It’s been a year since Microsoft launched the Kinect – about two months after Sony with their PlayStation Move.
While both systems use very different means of controlling gameplay, and had different motivations for implementation – we can’t ignore the facts: two competing consoles release motion-technology within two months of each other.
This is a competition.
In the spirit of the competitive vibe – and in light of the one-year landmark, let’s take a look at how the Move and the Kinect fared.
Sales
Looking at the numbers, Microsoft announced in March 2011 that they had sold over 10 million Kinect sensors – while the PS Move, was at 8.8 million units according to Sony.
Since then, the gap between the two has narrowed somewhat, with the PS Move only trailing Kinect by a million, if that.
While you’d be quick to call Kinect the winner here based purely on the fact that they’re ahead – consider that 8 million of the sensors were sold in the first two months of the Kinect launch; that shows effective marketing, not effective market penetration.
Meanwhile, the PS Move, while having slower adoption, has seen more consistent growth in the past year – which is likely to continue.
Both systems are doing pretty well, and will definitely get a huge sales boost in the holiday season, and that gap is likely to narrow even further.
But we have to stick to the figures.
Winner: Kinect
Exclusives
It’s difficult to determine a winner in this section when you’re dealing with exclusives – each game is, by definition, going to be vastly different to the other.
Looking at a very quick list of games that first pop into mind (Metacritic averages in parenthesis):
Kinect:
- Dance Central 2 (87%)
- Kinectimals (74%)
- Fruit Ninja Kinect (71%)
- Kinect Adventures (61%)
PS Move:
- Heavy Rain Move (72%)
- EyePet Move (70%)
- Little Big Planet 2 (92%)
- Playstation Move Heroes (52%)
We can see that both platforms have had hits and misses; but when you consider the controller aspect of the Move, and being able to adapt entire games into “Move versions”, then suddenly the Kinect catalogue (and potential catalogue) seems to dwindle.
Winner: Move
Dual-platform review
This is a little better.
Looking at games released on both platforms – using the two vastly different control methods – will give you an idea of which system was favoured more by critics.
[Move/Kinect]
- Virtua Tennis 4 [69/70]
- Michael Jackson: The Experience [66/62]
- Brunswick Pro Bowling [47/44]
- Child of Eden [81/84]
Winner: Move [66/65]
Integration
The PlayStation Move and Microsoft’s Kinect aren’t stand-alone systems – they’re part a much bigger experience that Sony and Microsoft are trying to give to gamers.
As such, their functionality extends beyond simple “Move/Kinect” games.
Well, mostly.
For Sony, integration outside of Move games still keeps the focus on games themselves. They accomplish this by integrating (or at least trying to) Move functionality into a lot of their exclusive titles such as Killzone 3 and SingStar, as well as giving an additional spin on cross-platform titles as well.
Microsoft on the other hand is doing that to a much lesser extent. However, when it comes to providing an integrated experience – the Move can’t even touch the Kinect’s motion sensor capabilities.
We’ve all heard the Minority Report analogy, but really, the Kinect is giving gamers a new way of using their Xbox – and at the same time is being used everywhere else, beyond gaming; in business, medicine and marketing.
Winner: Kinect
Longevity
While the PS Move seems to be quite content being an add-on to the PlayStation 3 experience – it seems that Microsoft has found use for the Kinect in everything else as well.
While Kinect exclusives do well enough as stand-alone products, the lack of a controller and practicality means that it’s not really doing that well integrating with Xbox games, unlike the Move with PS3 games.
However, the sheer number of ways businesses and researchers are putting the Kinect technology to use – as well as Microsoft’s plans to adopt it into the wider Windows family – means that the Kinect is looking to be the stronger contender in terms of longevity.
Sure, you may not be playing games with it – but then, Microsoft were always selling it as a “lifestyle” changer, anyway.
Winner: Kinect
Even if you’re not interested in these fang-dangled motion gaming peripherals, it’s difficult to ignore their staying power. When put side by side, while it may look like the Kinect isn’t the best gaming device, its reach and potential are proving to be a huge feather in Microsoft’s cap.
Overall winner: Kinect
Who was your winner for the year of motion technology? Think the games and data used are total BS? Share your thoughts on the forum or in the comments below!
Loading ...
