A Kinect Sensor Costs as Much as the XBox One

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**LordofHats**

An anonymous Microsoft employee claims that manufacturing the Kinect sensor costs “almost as much” as manufacturing the Xbox One. The information was revealed in an “Ask Me Anything” session on Reddit, which was verified to be authentic by Reddit moderators. The employee explained that the Kinect plays a major role in the Xbox One experience, adding that Microsoft bundled the sensor with the system to ensure all developers and gamers had access to it for every game. He said that Microsoft took a gamble with the new Kinect sensor, noting that it “costs almost as much as the console to make” and “the success of the Kinect carries much more weight” for Microsoft than the Xbox One. He went on to explain that the sensor is an “integral part of the Xbox One experience.” The high cost of manufacturing the Kinect sheds light on the company’s controversial pricing strategy. The Xbox One will be available later this year starting at $499, a $100 premium over Sony’s PlayStation 4.

That's one expensive sensor @_@ Also explains the big push they made with all the Kinect related features early on.

**Swan-of-War**

Well, XBox One is pushing Kinect-compatible games, PS4 is pushing Vita-compatible games and Wii U is pushing Game Pad-compatible games

**dementedwombat**

Not going to lie, it wouldn't surprise me. I don't know the exact details on what the kinect does other than a quick trip to the google image machine (more of a PC gamer) but anyone who has ever tried to buy a good set of binoculars/rifle scope knows that good quality optics cost a lot of monies.

I would have no difficulty believing that a relatively new piece of tech involving a lot of good quality lens elements costs deceptively more than a box full of proven tech (the design of the circuit boards might be new, but we've been making circuit boards for a while now and we've gotten pretty good at making them for a low price).

**Sigvatr**

...what the hell is wrong with Microsoft? They seem to have lost any sense for business...

**H.B.M.C.**

Are we supposed to feel sorry for Microsoft now?

**Sigvatr**

Hell no! They just dropped the ball next gen. Or...well...not only did they drop it, they then stepped on and popped it.

**Grundz**

Sigvatr wrote:
...what the hell is wrong with Microsoft? They seem to have lost any sense for business...

They make most of their money through licensing fees, xbox live subscriptions, marketplace, ect. The cost of the console is negligible.
they are pushing the technology all wrong, if they keep up with their end of the bargain and add something like the promised 2-3X the processing power of each xbox to the cloud for each one sold, I think gamers would be on board for planetside 2 times 10 crazyness, instead they push it with the same old marketing BS that they get called on.

**H.B.M.C.**

Grundz wrote:
The cost of the console is negligible.

Not to the people buying it.

**Grundz**

H.B.M.C. wrote:
Grundz wrote:
The cost of the console is negligible.

Not to the people buying it.

Again, they dont care, millions will buy it to play halo 16 watered down edition and COD: jingoism xtreme. Playstation wasn't destroyed by having a more expensive console due to bing a blue ray player, xbox won't be bankrupted for its spy cam.

You call developers to the table and ask them what they want for the new console, you dont invite gamers. You can expect that the xb1's DMR will creep in over the next few years after enough people buy the console.

**H.B.M.C.**

It wasn't destroyed, no, but you'd be foolish to think that it's massive price tag didn't hurt it, especially when compared to the 360.

**Grundz**

H.B.M.C. wrote:
It wasn't destroyed, no, but you'd be foolish to think that it's massive price tag didn't hurt it, especially when compared to the 360.

Thats exactly why the WII was so successful, the console was cheap and games were fun, different market.

**Rented Tritium**

I'm not sure why the fraction of the price accounted for by any particular feature is relevant. The whole price for the whole package is what matters. You either buy it or you don't.

**H.B.M.C.**

And, as is seemingly par for the course here, it's yet another problem of Microsoft's own creation.

**Grundz**

H.B.M.C. wrote:
And, as is seemingly par for the course here, it's yet another problem of Microsoft's own creation.

You should apply to be the xbox divisions CEO

**H.B.M.C.**

**Grundz**

H.B.M.C. wrote:

well you obviously know better than harvard business grads, they must all be clambering over each other to get you!

**LordofHats**

I thought the news was just interesting. I wouldn't have pegged the Kinect in itself costing as much as a functioning block of hardware.

**H.B.M.C.**

Grundz wrote:
well you obviously know better than harvard business grads, they must all be clambering over each other to get you!

**Sigvatr**

Grundz wrote:
H.B.M.C. wrote:
It wasn't destroyed, no, but you'd be foolish to think that it's massive price tag didn't hurt it, especially when compared to the 360.

Thats exactly why the WII was so successful, the console was cheap and games were fun, different market.

Tbf, Nintendo still has the FAR superior exclusives. Mario Kart, Mario Party, Mario 3D, Zelda...

**BryllCream**

I keep waiting for someone to release a console that's actually aimed at gamers.

**Fafnir**

BryllCream wrote:
I keep waiting for someone to release a console that's actually aimed at gamers.

Bu-bu-but... Netflix! Skype! Facebooks! Twitterspheres! The series of youtubes!

**Ouze**

Grundz wrote:
Again, they dont care, millions will buy it to play halo 16 watered down edition and COD: jingoism xtreme.

I'd play that game. Your default weapon is a Gauss Reagan and it fires 400 eagles per minute, while your melee weapon is an American flag on a short pole wielded as a cudgel.

**Gitzbitah**

Ouze wrote:
Grundz wrote:
Again, they dont care, millions will buy it to play halo 16 watered down edition and COD: jingoism xtreme.

I'd play that game. Your default weapon is a Gauss Reagan and it fires 400 eagles per minute, while your melee weapon is an American flag on a short pole wielded as a cudgel.

Shut up and take my money!

A game with presidential pun based weaponry would amuse me for days.

**Grundz**

Ouze wrote:
Grundz wrote:
Again, they dont care, millions will buy it to play halo 16 watered down edition and COD: jingoism xtreme.

I'd play that game. Your default weapon is a Gauss Reagan and it fires 400 eagles per minute, while your melee weapon is an American flag on a short pole wielded as a cudgel.

There was actually a bad-ish wannabe WW1 wolfenstein game a few years ago, where the main character was a southern american who just sounded like he had a bad bush JR impression.
The game was pretty bad but if you pretended that bush JR spent his vast fortunes on a video game to show how awesome he is, it became pretty funny.

**wowsmash**

BryllCream wrote:
I keep waiting for someone to release a console that's actually aimed at gamers.

>.< eww I just agreed with bryll, I feel dirty where's the soap.

**fishy bob**

wowsmash wrote:
BryllCream wrote:
I keep waiting for someone to release a console that's actually aimed at gamers.

>.< eww I just agreed with bryll, I feel dirty where's the soap.

Right here.

**KingCracker**

BryllCream wrote:
I keep waiting for someone to release a console that's actually aimed at gamers.

Yea that'd be nice wouldn't it?

**Sigvatr**

BryllCream wrote:
I keep waiting for someone to release a console that's actually aimed at gamers.

What would that console look like? What would you say were its key features?

**Polonius**

Sigvatr wrote:
BryllCream wrote:
I keep waiting for someone to release a console that's actually aimed at gamers.

What would that console look like? What would you say were its key features?

Bring back cartridges!

**Sigvatr**

No, I don't think so and I don't think that's what gamers want. I, personally, prefer having all my games via Steam so that I can download and play them whereever I want.

Cartridges were awesome and nigh-indestructible, but they took a lot of space in your shelf - and there's always the danger of losing it and completely being at a loss of 50+$ whereas a digital download is there forever, you can burn it 100x times etc. I got all my games secured on a 2nd HDD