Notable companies are trying to give Xbox Kinect the gaming software it needs to succeed
A gaming peripheral, no matter how peripheral it is, is simply not that useful unless it has enough of a library of games to support its existence. Thus, we have plenty of failed ingenious inventions, like Nintendo’s infamous Power Glove.
Although the Kinect has a distinctly familiar casual gamer software foundation, some incoming development companies are beginning to push the limits of what this product can do. Is Xbox 360 Kinect worth the price? That probably depends on how you like the sound of the following big name companies and what they are known for producing.
Fans of the RPG genre don’t really like the current lineup, but there may be more for them in the future. Activision Blizzard, known for hits like World of Warcraft and Diablo, will be sticking its fingers in the guts of Kinect very soon.
They will be joined by Bethesda, a niche company a bit more focused on ‘sandbox’ RPGs like Morrowind and Fallout 3.
For action enthusiasts, Capcom and Konami have games lined up and awaiting release, though Konami’s offerings are more on the rhythm-casual end of the scale.
Particularly well represented these days are music rhythm games, which of course include the obligatory spin-off Dance Dance Revolution. Also worth mentioning in this area is Sega, which has continued to sell its blue hedgehog enthusiastically.
Somewhat less conventional for Kinect is Sega’s other current development concept, a horror game project about which little has been revealed so far.
Perhaps you prefer a little more sports on your Xbox 360 Kinect? Then you’ll have little to complain about, as EA has a lot to offer both now and in the future. More mainstream companies like Microsoft Game Studios and Ubisoft are also getting involved, though many projects share significant roots in the exercise and sports genres.
The only other major player currently lined up to dabble in Kinect’s unique form of full-body motion sensing is Disney Interactive, whose products are evident in their appeal (or lack thereof).
It’s worth mentioning that there are several other much smaller companies involved, but their projects are generally standard bargain fare, hardly worth buying an expensive new peripheral for.
So, while we’re not seeing a lot of raw software so far, it should be noted that this product is still a growing child, and it takes time to develop a rich and complete library of games.
Since many major, well-funded, and well-liked developers are starting to work with Kinect, you should probably think carefully about whether or not it’s worth it to you.
Chances are there’s certainly SOMETHING that appeals to you…if not this year, then definitely one or two!