Alright, you caught me. That was a pretty awful title, but the news is pretty sweet. Staring June 9, Microsoft has decided to release a Kinect-less version of the Xbox One, also reducing the system’s price permanently to $399 without one. This brings the price point into direct competition with the PS4, which has been kicking its ass in the markets. The Xbox One hasn’t failed by any means, but they’ve come to realize that consumers don’t necessarily need or want a Kinect included in every system.
Since last summer’s huge turnaround, Microsoft has been playing catchup to appease consumers and this is a HUGE step in the right direction. This comes from the company listening to what their users want and they’re constantly delivering on the goods. Don’t think Microsoft is giving up on the Kinect, by any means, just they’re given us consumers options and choices when it comes to our gaming consoles.
I personally didn’t get a Kinect for my Xbox 360 until this past December. It has been fun, but used very sparingly around the apartment. With the Xbone now coming in at $399a and Kinect free, I find myself rethinking joining the current gen consoles. As an avid Halo fan, this could be the tipping point that gets an Xbone into my living room. The Kinect will be sold as a stand-alone accessory later as well, under the $100 price point that differentiates the two Xbox One retail versions.
Along with this news, Microsoft is removing the XBOX Live Gold Subscriber limitations to use streaming services, such as Netflix and Hulu. This has been a huge mess for people who buy the gaming console and choose not to use their online services, but also want to use their pre-paid services such as Netflix, HBO Go, and more. It was requiring two separate payments, and thats just stupid. This will be available for both the Xbox One and the aging Xbox 360 console as well, so legacy gamers (such as myself) no longer have to worry about that Gold payment once a year. (Truthfully, I’ll still pay it.)
If you’ve still not gotten a new console, and were holding out for an Xbox One price drop, here is your chance to jump into the game. You may be seeing some more Xbox One information coming from us soon.
