Microsoft predicts 3 million Kinect-ions this holiday
Product director Aaron Greenberg says retail channel checks indicate Xbox 360 add-on will go triple platinum this year.
Up until last night, Microsoft had largely considered only the casual and family-friendly crowd when announcing games for its camera-based motion-sensing Xbox 360 add-on, Kinect. As part of its 2010 Tokyo Game Show press conference, though, Microsoft offered first word on a number of core-gaming titles, including Grasshopper Manufacture's Codename D, From Software's Steel Battalion, and Sega's Rise of Nightmares, further broadening the audience of potentially interested gamers.
With Kinect set to make its North American debut on November 4, Microsoft believes that interest will result in a multimillion-unit performance by the peripheral before the year is out. Speaking to Gamasutra, Microsoft's Xbox product director, Aaron Greenberg, predicted that Kinect will sell 3 million units this holiday season alone.
"Our key indicators are feedback from retailers," he said. "I think you'd be surprised at how sophisticated they are, and they really have the pulse of the market. They're looking at preorders, they're talking to customers. We've also done our own research. We believe this will be the biggest launch in our history, for Xbox. We will sell more Kinect sensors than we did [systems] at Xbox 360 launch."
"Our estimates [indicate] that we will sell in excess of 3 million units this holiday," he continued. He also noted that Microsoft is spending "hundreds of millions" in marketing, a figure that exceeds what the publisher spent on the launch of the Xbox 360.
Despite its lofty goal, Microsoft's estimate is actually conservative compared to sales projections by Lazard Capital Markets analyst Colin Sebastian. Last month, the noted industry prognosticator raised his forecast for Kinect sales from 3 million to 4 million, due in part to his belief that Microsoft plans to flood retail channels with Xbox 360 bundles featuring the device.
Of those bundles, Microsoft has announced a $300 Xbox 360S-Kinect package that includes the peripheral, a new 4GB slimline console, and Kinect Adventures. A $400 variant featuring the 250GB Xbox 360S is also en route. Alternatively, gamers can pick up Kinect as a stand-alone offering for $150.
Fallout 4 Next Gen Update Comparison Stellar Blade - Hard Mode No Damage Gigas Boss Gameplay Stellar Blade - Hard Mode No Damage Abaddon Boss Gameplay Stellar Blade - (Almost) All Outfits Granblue Fantasy: Relink - New Content Trailer Modern Warfare III - New Season 3 Reloaded Modern Warfare Zombies Update River City Girls 2 - New Playable Characters DLC Reveal!! That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime ISEKAI Chronicles – Official Announcement Trailer MEGATON MUSASHI W: WIRED – Official OP “MUSASHI English Ver.” Trailer Gothic 1 Remake | Official Collector's Edition Trailer SaGa Emerald Beyond – Official Launch Trailer Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door – Official Switch Overview Trailer
Please enter your date of birth to view this video
By clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot's
Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com
Join the conversation