With the launch of Kinect coming up next month, Microsoft have announced that they will have 17 controller free games available as part of Kinect’s launch portfolio. Read on for the complete list.
Today, the countdown to Kinect begins, as Microsoft Corp. announced the launch of a multiyear advertising campaign and revealed the complete lineup of 17 controller-free games that will transform living rooms around the world starting on Nov. 4.
With pre-orders rapidly selling out and thousands of retailers across the country opening at midnight on launch day, Kinect is set to fly off store shelves and get everyone off the couch and on their feet this holiday season.
“The very first time we saw Kinect, we knew it would be a ‘must have’ item for the holiday season,” said Richard Barry, vice president, general merchandise manager, Toys “R” Us® Inc. “There is no better place in the world to introduce innovative new products than Toys “R” Us, and we are excited about the full day of activities planned in New York City, building up to the much anticipated sale of the first Kinect sensor at our flagship store in Times Square.”
Excitement for Kinect has reached a fever pitch. Over the past four months, tens of thousands of kids and parents, seasoned gamers and newbies alike jumped into the world of controller-free entertainment on the nationwide Kinect Experience Tour. This week, Microsoft continues to fan the flames with the launch of the Kinect global ad campaign.
“The Xbox 360 team created a multiyear, integrated campaign showcasing real people at the heart of the experience,” said Mike Delman, corporate vice president of IEB global marketing, Microsoft. “Kinect puts consumers at the center of their entertainment, and our marketing efforts follow that same charter.”
A Gift for the Whole Family
For less than the price of four tickets to see “The Nutcracker” this holiday, Kinect is a gift that awakens the living room all year round with laughter, camaraderie and the simple joy of new experiences shared with family and friends. The all-in-one Xbox 360 4GB Console with Kinect includes the new Xbox 360 4GB console, Kinect sensor and “Kinect Adventures,” priced at $299.99 ERP (U.S.). Or for those who have an Xbox 360 console1 at home, the stand-alone Kinect for Xbox 360 priced at $149.99 ERP (U.S.) includes the Kinect sensor and “Kinect Adventures” and works with the 42 million Xbox 360 consoles currently in homes worldwide.
With 17 Kinect-enabled titles debuting in November, Kinect for Xbox 360 offers something for gamers (and nongamers) of every stripe.
Family Game Night … With a Kinect Twist
Befriend a playful tiger cub, collect treasures from around the globe or cast a spell in the wizarding world. Whether adopting a new family pet in “Kinectimals” (Frontier Developments Ltd./Microsoft Game Studios), or embarking on a wet and wild rafting trip in “Kinect Adventures” (Good Science Studio/Microsoft Game Studios), Kinect for Xbox 360 is the one gift the whole family will enjoy this holiday season.
Included with every Kinect sensor, Kinect Adventures delivers pulse-racing adventure to you and your family. Work together to complete a variety of challenges that fire up the mind and body for players of all ages and skill levels. You’ll bounce through roaring rapids, challenge obstacle courses or explore a leaky underwater laboratory.
Kinectimals (Frontier Developments Ltd./Microsoft Game Studios)
Limited collector’s editions of the “Kinectimals” game packaged with a 7” plush toy that unlocks a new animal and toy in the game will be available at select retailers. $49.99 ERP (U.S.)/$59.99 ERP (U.S.) limited collector’s edition.
Dead Space Ignition is now ready for direct download from the Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360. Weighing in 2 GB, Dead Space Ignition is available in All Xbox LIVE regions and will cost 400 MS Points. A FREE demo is also available to download.
Dead Space Ignition is a downloadable game that takes place on the Sprawl and challenges players to survive the initial necromorph outbreak.
Content: Dead Space Ignition Price: 400 Microsoft Points Availability: All Xbox LIVE Regions Dash Text: Dead Space Ignition is a prologue to Dead Space 2, where you must survive the initial Necromorph outbreak on the Sprawl. Combining comic story-telling with three unique hacking games, it delivers a new Dead Space experience. Choose your path through the story, and upon completion of each ending, you’ll receive unlocks in Dead Space 2, including an exclusive suit for Isaac Clarke. You must complete different Hacking games in order to succeed: Hardware Crack is a puzzler where you align lasers to complete circuits. System Override turns tower-defense games on their head, with you on the offensive. Finally, Trace Route is a side-scrolling race against competing electrical signals. Can you survive the events leading up to Dead Space 2?
For all you lucky people who have pre-ordered Dead Space 2 from Participating retailers, you should have received a code that allows you free access to this game. Check your local retailer for further details.
The second and final downloadable content pack for Alan Wake is now ready to download from the Xbox LIVE Marketplace for Xbox 360. Weighing in at 477 MB, "The Writer" is available for 560 MSP and is available to download in all Xbox LIVE regions.
A dark presence stalks the small town of Bright Falls, pushing Wake to the brink of sanity in his fight to unravel the mystery and save his love. With the body of an action game and the mind of a psychological thriller, Alan Wake is a pulse-pounding thrill ride.
Content: Alan Wake:The Writer Price: 560 Points Availability: All Xbox LIVE Regions Dash Text: Our second downloadable content pack, "The Writer," finds Wake in strange circumstances; now fully aware of the thing that opposes him, he must survive one increasingly nightmarish situation after another.
Microsoft on Wednesday announced a new Kinect bundle that includes the Xbox 360 250GB and a Kinect game. The bundle will be released in the UK on November 4th for £299.99 and the US version will be coming out November 4th for $399.
Starting Nov. 4, users can purchased the Xbox 360 250GB console, a Kinect sensor, and the "Kinect Adventures" game as a $400 bundle, Microsoft said.
The slimmer, shinier Xbox with a 250-Gbyte hard drive made its debut at the E3 gaming conference in June. The Kinect-ready Xbox include an updated angular case with a glossy finish, 802.11n Wi-Fi, and HDMI. The standalone 250GB console is available now for $299.99, but users will have to wait until November for the Kinect bundle.
Microsoft also announced Wednesday that Kinect will debut in Japan on Nov. 20. It will be on display at next week's Tokyo Game Show.
Microsoft announced Kinect availability and other pricing bundles in July. As a standalone product, Kinect will launch Nov. 4 in the U.S. for $149.99. It will come with the Kinect sensor and "Kinect Adventures."
For a cheaper Xbox bundle option, users can purchase an Xbox 360 4GB console, the Kinect sensor, and "Kinect Adventures" for $299. The 4GB version of the XBox 360 started shipping on Aug. 3 for $199.99.
Fifteen games like "Kinectimals," "Kinect Sports," and "Kinect JoyRide," will also be available at launch for $49 each.
Pre-orders for those bundles are now being accepted at most major retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Target, GameStop, and the Microsoft Store. Those who pre-order Kinect will get a token to download three exclusive game levels for "Kinect Adventures."
Microsoft did not mention if pre-orders for the Xbox 360 250GB bundle were available; the option does not appear on the Microsoft Store.
MS offer loads of goodies in their newest press release:
"Microsoft Corp. today announced an all-in-one opportunity to jump into the controller-free fun of Kinect this holiday: the all-new Xbox 360 4GB console, the revolutionary Kinect sensor and "Kinect Adventures" packaged together for $299.99 (U.S. ERP). With "Kinect Adventures," players will make their way through 20 adventures, navigating roaring rapids and ducking and dodging through mountaintop obstacle courses and other exotic locations -- no controller, wand or balance board required. In addition, existing Xbox 360 console owners can purchase the Kinect sensor with "Kinect Adventures" for $149.99 (U.S. ERP). The sensor, which will work with each of the 40 million Xbox 360 consoles currently in households worldwide,1 is uniquely able to track your full body movements, respond to your voice and deliver a multiplayer experience right out of the box.
In addition, the new Xbox 360 4GB console, which begins shipping on Aug. 3 in the U.S., will be available for $199.99 (U.S. ERP). With a sleek new design, the Xbox 360 4GB console looks great and includes built-in Wi-Fi N, 4GB of internal flash memory, touch-sensitive buttons and a black matte finish.
"Kinect for Xbox 360 offers tremendous entertainment value for the whole family," said Dennis Durkin, Xbox 360 chief operating officer. "With full body, voice and the ability to play games with your friends right out of the box, Kinect is the most unique, complete and affordable way for everyone to enjoy controller-free fun and entertainment."
With more than 15 games available at launch, living rooms will become fitness rooms, dance clubs and sports stadiums. Kinect games, including "Kinectimals," "Kinect Sports," "Kinect Joy Ride" and MTV Games' and Harmonix's "Dance Central" will retail for $49.99 (U.S. ERP). In addition to games, Kinect changes the way you experience entertainment by putting your favorite movies, TV programs, music and live sports from ESPN all in one place. Begin a movie by simply saying, "Xbox, play," or browse through a music list with the wave of a hand. Kinect also creates new ways for friends and family to have fun together. With Video Kinect,3 share a smile with friends and family, as you open a window into living rooms around the world.
"I think Kinect is a major leap forward in the gaming experience that will appeal to both mainstream and casual gamers," said Michael Gartenberg, partner, Altimeter Group, and author of the Engadget Entelligence column.
Starting today, select retailers are taking pre-orders for the Xbox 360 Kinect Console Bundle at $299.99 (U.S. ERP) and Kinect for Xbox 360 at $149.99 (U.S. ERP). Pre-order Kinect or the Xbox 360 Kinect Console Bundle today, and at launch receive a token to download three exclusive game levels for "Kinect Adventures," the game included with Kinect.4 Those wanting more information or to pre-order now should go to http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/wheretobuy.
Mega retailer Walmart has published pricing information for the Kinect controller-free controller for the Xbox 360 - the whole package, including a game, will set you back $199.
Kinect is a hands-free controller that allows gamers to control scheduled their Xbox 360 using body movements, and forms the core of Microsoft’s plan to revolutionize gaming without actually revolutionizing the console itself.
So, what’s the Walmart offer?
So $199 buys you the Kinect controller, a choice of game and a $30 eGift card. Not a bad deal.
The games with Kinect support on offer as part of the deal are:
The main question everyone has about Kinect is the obvious one: Will people buy it? The Xbox 360 has been around since November 2005 and some 40 million have been sold (although it’s hard to know how many haven’t ended up on a trash pile somewhere because they suffered from RRoD), so the potential market is big. But a 2005 vintage Xbox 360 is, from a capability standpoint, pretty much the same as a brand new 360 S. $200 is a lot of money to drop on an accessory for a console that’s been around for so long and I wonder whether gamers wouldn’t have preferred a proper hardware refresh of the console first (although that would have been expensive for Microsoft).
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With pre-orders rapidly selling out and thousands of retailers across the country opening at midnight on launch day, Kinect is set to fly off store shelves and get everyone off the couch and on their feet this holiday season.
