Whatever you say, Microsoft. The House that Gates built believes that “hardcore gamers” will be the first to buy the Kinect, which comes out in November. Or, in the exact words of one of their marketing managers: “I think we know that hardcore gamers will be the first to go out and buy it, as they are with any product.” That’s interesting, seeing as though a recent survey suggests that only 8 percent of 360 owners intended to buy Kinect (or Natal, as it was known at the time).
Look, I played Kinect at E3, and I’m sure that some people will get a kick out of it, but I’m not one of those people. It’s not that I think it’s “dumb” or anything like that, but that it simply does not interest me. There’s a reason I’ve played Wii for all of 10 minutes in my life: it’ not my thing.
Now, maybe it’s your thing. Maybe you’re all about the Wii, the Kinect, the PlayStation Move. In which case maybe you’ll be one of the first people in your area code to plop down for the Kinect.
But as a “hardcore gamer,” which has to be the stupidest label in the history of stupid labels, I can honestly say I have zero interest in the Kinect and its ilk.
Good luck to everyone involved, of course, but I’m going to comfortably sit out this phase of gaming.
If you need me, I’ll be over there, with the mouse and keyboard (or, sometimes, with the controller.)