Kinect 2 Dev Kits Sent Out to Game Makers

[Artist's approximation of Kinect 2.]

So, the Kinect is a total bust, right? We can all agree on that point by now, can’t we? I bought my Kinect about a year and a half ago since there was a good deal for a free game bundled with the thing. Since then, just about every game I’ve ever played with the device—with the exception of Double Fine’s Happy Action Theater—has been a mess. The most notable and most disappointing among them was Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor, which just didn’t work.

So good news! A post on CVG today reports that Microsoft has sent out dev kits for Kinect 2, meaning that we will be treated to a whole new host of games featuring the shoddy motion tracking hardware soon enough. The news comes by way of a “games developer familiar with the situation,” though there isn’t much more to the story than that.

Back in August, we got what looked to be a leaked image of the Kinect 2’s more sensitive motion tracking capabilities in action…but I’m still skeptical. So far, the Kinect’s been a fun, if finicky, remote control enhancer for Netflix. Other than that, it’s a straight-up flop.

Am I forgetting any of the Kinect’s saving graces? It’s great when it’s hacked, and I love hearing stories about the way it helps veterans and kids struggling with autism. The Kinect is amazing—just not for video games.

Via CVG