Kinect paves way for expansion beyond the core

On the face of it Microsoft’s 129.99 RRP for Kinect suggests that the company may not be chasing the family market so much as striving to further monetise its existing Xbox 360 userbase.

But the European VP of interactive entertainment business Chris Lewis has insisted to MCV that Kinect remains all about expanding the console’s appeal to a new, wider audience.

We do see this as the year of expansion beyond the core gamer – which is an audience we are synonymous with,” he insisted. And through Xbox Live and the massive success we’ve had there, we are really connecting more broadly with a wider audience set. But in this stage in the life cycle, what Kinect for 360 represents, this is how we reach out and connect with younger, older, female and more family orientated audiences.”

Microsoft has, at least, confirmed a lower than normal RRP of 39.99 for Kinect dedicated software.

Nonetheless, Lewis did add that Microsoft is not abandoning its existing, dedicated, hardcore-orientated console audience.

That’s not to say we are forgetting the core,” he assured. From our point of view, we remain committed to that audience in terms of bringing full-blown, blockbuster games to that space. That’s Halo, that’s Gears of War and that’s Fable.

"We are using the Kinect for 360 announcement and the innovation that represents to connect with a much broader audience, which I hope you saw from E3.”