Games

Kinect Pricing Revealed

Microsoft has revealed the launch pricing for its upcoming Kinect motion-control peripheral. Current Xbox owners will be able to score the Kinect and Kinect Adventures for $150, while the uninitiated will be able to purchase the bundle with a newly-introduced 4GB model of the system for $300. For current Xbox 360 owners, this features everything needed to connect the peripheral to the console.

The only console Kinect will be sold with is a soon-to-be-introduced 4GB model. The console bundle includes the system, a wireless controller, Kinect, and Kinect Adventures for $300. On August 4, Microsoft will start selling the 4GB system without Kinect for $200--meaning that unless a price drop happens between now and the November 4 release date for Kinect, this bundle will represent a $50 savings.

Microsoft also made sure to mention that other first-party games like Kinect Sports, Kinectimals, and Kinect Joy Ride will be retailing for $50 rather than the standard $60 price point for new Xbox 360 titles. In a statement about the Kinect launch details, The Electronic Entertainment Design and Research group (EEDAR) stated "Additionally, [EA's] Dance Central will be priced at $49.99, and given the likelihood it becomes one of Kinect's top sellers it will likely set a precedent on pricing for all future Kinect required games."

Citing the fact that Kinect "should not be viewed as a typical video game peripheral," EEDAR provided a very positive outlook on the product, saying "The Kinect's success this holiday season is crucial to rekindling the energy among the casual and mainstream audience, the same audience that has exacerbated software revenue declines since 2009."

What do you think of the Kinect's pricing and bundles?

SOURCE: Announcing Kinect Pricing, Xbox 360 4 GB Console and Holiday Bundle [Major Nelson]