So you’ve seen Xbox One’s new Kinect sensor. You’ve marvelled at the way it hangs on your every word like former partners haven’t. Now, I want you to dare to imagine a Kinect 2.0 you can turn off.
That’s the new Kinect for Windows, due to launch with an SDK in 2014.
The new Xbox Kinect sensor and its Windows equivalent are being built “on a shared set of technologies”. Those are the words of Kinect for Windows director Bob Heddle, who was very keen to trumpet the sensor’s potential to “revolutionise computing experiences”.
“We’re continuing our commitment to equipping businesses and organizations with the latest natural technology from Microsoft so that they, in turn, can develop and deploy innovative touch-free applications for their businesses and customers,” he wrote.
“A new Kinect for Windows sensor and software development kit (SDK) are core to that commitment.”
I’d rather hear about Microsoft’s commitment to porting the best of the new Xbox’s Kinect games over to PC, but suspect that’s not to be. Still – if they build the SDK, the indies will come.
Heddle promises more news at BUILD 2013 in June, so that developers and designers can begin preparing for the new tech. What sort of crackpot gaming prototypes would you like to see emerge from Kinect 2.0?
Thanks, Eurogamer.