So we’ve all heard about it. The rise and fall of Xbox Kinect; a promising concept, but one that failed relentlessly short after its release. So to begin, why did Kinect fail? I mean, it had all the chances of being a big success.

THE TECHNOLOGY

The Kinect is a movement tracking camera with facial recognition and some fancy (and actually handy) voice inputs, we all know that. Development became public in 2009’s E3, during Microsoft’s press conference. Next year November 4th and people had their hands on this sweet new piece of gaming hardware. The problem was… it didn’t work as expected; some would say it didn’t work at all. Kinect’s bugs and performance issues at launch (most of which endured the pass of patches) was only the beginning of the end. As these bugs could directly interfere with the player’s gaming experience and lead to memories of anger and frustration. Some games were even rendered almost unplayable (cough Steel Battalion cough).

But Kinect managed to survive the bugs thanks to Rare and Harmonix. Kinect Sports and Dance Central (And Just Dance actually) kept the Kinect going long enough for Microsoft to make some good revenue from it, sadly, not long enough for breakthroughs to be done. This takes me to the next section.

VIDEOGAMES ARE SIMULATIONS

Like it or hate it, ever since the technology of 3D rendering and modeling found its way into game development (it could be argued it was born there) games have been about simulations. Now before you take out the torches and pitchforks, hear me out. Take a look at always-giant Call of Duty, what is it? No matter what you answer, Call of Duty was initially designed to be, and still is, a war simulator. Now take a look at FIFA, it’s a simulation of the world-changing soccer matches. Now let’s see The Elder Scrolls, an RPG? Could also be said it’s simulation of a fantasy world with dragons and magic. Well what about Guitar Hero? Pff, obviously a rock star simulation. So y’all get the drill, right? This all began (in my opinion) thanks to the next level of immersion 3D graphics offered. Thanks to this gamers started wanting more to be, than to play. And you might say ‘the heck you talking about? I love playing!’ Well mate, that playing comes from ‘being,’ from getting in the skin of something you are not.

I’m not saying immersion is a bad thing, not at all; is the food that keeps gamers tight in their seats. What I’m saying is that we as an industry have focused so much on creating so much more accurate simulations that now trying to apply things that rule out from those concepts fail relentlessly. Sadly, the concept was the first that transitioned to Kinect once it came out.

The industry saw Kinect as a way to embrace that immersion and get the player deeper into the character’s shoes, rather than seeing it as a totally new concept that works totally different from that. Actually, it happened to all movement-based platforms. The Wii and PS Move suffered from the same symptoms. And please let’s not forget, this embracing of the simulation, you may not recognize it but, it is supported by us, the players.

A FLICKER OF HOPE

In 2013, development of Fru became known to the world. What is Fru you say? Fru is a 2D platformer in which the player’s body becomes part of the environment, and they must use it smartly to create new paths to open up to continue on with their journey. Players use both their body and a controller.

In my opinion, Fru was the sign that we were finally moving in the right direction. It broke all the standards of what a Kinect/movement-based games should be, and it did for the better. Instead of using Kinect simply to create immersion, it used this new concept to create a meaning mechanic that would then live up to become the game’s pillar.

This kind of innovation is what moves our industry forward as a form of art, opening up to newfound concepts regarding what we think of videogames as whole and what they can do.

12th of July, 2016 Fru was released.

HARDCORE GAMING AND THE HOPE DIES

Other of the main problems with Kinect games was their focus in casual gamers (which actually relates closely to the concept of games as simulations). We all know hardcore gaming is the fuel and god of the gaming industry. Esports are each day a bigger thing and companies make more and more revenue out of it. So as Kinect did not actually release any deep mechanics-wise games (again, this relates to games as simulations) hardcore gamers didn’t even bother to buy the device.

Something worth mentioning is why casual gaming is so closely related to games as simulations. The objective of a simulation is to deliver a experience from a certain point of view, and many years ago we learned that doesn’t necessarily mean implementing hardcore mechanics. All the contrary actually, the simpler it is the easier can the players get into the action. A good example of this are recent Call of Duty titles. Performing things like a boost jump only requires the player to sprint and jump at the same time, whereas in the real world (if this were to ever become a reality) it’d take account of so many more systems and factors such as humidity and fuel. But for players to feel as the super soldiers they are in CoD, this things only get in the middle of the heat. That’s why in a Hitman game you are never required to sit down and eat or make your necessities, they detract from the immersion.

Kinect games lacked two things necessary for all hardcore gamers: Depth and a competitive aspect. (And to be honest, hardcore gamers are not the kind to move much. Sorry guys you have to recognise it; you are kinda lazy). Thus the largest gaming community found itself detracted from the Kinect’s possible user list.

And all that took place until Fru came by. It was supposed to be the game changer… right? Well, it turns out Kinect was pretty much dead by the time Fru made it to release, so dead we might never see another Kinect game outside of Just Dance’s annual releases.

CONCLUSION. CAN SOMETHING STILL BE DONE?

Movement control opened a whole universe to game design and development, but we let the greed take the best from ourselves and forget the bigger picture. A concept that could have revolutionized gaming as a whole and move our art forward was shut down by bad marketing and our population’s narrow view. But let this be a teaching for the future, for innovation will always be tied to previous concepts in order to make the most revenue out of it, after all, everything is a business nowadays.

But wait, there is a small hope still. Not a very big or possible one, but hope regardless. Which would be Microsoft increasing their view (I have faith in you, Phil) and begin funding small indie studios to produce Kinect games. How could this help? Simple, we already have Fru as guideline, we only need some creative people with an incentive to act. We all know what an indie developer with a tight budget can come up with; these limitations in technology tend to lead them to design new ways to interact with game systems, so if I had to trust in someone to breakthrough the industry’s fear of the unknown, my money’s on the indies. Besides, we’ve already seen how Microsoft is about taking the step and trying something new.

What do you think? Do you agree with some of the things I said? Do you still want to hang me from the neck? Do you have your own comments regarding this? Did you love or hate Kinect? How about you let me know down in the comments~