“Kinect. KIN-ECT! Write this down… no, don’t open the DVD drive. Close it. C-L-O-S-E it! Don’t make me come over there: you’ve seen what I do to a mouse during games of Team Fortress 2. Yeah, I thought that would scare you. I knew you things talked to each other. Right, so I’m speaking these words into my Kinect. It’s hooked up to my PC, thanks to Microsoft releasing it for the PC. Also, I’m from the future.”



That’s because the announcement that Microsoft is properly working on Kinect for PC is only four days old, and for the purposes of the gag it only works if the tech is already enabled. Microsoft are working with over 200 companies to enable cat-endangering hand-waving and Glaswegian annoying voice control into Windows. They’ve essentially commercialised their SDK pilot project from earlier this year, and while the offical announcement is dripped in business-o-speak, everyone knows that games will be taking advantage of it. I do, because I’m from the Future (you’re fired – Ed), and also because the hobbyist Kinect scene is doing some fun things. Like this mod for Dead Island.

He’s air-kicking zombies!

But voice controlling a PC has way more PC gaming potential than backing off six feet and spamming your legs. EA have already stated that you’ll be able to use Kinect on the Xbox 360 to select dialogue options and control squad members while playing, which clearly the PC can now support. Will they add it? Despite being from the year 2049, I don’t have a video of that on the PC because Mass Effect 3 never came out. Poor BioWare. Poor, poor exploded BioWare. Instead, here’s a video of a man voice controlling his PC with Kinect while being insulted by GLaDOS. It’s fun, and you can be amazed at the raw potential eked out the SDK already.



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My Virtual Personal Assitant Part 3 from Corey Thomas on Vimeo.