This is an extension of the ideas brought up in my previous post “the New Generation of Gaming“.
On the cutting edge of today’s technology are devices that make the user feel more immersed in their virtual experience. I’m talking about gadgets such as the iPad and iPod Touch, gadgets that allow the user to direct, control, and manipulate with a touch of their finger. You’re probably wondering, “Wait a minute, isn’t this post titled Microsoft, not Apple?” and I would respond by saying Apple doesn’t have a game-oriented platform. A controversial point in itself, I’d be glad to discuss it with you, but that’s not the focus of this post. No, the focus is how Microsoft is bringing the inspiration behind Apple’s hugely popular products to the gaming industry through their Xbox 360 add-on, Kinect.
The idea of using your body as a controller has been around for quite some time, first appearing, in large scale, at science centers around the country. These devices, which were hooked up to large TV screens, allowed you to participate in simple activities such as blocking a soccer ball and playing volley ball. Sure, the systems weren’t very popular and never made it to the American home, but they did set the stage for more personal devices that could provide a deeper, more immersing, virtual experience. This sort of immersing experience fills a void between the player and the virtual world. Where once a mouse had to be used to move little people around the screen, your finger can interact with your villagers providing a more personal feel.
Now this hugely popular technology is coming to your TV via Microsoft’s Kinect. Instead of using your finger to manipulate your virtual world, you can use your body and voice. Fight, talk, and play with out touching a button by using simple, natural, movements to navigate menus, environments, and obstacles. The bottom line is Microsoft is capitalizing on an already popular technology, one that will bring them piles of cash. The only thing they lack now is 3D compatibility, that and Little Big Planet.
