A few months ago, Microsoft announced it had stopped manufacturing the Kinect camera for Xbox One.
Today, the company announced it has ended production of the popular Kinect Adapter for Xbox One S and Xbox One X. The original Xbox One, which launched in 2013, contained a dedicated Kinect port because initially, the console required the accessory. Due to severe consumer backlash, Microsoft decided to change that policy, with a refined Xbox One S lacking the port a few years later. The same holds true for the recently-released Xbox One X because, just like the Xbox One S, it lacks a dedicated Kinect port.
This news will be disappointing to many gamers who wanted to use a Kinect with their Xbox One S or Xbox One X. The Kinect not only allows you to speak to Cortana seamlessly, but it's also necessary when you're playing titles like Fru and Kinect Sports Rivals. Not only that, but this is also troubling news for studios that exclusively make Kinect games like Virtual Air Guitar Company. In a statement issued to Polygon, a Microsoft spokesperson said the following about the decision to discontinue the Kinect Adapter.
After careful consideration, we decided to stop manufacturing the Xbox Kinect Adapter to focus attention on launching new, higher fan-requested gaming accessories across Xbox One and Windows 10.
The fact that Microsoft will no longer make the adapter has also lead to a price increase across the second-hand market, with some adapters reaching as high as $300 on Amazon. That costs more than the Kinect camera itself! Meanwhile, it's still easy to purchase a Kinect on Amazon, priced at around $80.
The discontinuation effectively means that those who purchase the Xbox One S or Xbox One X won't be able to use the Kinect, without delving into third-party resellers. Studios like Virtual Air Guitar Company already struggle when it comes to selling its games and this change only amplifies its struggles. Not many gamers, if any, will be willing to drop $150 to $300 on an adapter.
When the Xbox One S launched, the company offered a free adapter to those who had a Kinect. There has been a shortage of Kinect Adapters for months now and the company is yet to provide a viable solution (and likely never will) for existing owners.
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