect comes even closer to fulfilling the big dream for gamers which is to actually be inside the game itself. By being able to use your own body and voice this may be closest we can get to experiencing this. You truly become the character and it’s more like a reality game than a video game. Gamers will also be able to save money on accessories and controllers which also brings things closer to reality.

For now Kinect is being marketed as an accessory to the Xbox 360. The camera will sit atop the game console and games will be played through the Xbox. However, the technology behind Kinect could very well extend to PCs and beyond. The sophisticated 3D motion and voice recognition system opens up many possibilities to extend into other facets of home entertainment and potentially office applications as well.

One big questions gamers have on their minds is whether Kinect will satisfy the needs and desires of hardcore gamers or whether its appeal will be more for the casual and new game user. The jury is still out on that one. Time will tell to see what game developers can come up with. One thing is for certain is that Kinect holds great promise for changing the gaming industry and gaming experience for good.