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Kinect price drops to $110 in US

Microsoft slashes peripheral price down from $150 effective immediately in United States; no cuts planned for European or Japanese regions.

Microsoft has cut the price of its full-body motion-control technology peripheral Kinect from $150 to $110 in the United States effective immediately. Microsoft's director of Xbox Live programming Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb announced the news today through his blog.

A permanent price cut for the rest of North America, as well as Latin America and Asia Pacific regions, is also planned. Additionally, the Kinect peripheral will be available at a permanently reduced rate in Australia and New Zealand beginning October 4. Microsoft said the final retail price for each region will vary based on currency rates and "other variables."

The price drop will not extend to Europe, the Middle East, Africa, or Japan.

The Kinect launched in November 2010 behind a half-billion-dollar marketing campaign as a stand-alone peripheral at $150 or in Xbox 360 bundles at $299 and up. It has sold 19 million units globally as of the end of May 2012.

The next iteration of the Kinect is rumored to launch with the Xbox 720 in 2013. It is believed to support four-player full-body tracking and allow gamers to sit down while playing. On top of this, the "Kinect V2" will supposedly be able to adapt to players' living rooms, meaning they will not need to move furniture for an optimal experience.

Eddie Makuch
By Eddie Makuch, News Editor

Eddie Makuch (Mack-ooh) is a News Editor at GameSpot. He works out of the company's Boston office in Somerville, Mass., and loves extra chunky peanut butter.

98 comments
soulless4now
soulless4now like.author.displayName 1 Like

I keep forgetting Kinect exists. 

 

HipHopBeats
HipHopBeats

I can't believe people would actually pay anything for this. Even if this were given to me for free, I could see it instantly becoming a dust magnet or a  book stand.

HipHopBeats
HipHopBeats

I can't believe people would actually pay anything for this. Even if this were given to me for free, I could see it instantly becoming a dust magnet and bookstand.

DualSMG14
DualSMG14

The only thing I would ever use the Kinect for is the voice commands in Skyrim, and only if I were given one for free.

steelmouth
steelmouth

and am still not buying it untill its built into the xbox

ggregd
ggregd

Why do console manufacturers get to dictate the price retailers charge for their hardware?  If supply and demand were at work Kinect would be selling for $50 and people might care about it and the games that use it.

IceJester45
IceJester45 like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

They waited way too long to do this. Kinect needed a price drop when unit sales started dropping a year or so ago.

 

Now, what Kinect needs are some compelling 'core games. The Gunstringer and Child of Eden are not enough.

hadlee73
hadlee73 like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

"It has sold 19 million units globally as of the end of May 2012"... primarily because people get landed with one when they purchase most Xbox 360s, whether they want it or not. It's like saying Wii Sports is the best-selling game of all time, when it was actually bundled with the Wii.

PSYCHOV3N0M
PSYCHOV3N0M

 @hadlee73

 Ummm you DO realize that they sell a stand-alone 250GB 360 Slim without Kinect right? If anyone bought a Kinect bundle then it's because they wanted to. Microsoft gives us options with console purchases dude.

hadlee73
hadlee73

 @PSYCHOV3N0M Firstly you'll notice my sentence which says *most* Xbox 360s, rather than *all*. And secondly, many world-wide markets only give consumers one Xbox 360 option, and those are bundled with Kinect. And as this article is specifying "19 million units *globally*", that makes my comment quite relevant. "Dude".

rarson
rarson like.author.displayName 1 Like

Kinect technology is compelling, they just have to figure out a way to integrate it that really enhances the experience without being cumbersome. Like voice commands, for instance. Players needn't have to move around their living room for it to be useful.

y3ivan
y3ivan like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

price cut does not save the hardware, when theres no proper software to make use of it.

hunter8man
hunter8man

Still way too high of a price. No one wants it MS.

quinnd6
quinnd6

Why would anyone in Europe want to buy the Kinect anymore?

I'm not into the Kinect at all myself and don't have one but I think that completely stinks. The Kinect is more than 40 euros more expensive in Europe now.

No one in Europe should buy the Kinect from now on.

Thats the only thing that would show them.

There are no decent games for it anyway.

kiramasaki
kiramasaki

I need a price drop on the system. My system broke again, and I am not dropping 200 dollars on a system at the end of its life with 4 gb hard drive; honestly all things given its cheaper to get a 160 gig ps3 slim new over a 250 gig slim xbox new, 250 for the former, 300 for the latter.

4dr1el
4dr1el like.author.displayName 1 Like

still overpriced as fvck. Worthless piece of sh1t

Megavideogamer
Megavideogamer

I still don't want kinect at $110.00 Microsoft is hoping that their are still a few soccer mom's who haven't bought one for the family.

SlyMC182
SlyMC182 like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 9 Like

So now I own a $110.00 paperweight, instead of a $150.00 paperweight. That is GREAT!!! 

brgreen
brgreen

There are no games to support the purchase of this still.

tgwolf
tgwolf

Did it drop in price because it has better feedback now?...Oh, silly me!

NoelXYeul
NoelXYeul like.author.displayName 1 Like

What's the extra $10? To offset the money lost in not-genuine Windows OS installations to people who will be crazy enough not to buy one used?

Valtero
Valtero

Doesn't it only cost like $50 for Microsoft to produce each Kinect unit? Why the hell hasn't the price dropped more?

Krewton
Krewton

Local pawn shop has had one pretty much new in the box for $60 the last couple months, starting to collect dust.

BillyColeman
BillyColeman

i still wont get it i don't like the games so far 

Bgrngod
Bgrngod

I've seen the Kinect on sale for around $110 to $125 many many times over the last 8 months or so.  We got ours for $85 after some coupons and discounts.

ExplicitMike
ExplicitMike like.author.displayName 1 Like

MS isn't getting the hint that most gamers don't care about this thing. Then again. why should they? Enough suckers like me bought into it. Too bad supporting betas testing is all we do now. This even applies to broken games.

RPG_Fan_I_Am
RPG_Fan_I_Am like.author.displayName 1 Like

Wow that things still priced at $150? I thought they dropped the price of it a while ago... Thats rediculous. also thats 2.85 billion in revenue. so the campaign is well paid off.... this thing should be like $80 tops by now....

Terran499
Terran499 like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 3 Like

just curious to see how much longer it last before the discard and discontinue the kniect. i don't see why people believe it'll last. remember the eyetoy and ps eye and how they were going to change things.

Ravenlore_basic
Ravenlore_basic like.author.displayName 1 Like

 @Terran499 Well, IF Sony did not drop the Eye toy then they too could have sold a huge amount of cheap games to casual players and kids. 

frunklindoodle
frunklindoodle like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 3 Like

Sweet! Now I can finally play.... Um...  I can play...  Kinect Adventures?

SolidTy
SolidTy like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

Wow, Kinect was over priced at launch, but they kept the price too high way too long. It's still too high, but they are trying to push it one more season before they get the HYPE build up for Kinect 2 HD on 720.

ExplicitMike
ExplicitMike like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

 @SolidTy And when that happens I am done with Xbox. I didn't buy a 360 so they can just focus on the casual market. Even Nintendo knows the fad is over. I am core gamer first and a casual gamer second. (Not to be confused with hardcore gamer. A term that I am not even sure of.)

flammable_zeus
flammable_zeus

Ooh, they'll base it on currency rates? So it'll be cheaper here in Australia than in the US? Oh wait. Other variables? Like how much Microsoft feels like ripping off consumers based on race?

oOhedzOo
oOhedzOo

Kinect price = still high -----> People still won't buy Kinect -----> Few people will have Kinect = Few Kinect games is soled and they all suck lollipops.

ydnarrewop
ydnarrewop

The new Fable may make me consider a Kinect...maybe  lol

svaubel
svaubel

Why only $110? Why not to $79.99?

COPMAN221ISBACK
COPMAN221ISBACK like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 3 Like

Perhaps when the price drops to $19.99 and they make a real game for it I will buy it. Then again, maybe I won't....

strayfies
strayfies like.author.displayName 1 Like

 @COPMAN221ISBACK Exactly what I came to post.  Can't see any reason to buy a $110 gimmick device. 

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