Kinect Message Board older than one year ago

#aprilfools If Assassin's Creed really was made to be played entirely with crazy gestures via the Xbox Kinect, it would be a) horrible, b) amazing or c) the cause for many, many injuries. More »

#rampage Remember Rampage? The old-school arcade hit let players control giant monsters that unleashed havoc all over fictional cities, most memorably by climbing buildings and punching them into rubble. More »

More than half of the time people spend on Xbox Live is devoted to watching videos and listening to music, Microsoft's Yusuf Mehdi told the Los Angeles Times. "What we're seeing is that people are turning on the Xbox to play games and then keeping it on afterwards to get other types of entertainment," Mehdi said.

The Xbox 360 isn't a gaming console; it's now officially an entertainment center that includes games, and it's becoming more popular with this angle. Today households spend an average of 84 hours a month playing games and using other apps on Xbox Live, up 30 percent from a year prior. To compare, the average household watches 150 hours of TV each month.

Even before Kinect, a tool that has always made more sense as an entertainment control rather than a gaming one, Microsoft has wanted the Xbox 360 to be "the heart of connected digital entertainment," as HBO senior vice president of consumer technology Otto Berkes put it.

Today Microsoft added MLB.TV, HBO GO and Comcast Xfinity TV apps to its lineup, which already includes Hulu, Netflix, YouTube, Zune, Last.fm and others.

MLB.TV isn't the only app premiering on Xbox 360 today: HBO GO and Comcast Xfinity TV are now live and ready for your viewing pleasure. Both apps are available at no cost for current HBO GO and/or Xfinity TV subscribers, and they are both Kinect compatible.

From here, this looks like perfect timing, at least on HBO's part -- The second season of Game of Thrones premieres on Sunday, and we believe there's no better place to watch a smattering of gory, smutty violence than through the device you use to play gory, smutty games.

A new app has surfaced on the Xbox 360 today. Subscribers to the MLB.TV service -- which streams out-of-market regular season baseball games -- will be able to access games through a new Xbox 360 app. Previously the PS3 had the exclusive rights to MLB.TV.

One of the Xbox 360-exclusive features is a split-screen mode allowing users to watch two games at once: two live games; a live game and a recap; or two recaps at once, each with independent controls. Then, of course, there's the standard gesture and Kinect control options.

The app is available today, a free download on the Xbox 360. But in order to access the MLB.TV content, you'll need to pony up for a premium subscription and have an Xbox Live Gold account.

Rumors of a new Xbox have been swirling for quite some time now, though they are now taking a slightly different shape. The next Xbox hardware won't actually be a generational leap, according to anonymous blogger MS Nerd, posting on Reddit. Instead, the console will actually be a stripped down version of the current Xbox, which will concentrate on "Arcade-style games" and Kinect apps. This is apparently the same ARM-powered console that MS Nerd first discussed in November of last year. The device will be "price-competitive" with Apple TV and is apparently slated for a late 2013 launch.

Meanwhile, the "true successor" will launch sometime after with the same media apps and support for more core game experiences. Furthermore, the next generation of Kinect will supposedly launch sometime around 2015. At this point, keeping track of the next Xbox is becoming something of a chore, with estimates for a new launch ranging from late this year all the way out to 2014. For Microsoft's part, the company says there will be no talk of new Xbox hardware at this year's E3.

We fully expected Dragon's Lair to show up on XBLA sooner or later, so that PEGI listing wasn't much of a surprise. However, publisher Digital Leisure managed to surprise us anyway -- with Kinect support.

You can play Dragon's Lair normally, or you can respond to on-screen prompts with the correct motion. Examples shown in screens include jumping away from a crumbling floor or reaching up to grab a rope.

That makes Dragon's Lair an unlikely technological trailblazer: according to PlayXBLA, it'll be the first XBLA game to support both the Kinect and the traditional controller. Assuming it arrives before Steel Battalion, of course.

With the HBO Go app for Xbox just weeks away, HBO has released a teaser. The clip reveals app's required Kinect functionality, which unsurprisingly includes gesture and voice control. It sounds like a great idea, until you realize you'll only use it once. "Xbox, Boardwalk Empire, play, forever."

Having held the top NPD spot for the past 14 months straight -- and with the introduction of Kinect -- the old Xbox 360 still has some life in it yet. "For us, 2012 is all about Xbox 360," Xbox spokesperson and Group Manager of PR David Dennis told Bloomberg. "There will be no talk of new Xbox hardware at E3 or anytime soon."

A few sources close to news outlet Bloomberg insist that Microsoft will introduce a new console in 2013 at the earliest. Next year's E3 could hold an unveiling of the Xbox 360 successor, says the report, with a potential same-year launch to follow. Now doesn't that sound familiar?

[Note: Image taken from our Microsoft E3 2011 keynote liveblog.]

#capcom It does include a jacket, helmet cap, and bag like Steel Battalion character W. Powers sports in the game. There's also the game's soundtrack and a book, too. All yours for ¥35,000 or US$420 via Capcom's online shop for a limited time. More »

We've officially turned on the theme song to Welcome Back, Kotter and started growing a lustrous mustache in honor of Phil Harrison's return to Game Industry Executiveland. This morning, reports from Europe indicated that Harrison would head to Microsoft -- Microsoft confirmed the news later, which named him corporate vice president of Interactive Entertainment Business "with an emphasis on growing the division's European business."

Microsoft corporate vice president of Studios Phil Spencer welcomed Harrison in a press release. "We are honored to have Phil join a team that boasts a wealth of talent from across the industry," Spencer said. Harrison is charged with "overseeing UK-based developers Lionhead Studios, Soho Productions and Rare Ltd.," a role he'll likely warm to quickly given past work as head of worldwide studios for Sony Computer Entertainment.

Harrison's most recent employer is game industry venture capital firm London Venture Partners, where he served as general partner. He continues on as "special advisor." Harrison will not be replacing former Microsoft Studios Europe head Peter Molyneux (who recently left Microsoft), though he will be overseeing Lionhead. Molyneux's role at Lionhead as studio manager is currently occupied by COO Mark Webley, according to Microsoft.

Update: Microsoft announced Harrison's appointment this morning to corporate vice president of Microsoft's "Interactive Entertainment Business" arm, with a focus on European markets. See the full presser just below the jump.

[Image credit: Flickr user 'jontintinjordan']

We've officially turned on the theme song to Welcome Back, Kotter and started growing a lustrous mustache in honor of Phil Harrison's return to Game Industry Executiveland. This morning, news broke out of Europe that Harrison will be taking over Peter Molyneux's recently vacated position as head of Microsoft Studio's Europe. GameIndustry.biz reports the appointment, citing "several sources" confirming the report (we've reached out to Microsoft for confirmation, but have yet to hear back).

Harrison's LinkedIn and Twitter accounts make no mention of the new job, perhaps because Microsoft's official announcement is reportedly set for "later today." His most recent employer is game industry venture capital firm London Venture Partners, where he serves as general partner.

Update: Microsoft announced Harrison's appointment this morning to corporate vice president of Microsoft's "Interactive Entertainment Business" arm, with a focus on European markets. Specifically, Harrison will be "overseeing UK-based developers Lionhead Studios, Soho Productions and Rare Ltd." See the full presser just below the jump.

[Image credit: Flickr user 'jontintinjordan']

We've officially turned on the theme song to Welcome Back, Kotter and started growing a lustrous mustache in honor of Phil Harrison's return to Game Industry Executiveland. This morning, news broke out of Europe that Harrison will be taking over Peter Molyneux's recently vacated position as head of Microsoft Studio's Europe. GameIndustry.biz reports the appointment, citing "several sources" confirming the report (we've reached out to Microsoft for confirmation, but have yet to hear back).

Harrison's LinkedIn and Twitter accounts make no mention of the new job, perhaps because Microsoft's official announcement is reportedly set for "later today." His most recent employer is game industry venture capital firm London Venture Partners, where he serves as general partner.

[Image credit: Flickr user 'jontintinjordan']

Ahead of the NPD officially revealing its February numbers, Microsoft is already tooting its own horn. The console manufacturer claims to have sold 426,000 consoles in February, more than any other console. That makes for 14 consecutive months with the Xbox 360 maintaining the top sales position among consoles. Microsoft also notes that the console has maintained more than a 40 percent market share in the current generation of consoles for 12 straight months.

Additionally, consumer spending on hardware, software and accessories bested other consoles as well, totaling $383 million. According to Joystiq's resident financial analyst, the figure is "a lot." We'll have complete NPD numbers shortly.

#science Many of the advances in game-related tech we've seen in the past few years have come in the area of control. Touch screens and motion control have become the order of the day on our handheld devices as well as on our home consoles. More »

Fabled game developer Peter Molyneux has left Microsoft and Lionhead Studios for startup 22 Cans. In a statement to Kotaku, the creative lead of Microsoft Studios Europe said he will conclude his work on the latest Fable before going off on the next great adventure.

"It is with mixed emotions that I made the decision to leave Microsoft and Lionhead Studios, the company that I co-founded in 1997, at the conclusion of development of Fable: The Journey," Molyneux said in the statement. "I remain extremely passionate and proud of the people, products and experiences that we created."

Molyneux expressed the departure was amicable and Microsoft noted the ever-quotable developer "has made an indelible mark on the games industry and we wish him all the best of luck in his future endeavors."

Music video junkies will have one more place to search for and watch content starting today. VEVO, a music video site, has debuted its Xbox 360 app today. It's available in the US, Canada, Ireland and UK now.

The app has some neat functionality, allowing users to link their VEVO and Xbox 360 profiles to "stream and curate video playlists, share videos through Facebook and discover new artists." Also, the Xbox 360 VEVO app lets you watch Justin Bieber music videos on your Xbox 360 which, let's face it, is the real important piece of news here.

Not since Honey, I Shrunk the Kids have tiny people enjoyed so much time in the spotlight.

Microsoft today announced that the music video application, VEVO, is now available on Xbox Live featuring 11,000 artists and 45,000 music videos. The service is also compatible with Kinect voice controls. Find out more on Major Nelson's blog. More »

Dennis Durkin may not be a name you recognize, but for 12 years he's worked in the belly of the beast that is Microsoft as corporate VP, COO and CFO of the company's Interactive Entertainment Business. The last few years he's worked specifically in the games division. Today, Activision has snatched Durkin up, Microsoft has announced. Mitchell Koch, currently Microsoft's VP of worldwide sales and marketing, will succeed Durkin effective March 19.

Dennis Durkin will report directly to Activision CEO Bobby Kotick as the company's chief financial officer, overseeing all finances for the publisher. Thomas Tippl has served as interim CFO since 2010, when he was bumped up to COO.

"Your horse pays the price for your mistakes" Peter Molyneux explained during a demo for Fable: The Journey, Lionhead's upcoming Kinect-powered spin-off. The Journey is centered around a young man and his trusty steed and sets out to forge a bond between the two, similar to the relationship players had with their dog in Fable 2.

#taiwan I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Holding hardware makes pretty much anyone look like a doofus. More »

April 4 marks the beginning of the Kinect combat baseball season. Major Nelson revealed that Diabolical Pitch, Grasshopper Manufacture's damned freaky Kinect game, will be out on that day.

There's no more new info, as it was just a blurb in a roundup of news from Microsoft's recent press event, but no amount of explanation would make that game make sense anyway.

The level cap in Forza 4 will be increased dramatically to level 999 via an online update, which should be a welcome change for racing fans stuck at a mere level 150. It fixes a number of bugs and adds some fresh whips, and should be available tomorrow.

"Players are putting in a lot more hours than they ever did in Forza 3," Greenwalt boasted during a Forza 4 behind-closed-doors session at Microsoft's annual showcase event in San Francisco last week. He said that the level cap of 150 was initially designed to be unattainable within a span of 9-12 months, but found that the most diehard players had hit that goal within four months of launch.

How long will it take to hit the new max? We don't know, but we're happy to race you to it.

#steelbattalion Holy crap, this tank is taking fire from all sides, I can't see anything, I need to vent out the smoke but one of my crew members just got shot and we can't stay still for too long or enemy soldiers will climb in and kill us, and I can't reach the vent button, and the window just cracked, so now I'm flying blind, okay up periscope, woah holy crap I blew away a tank, awesome, oh wait okay there are bullets pouring in from all sides and what the hell am I supposed to do now oh okay I died. More »

Porsche was absent from the racing lineup in Forza 4, much to the disappointment of many series fans -- including Turn 10 creative director Dan Greenwalt. It was with visible pleasure, then, that Greenwalt announced the return of the iconic German roadsters at an Xbox showcase event last week.

Set to arrive in May, the Porsche Expansion Pack -- priced higher than the usual DLC, Greenwalt said -- adds 30 new cars to the game, seven of which are entirely new to the series Greenwalt wouldn't go into specifics on the lineup, but confirmed the Porsche Expansion Pack adds 20 new Porsche events, fully integrated into the main campaign, and brings the total number of cars available in Forza 4 to 625.

#doodlejump Developers at Lima Sky dropped by our office today so that I could play Doodle Jump...on the Kinect for Xbox 360. We got an exclusive reveal of the game today, and you can watch it in action in the video above that features yours truly dancing around in front of our office Kinect. More »

Themed DLC packs are great and everything, but there's no law that say all DLC has to be themed all the time. Take Forza 4's March Pirelli DLC pack, for instance: The 10 cars contained within the pack have literally nothing to do with each other, other than the fact that they're all cars of some variety and would probably be jolly good fun to drive. It's like a big grab bag of Hot Wheels, only digital and impossible to step on in the middle of the night.

Available March 6 for 560 MS Points (or "free" to Season Pass holders), the pack comes with the 2011 Aston Martin V12 Zagato (Villa d'Este), the 1971 Ferrari #2 Ferrari Automobili 312 P, the 2012 Ultima GTR, the 1969 Chevrolet Nova SS 396, the 2010 Renault Clio RS, the 1966 Ford Country Squire, the 1995 BMW 850CSi, the 2011 Wiesmann GT MF5, the 1969 Chevrolet Corvair Monza, and our personal favorite, the 1986 Alfa Romeo GTV-6.

The brothers Carter have reunited, and it must feel good. Former Lionhead staffers Dene and Simon Carter have made good on their promise to form a new UK-based studio, aptly calling the venture Another Place Productions, according to Gamasutra. The pair were key players in the development of the Fable franchise, and bring with them a number of other essential players from that team.

Former art director John McCormack, technical director Guillaume Portes, and executive producer Jeremie Texier have all stepped away from their former home at Lionhead to join Another Place.

Simon Carter left his position last year, after co-founding the Lionhead satellite studio, Big Blue Box, which was responsible for the Fable series. Eventually, all satellite studios were absorbed into Lionhead as one complete entity, which is owned by Microsoft. At the time of his departure, Carter said he hoped to work on games for digital platforms like XBLA, PSN, Steam, and mobile titles, but it's unclear what Another Place will work on first.

It's unclear how their departure will affect development of the upcoming Kinect-specific title Fable: The Journey, which is scheduled to launch at some point this year, which we're hoping works out better than Fable 3 did.

If you happen to have cable, HBO and an Xbox Live subscription, your Xbox 360 will get somewhat more useful come April 1. HBO co-president Eric Kessler has confirmed that HBO Go, the premium network's streaming service, will arrive on Xbox 360s just in time for April Fools' Day -- okay, and the premiere of Game of Thrones season two -- according to our cohorts at Engadget.

HBO Go goes a step beyond cable on demand services, offering, movies, special features and every episode of nearly every HBO series. Of course, we'll have to see the Xbox Live app in action before we know how many features actually make it to the console. Here's hoping we can finally see what Deadwood was all about.