phil_spencer

When the Xbox One was originally debuted the Kinect was stressed as an integral part of the system and was required to even be able to run the console. However, after a year has passed and Stephen Elop has been replaced by Phil Spencer the outlook towards Kinect has been changed.

“This might seem backwards, but I believe the decision we made to allow people to buy Xbox One without Kinect included, in the end, will actually lead to more Kinects in the market,” he said. “I believe that you’ve got to sell the console before you can sell Kinect.”

This decision was clear based on their E3 presentation, where Kinect wasn’t stressed and rarely mentioned so that the games on display could be given their time in the limelight. He also believes that this choice is better for the developers, “Developers will choose when Kinect is part of the experience and when it’s not, and that’s the way it should be.”

Even with this change in philosophy Phil Spencer still says he is constantly being pitched Kinect games, “I think it’s great because people see it as an outlet for creativity, whether it’s immersion, whether it’s voice integrated in some interesting way, whether it’s gesture,” he said. “I think that the creative conversations I’m having with studios are more about, what is the core of what your game is, and then the studio actually usually comes to me and says, ‘Here’s how Kinect’s going to make that better.’

“In terms of a specific focus to say, ‘Hey, you guys, you have to do something that requires Kinect.’ I’m not doing that. I’m saying you need to go make games that are great. We think Kinect adds functionality to the platform that makes games better, and developers will use that when they think it will make their game better.”

Source: Polygon