The Kinect Will No Longer Be Manufactured

The Kinect is an incredibly complex device capable of some highly accurate feedback that no one wanted. The Kinect was originally created for the Xbox 360 as a way to integrate motion control and voice commands to their console. People were unhappy with the fact that it was only used for gimmicky features or generic motion party games. Despite all this, about 35 million units have been sold. This is likely because of bundles and the horrible start of the Xbox One, which used to require a Kinect to function, a feature later removed after public outcry.

Microsoft has revealed that they are no longer manufacturing the Kinect and that once retailer stock is gone, it will no longer be available. Support for those who own a Kinect will continue, but future games are most likely not going to implement any Kinect-related features.

The Kinect was a surprisingly powerful tool, capable of recognizing shapes, depth, and detailed motions. Hackers would often rig them to PCs for motion capture animation. Its usage with Xbox was far less interesting, unfortunately. The motion tracking was only ever used for various party-styled games, and voice recognition was less responsive than just doing the action it aimed to replace. While it's a shame to see technology pass, there was little left to save with the Kinect.