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Microsoft deflects criticism over new controller

Microsoft has come under fire for the price of their new gaming hardware.

The technology giant has been forced to defend itself following the revelation that its new controller, Kinect, will weigh in with a hefty £130 price tag.

Kinect consists of a video camera which sits atop a television set, and features colour and depth sensing lenses that can track a person’s movement, enabling them to play a game with gestures instead of a control pad. The unit is equipped with a microphone and features speech recognition in several languages.

Microsoft has compared Kinect to Sony’s equivalent for its PlayStation 3, Move. It points out that the after the initial purchase, you do not have to invest in any extra hardware if you wish to play with a friend. Move will cost PlayStation 3 owners £50 for a starter kit. To enable a second person to play, the purchase of another controller at £35 is necessary. On top of this, the optimum experience requires an extra sub controller, priced at £25. For two players to experience Move at its best, they can expect to shell out £135, and that’s before they purchase any games.

Kinect is able to recognise the movement of up to six people, although only two will be able to play a game at any one time. It also comes bundled with a full game.

Microsoft’s hardware may grant it access to a new market – that of the casual gamer. Nintendo’s Wii, the first home console to feature motion sensing technology, was a huge success for the company. The Xbox 360 is seen by some as a more ‘hardcore’ gaming platform, but it’s apparent that both Microsoft and Sony want to appeal to gamers across the spectrum.

Some industry analysts feel that ‘hardcore’ gamers will be disinterested in the hardware, but the technology could take off following Nintendo’s groundwork. The Nintendo Wii’s popularity fuelled a surge in home contents insurance claims, as wayward controllers were accidentally flung into television sets and ornaments were knocked over. Anyone looking to purchase Kinect or Move would be advised to check that the insurance for their home covers accidental breakages.

More will be released for the PlayStation 3 in September, with Microsoft’s Kinect following in November.