Microsoft has finally decided to put the Kinect up on the chopping block, 7 years after its initial release back in 2010. Within that time period it has sold over 35 million units, counting both the Xbox 360 and Xbox One versions. It will no longer be manufactured and any retailer left with this merchandise will have the last of its kind to sell.
This news came direct from the creator of the Kinect, Alex Kipman, and Xbox Devices Marketing GM, Matthew Lapsen in a intricate interview with Fast Company. Kinect support will continue, for now, but don’t expect support indefinitely.
The Kinect was originally launch half-way through the life cycle of the Xbox 360. It sold millions of units, prompting Microsoft to include the Kinect with every Xbox One they packaged, skyrocketing the price to $500 at its launch. For obvious reasons, the Kinect became an optional choice later on, instead of a forced decision. This was an attempt to brings sales down to compete with the PS4 (which is still ahead, for now).
It should have been very clear that the Kinect was being pushed out when the Xbox One S was built without the proper port to use the Kinect. Having to use an adapter if you wanted to use the Kinect. The Xbox One X shares the same anti-Kinect agenda, so this shouldn’t have been a surprise.
