So how Much Does the Kinect Cost?
Microsoft are promising that the Kinect will change the face of motion control gaming, but with its highly anticipated release comes the question of Kinect cost. Is it really worth the price tag, and are there any ways to get hold of it cheaper? Also is it as good as Microsoft claim?
The Kinect Cost: Is It Worth It?
$149.99 is the recommended retail price of the Kinect fighting games , and its more than likely that the majority of retailers will adhere to this price due to anticipated demand for this new piece of software. They aren't likely to drop the price when it comes out for obvious reasons. This means its more expensive than almost any controller that's been released for a video game console, and even more expensive than an Xbox 360 (non slim). Admittedly, the Kinect controller is very different to anything we have seen before.
This controller isn't actually a controller in the usual sense of the word. It is, in fact, a wireless sensor bar that has a built in camera that can detect bodily movements (it even works with two players) to replicate them on the screen. You don't even need to utilise a controller to choose menu options - you just "grab" the items. In this respect, this is extremely new technology which explains the high Kinect cost. But you still are limited to the number of game players you can have. Unlike the Wii, you can only have 2 players at a time although Microsoft have claimed that the Kinect has the technology to handle more than 2 players. Also I think Microsoft are really missing the boat by simply developing games that can only be used for the Kinect. What abou tthe hard core gamers? I am sure they would love to play a shooter like Halo or some other action game, using a Kinect. Im guessing it would probably involve some sort of addon
Sony are releasing a similar motion sensor product known as the playstation"Move". This works a bit differently as it uses a camera, controller and navigation controller to achieve the effect. The total cost of this equipment is $100 - a useful comparison to the Kinect hardware.
Getting Cheaper Kinect shooting games
Although Kinect is pretty expensive, there are ways you can save money if you also want to buy the console with a Kinect. By itself, the Kinect does come with one game to add value to the package. However, you can buy this game along with the Kinect motion sensor and the new Xbox 360 Slim console for an even bigger saving.
The Xbox 360 console and Kinect bundles come in two options: a 250GB hard drive and a 4GB hard drive. They're sold alone at $299.99 and $199.99 respectively, and you can add just $100 onto the price if you want the Kinect bundle. This makes the 250GB bundle $399.99 and the 4GB bundle $299.99. or if you are one of the lucky ones you could win a copy with offers like this one.
As you can see, the Kinect cost is expensive if you consider it to be a standard controller - but the truth is that it's much more than that. It really will be a completely new gaming experience, and despite some shortcomings people are likely to still want to purchase it just to experience the technology if nothing else. But Microsoft are so far only concentrating on family games and dont seem to be catering for hard core gamers. Maybe that's because the technology just isn't up to the task right now?
Kinect Games Cost
