Microsoft: Kinect price is "great value"
Chris Lewis believes that motion control platform will appeal to core and casual audiences alike
Microsoft is confident that the pricing structure for its forthcoming Kinect for 360 motion control platform - which was revealed earlier today - represents "great value" for the consumer, because it is bringing new experiences and innovation to the market.
That's according to the company's VP for the Interactive Entertainment Business in Europe, Chris Lewis, who also told GamesIndustry.biz that he thought the product would appeal to both core and casual segments of the market.
"As you know, we research all of these things very consistently across wide groups of target consumers, and we're very confident [on price] - particularly given that Kinect for 360 does come with the Kinect Adventures game," said Lewis, speaking shortly after the numbers were released.
"I've played it a few times, and it is deep and expansive, with 20 different levels. It's a very broad gaming experience that comes packed in with Kinect for 360."
The company has pegged the standalone motion sensor technology at £129.99 (€149.99 / $149.99), although it will be available alongside a new edition of the Xbox 360 S (featuring a 4GB Flash memory unit) for £249.99 ($299.99) as well.
"From our point of view, that [game] plus the technology and what that means to the consumer by way of experience - and the innovation it represents - we're confident that it's great value. Certainly all of the testing and research that we've done confirms that point, and we're confident that consumers are happy to pay for great experiences.
"Not only that game I've just referenced, but others coming out of E3 - Harmonix' Dance Central for example picked up Best Motion Simulation Game and Best Original Game [awards] at the show. Those kind of compelling experiences give us confidence that people will be excited about Kinect for 360 and what it represents."
Addressing some concerns that Kinect for 360 could potentially fall between the core audience (for which Kinect experiences might not be a primary focus) and the casual segment (for which the price point might prove prohibitive in a continuing tricky economy), Lewis was confident that the technology would hold its own.
"There are a couple of things I'd say there," he said. "Certainly we were very keen to be innovative and not derivative in what we came up with in our Kinect for 360 technology. As you know, it's all about full-body tracking, it's all about non-controller-based, outside of your physical self.
"From our point of view it was important to take that innovative step so as to clearly differentiate ourselves in a way that we know our consumers are excited about. That's one thing I think will truly set us apart - and I think that, plus the great service provision of Xbox Live, with people connecting and talking to one another, being able to interact in this community that's frankly unique to us, along with the oxygen of the Xbox 360 business...
"I think those factors plus the games you saw at E3, that you'll see through Christmas and beyond - they're very much pure Kinect experiences built around the Kinect sensor technology that really plays into that space.
"I think we've got to keep doing that - you'll see that we've set the bar very high in terms of the type, variety and quality of what comes to market with Kinect for 360."