Starting June 9th, a new Xbox One will be available without Kinect for those that want it.
Microsoft has announced that they will be offering a new Kinect-free Xbox One beginning on June 9th for the slimmed down price of $399.99.
In a post on the official Xbox site, Microsoft’s Phil Spencer revealed the details, saying that games like Titanfall, Dead Rising 3, Watch Dogs and Destiny will continue to be available without any type of motion control requirement. Apps such as Twitch, YouTube and Netflix will be similarly unaffected.
In addition, Spencer revealed some changes and updates for Xbox Live Gold, including some free games for Xbox 360 users to celebrate one year of Games with Gold. The free games for June will be Dark Souls, Charlie Murder and Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition.
So Xbox One users won’t feel left out, Games with Gold and Deals with Gold will also become available in June. The first titles to get the 50%-75% discount treatment will be Forza Motorsport 5, and Ryse: Son of Rome, as well as a few others that Spencer would not divulge.
Finally, many entertainment apps that had been only available with an Xbox Gold membership will be taken out from under the pay umbrella, requiring only an Xbox Live account. Xbox 360 and Xbox One users will now get free access to “Machinima, Twitch and Upload, popular video services like Netflix, Univision Deportes, GoPro, Red Bull TV and HBO GO, sports experiences like the NFL app for Xbox One, MLB.TV, NBA Game Time, NHL Game Center and more. Internet Explorer, Skype, OneDrive and OneGuide will also be available to all Xbox customers.”
Spencer stressed that the Kinect is still part of the Xbox One vision. “We will continue to offer a premium Xbox One with Kinect bundle to deliver voice and gesture controls, biometric sign-in, instant personalization, instant scanning of QR codes, and enhanced features only available with Kinect in games such as Kinect Sports Rivals. Just Dance 2014, Project Spark and more.”
Users who purchase the Xbox One sans Kinect will be able to change their mind and add a standalone sensor, but not until, Microsoft makes it available sometime in the fall.
Source: Official Xbox
