With Kinect, consumers can get in the game like never before. The first controller-free gaming device, Kinect is similar to the Wii in that it detects movement, but unlike the Wii, it is completely hands-free. With multiple sensors that “read” a players’ body shape, movements, voices and faces, people not only play the game, but become a part of it as well.
Microsoft launched Kinect for Xbox 360 on November 4, 2010 to an audience of thousands of eager gamers in Times Square. The event featured product demonstrations and dancers, as well as performances by Ne-Yo and Lady Sovereign. Actor/producer Mark Wahlberg also appeared to support Xbox and Boys & Girls Clubs in a program to get children “off the couch” and moving with Kinect’s active gaming. The actor was on hand to help announce Microsoft’s decision to donate Kinect to Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide.
A $500-million marketing and advertising campaign helped to introduce the Kinect experience to consumers prior to the launch. Microsoft’s heavy social media push included efforts on Facebook, Hulu, YouTube and a microsite, www.kinect.me, where consumers could share videos and experiences. The buzz continued in October, when Oprah distributed free Kinects to her studio audience. Television commercials rounded out the campaign, depicting parents spending quality time with their children while moving with the Kinect.
Kinect’s launch in early November positioned it for success on Black Friday, when it sold over 2.5 million devices and was one of 2010’s holiday hit products. There is also speculation that Microsoft may expand Kinect’s availability to PCs in the future.
Since the launch of this revolutionary device, techies have been exploring the product’s features and revealing its capabilities. MIT Media Lab researchers created a holographic video using a Kinect and streamed it over the Internet, while the MIT Media Lab Fluid Interfaces Group hacked a Kinect and used it to navigate the Web on a PC by simply waving their hands. To further explore the possibilities of the Kinect, hackers have formed a community on the Internet featuring a blog, KinectHacks, which follows the latest news on Kinect applications.
With a masterfully executed launch that included activating influencers, recruiting celebrity spokespeople, and establishing a charitable partnership, Microsoft brought the future of gaming and a new user interface to consumers’ living rooms. And it all happens with just the wave of your hand.
Comments