So were those expectations met after the Microsoft and Sony announcements? Somewhat. Both companies have proved that their ambitious technologies work very well, but they didn't prove that they could challenge the Nintendo juggernaut.
Microsoft Kinect
Kinect is such a stupid name. But then again, we all thought the Wii was also a really stupid name when it was first announced.
Branding aside, there's no denying the raw technological power of the Kinect. Besides it's surprising ability to accurately track movement and body position, the Kinect also acts to allow users to command their Xbox 360s using simple hand gestures and short voice commands. Add in video chat support and body profile recognition, and there is a really tempting list of never-before-seen features that will make any tech lover drool.
Calling the Future. Present here. We've just arrived.
But the future comes at a high price. Even though Microsoft didn't officially announce the price of the Kinect, there's good indication that it's going to be around the $150 price point, which is almost as much as the Wii console itself.
Besides the price, the launch games announced for the Kinect are also hardly inspiring. With such exhilarating titles like "Your Shape: Fitness Evolved" and "Dance Madness" dominating the short list of launch games, one would be hard-pressed to find any reason to drop any amount of money on Kinect.
Microsoft has been trying to create momentum just on the sheer novelty of the Kinect, but that won't be enough to convince people to empty their wallets for it. What will really grab people's attention is if Kinect can have some sort of compatibility with a few of the big titles already on the 360, but that's just a pipe dream for now.
Okay, the 'Move' isn't exactly a better name than the 'Kinect'. But at least it's an actual word.
The Move also boasts a better launch library of gaming titles, with several names that gamers will recognize like SOCOM and Killzone 3. Even though there list is still padded with tech demos masquerading as games, the very presence of several popular franchises at launch gives Sony the advantage over Microsoft's Kinect.
So game set and match to Sony?
Not quite. Sony has a long history of having confusing hardware strategies, and unfortunately the Move isn't immune to this company disease. The Move is actually made up of several components that are sold separately; the $29 Eyetoy camera, the $49 Move controller wand, and the $39 navigation sub-controller.
Here is where the confusion starts. Some games use the 'standard' setup of one Move controller wand and one navigation sub-controller. Other games simply just use the Move controller wand. And then there's the few games that use two Move controller wands.
Thus if you want to partake in the full Playstation Move experience, assuming you don't play the games requiring two Move controller wands, the whole set up will run you around $120. While this sort of hardware pricing strategy may not be confusing for you and me, for the average Joe consumer buying his son a present, it can be a frustrating experience.
In addition to only being moderately cheaper than the Kinect, the Move is also hindered from its lack of ambition. It's more accurate and flexible than the Wii, but not really unique enough to really be distinctive like the Kinect. Some critics, myself included, have called the Move the "Wii-HD". It's not a complement, but rather it's a expression of disappointment.
Conclusion
While the Sony might have the leg up on Microsoft right now thanks to the presence of real games on their launch lineup, I still have some hopes for the Kinect. That tech behind it is amazing, so the only thing that Kinect is missing is the software to make it useful for gaming.
But the overall winner? Neither. You simply can't beat the Nintendo Wii with this kind of effort. Nice try though guys.
Image source: Joystiq
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