No Voice Control For Kinect Launch

Dan Lee 53 Comments

Microsoft has confirmed to MCV that Kinect will not boast any voice control functionality or the chat software ‘Video Kinect’ at launch, and that gamers will have to wait until a later date.

Speaking at Gamescom, Xbox Live marketing manager – Robin Burrowes – had the following to say;

“We will be announcing when voice control will be turned on in due course.”

This is some very surprising news, bearing in mind that voice control is one of the major points Microsoft has been focusing on.  The uphill struggle for Kinect continues.

Source: MCV

UPDATE: Microsoft has spoken to TSA regarding MCV’s story and has said the following;

“Voice control is an exciting part of the ‘Kinect for Xbox 360’ controller-free experience and we can confirm that it will be available at launch in November 2010. Only on Xbox 360 will you be able to navigate the Kinect Hub using your voice to control your movies, TV Shows and music. We do not have additional details to share about local voice availability at this time.”

On a side note, they have also spoken to us regarding yesterday’s story that Kinect requires a player to be four to five feet from Kinect;

“Comments recently about the play space for “Kinect” were misinterpreted. It is true that the “Kinect” sensor reads the configuration of your room and adjusts play space, as appropriate. We know that living rooms come in all shapes and sizes, and have conducted numerous play tests to ensure everyone will be able to jump off the couch and into the fun when “Kinect” launches globally this holiday.

 

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Related stories from TSA

Microsoft Officially Discontinue The Kinect Adapter For Xbox One S And X
Microsoft Cease Production Of Kinect
No Kinect Adaptor To Be Included Or Offered Free With Xbox One X Purchases
Xbox One Kinect Sensor To Officially Be Available From October 7th

53 Comments

  1. It just seems to be more and more bad news for Kinect. Since I am PS3 only I wouldn’t be getting it anyway but if I was a 360 owner, these little disappointments would certainly be adding up

    • I am really really surprised – it’s all sounding very rushed.

      • Rushed? Microsoft? never in a month of sundays….

      • They want Kinect to be in line with the Xbox. When the 360 first came out it had numerous flaws, so they want Kinect to be the same ;P

      • STOP DELETING MY SMEGING COMMENTS

      • Speak up. ;-)

    • same here, but i really don’t think any/all of the problems and restrictions will make any difference what so ever to sales. Its for the casual market, they would even realise it had voice control as a spec unless it states it on the box.

  2. If they sell it, saying it comes with the voice functionality, i’ll be pissed. Who the hell is going to buy Kinect for that price without one of the major factors?

  3. A very steep hill

  4. As a defender of Kinect as a potential great fun gaming peripheral for families or drunken parties, even I think this is a big blow.

    How will Kinectimals work? Voice is a key part of that game, and Kinectimals is a key title for those with children (a core market for Kinect)

    • I think that will still work, this article is reffering to controlling the 360 dashboard etc, I believe.

      • That is my assumption too, it still has a mic in it at the end of the day so if the game is programmed to use the mic then it will use the mic, it’s just that they’ve not finished programming the dashboard and other applications to use the mic…

    • Never thought of drunken parties.. That would be ace pure madness :D

  5. With the amount of time still left until release I wonder how much more will be stripped or not functional at launch.

    “Kinect will now launch with only 1 armed 1 person support; support for second arm will be turned on later. Support for 2 persons will be turned on even later.”

  6. This is just unacceptable now. What the hell are mircosoft doing;
    You can play it if you’re a hardcore gamer,
    you have to be four/ficve feet away from it to get the best out of it,
    It doesn’t have voice control,

    What are they doing???????

  7. Oh dear… things keep getting worse for Microsoft…

  8. Kinect is just getting more terrible by the second. IMO it doesn’t seem like it’s going to be ready in time for release and they are just trying to rush it.

    • See Xbox 360 launch and the subsequent RROD fiasco as well as various design changes and redesigns…

      • Yet they still sold like hot-cakes! I think MS could come out and say “on release, Kinect will do absolutely nothing except take up space on top of your telly” and it would still sell well.

  9. christ, this is a bit of a blow for Kinect. If I owned an xbox and was thinking of purchasing this, I would definitely be thinking twice now.

  10. Coming soon: Kinect 2.0

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