Microsoft: Kinect Shortages Are “Absolutely Not” Fake

Microsoft has defended that Kinect shortages are “absolutely not” fake and has not been designed to spur demand.

This comes after gaming industry Michael Pachter stated that both Microsoft and Sony are telling ‘this’ in order to ‘spur demand’.

However, Microsoft attributes the shortages to a logistical issue involved with supplying a new product to a global market.

Neil Thompson, the general manager for Xbox in the UK and Ireland told GI.biz:

“Anyone who actually works in the business of producing new technology, especially hardware technology, will know that these things are never managed. Everyone else loves to think that they’re managed, but they will know it’s not. It’s a function of coming to market with a brand new innovation and you have to scale up.”

Indeed, Tony Bartel, President of GameStop said that Kinect will be in short supply this holiday season and will create a “Wii” like phenomenon, which also faced shortages in its early years.

Microsoft had revealed that Kinect sold 2.5 million units in its first 25 days with an expected sales of 5 million by year’s end.

The “higher priced Kinect” is outselling PlayStation Move, even though it had a rough start in Japan.