Microsoft's Kinect Helps Xbox 360 Surge in Sales

[crustyasp46]

Just when it looked as though Sony's PlayStation 3 was getting ready to eclipse sales of Microsoft's Xbox 360, it appears the latter's controller-free peripheral, Kinect, has revived the flagging MS video game console. According to a recent report, January sales of the game system climbed 15 per cent over the same period last year.



The findings come from industry analysts NPD Group, which note that about 8 million units of Kinect have now sold. In January 2011 alone Kinect helped ship 381,000 Xbox 360 units, a 15 per cent increase over January 2010. (Source: punchjump.com)

Kinect Popularity Surprises Critics

The hike is surprising many critics, including gaming insiders at Gamasutra.

"A year ago when Microsoft's Kinect was known as Project Natal, we were dubious about the system's value to the Xbox 360 market," the gaming blog reported. At the time we wrote that we doubted that 'Microsoft's Project Natal will actually lift and sustain the platform significantly.'" (Source: gamasutra.com)

Kinect is a major score for Microsoft for several reasons. First, there's its sales -- 8 million units in just three months -- but there's also the fact that the peripheral has breathed life into a console now in its sixth year.

In the world of video games, that's an eternity (the original Xbox was released in November 2000 and was more-or-less replaced by the 360 in November 2005). The Xbox 360 continues to retail for $300, even though it lacks several of the key features of its main competitor, the PlayStation 3, including a WiFi Internet connection and Blu-ray player.

Peripheral Buoys Software Sales, Too

Kinect may also have something to do with a revival in overall video game software sales, which had started to tail off until last fall. Kinect began shipping in early November, and one of its most popular games, Dance Central, has shipped 1.2 million units. 217,000 of those copies were sold in January 2011 alone.

[te_lanus]

My sister Bought a Xbox360 just to play with the Kinect . Else if the want to play something more grown-up They use either the Wii or PS3

[Kherr]

Else if the want to play something more grown-up they [will] use either the Wii or PS3

Uh... the Wii is "grown-up?" Forgive me, but may I ask how? Not trying to sound rude or anything, but my brain just exploded trying to comprehend that.

I'm seriously asking that question while trying to be funny by explaining that my brain exploded.

[te_lanus]

Else if the want to play something more grown-up they [will] use either the Wii or PS3

Uh... the Wii is "grown-up?" Forgive me, but may I ask how? Not trying to sound rude or anything, but my brain just exploded trying to comprehend that.

I'm seriously asking that question while trying to be funny by explaining that my brain exploded.

By Bro-in-law bought Resident Evil, COD BO + a few other Shooters for the Wii as he like the way it involves more than just using a Gamepad. he says he likes the peripherals that the Wii has, thus FPS's get bought only for the Wii as most of the games. He bought the PS3 to watch Downloaded TV series and play Gran Turismo 5 (the only game he has for the PS3)

[luke83]

I love my WII , but seriously there's only a handful of good violent adult games on the machine , i have a young family so i went with the wii over the PS3 as i felt the PS3 looks a little to REAL for my daughter to even see me playing.

[Kherr]

[M]y Bro-in-law bought Resident Evil, COD BO + a few other Shooters for the Wii as he like the way it involves more than just using a Gamepad. he says he likes the peripherals that the Wii has, thus FPS's get bought only for the Wii as most of the games. He bought the PS3 to watch Downloaded TV series and play Gran Turismo 5 (the only game he has for the PS3)

Oh. You're saying within your family. Ok, that makes sense then if all the adult games you own are on the Wii, then I guess that would make it adult oriented for your family. Makes sense now. Just if he really wants adult, tell him the PS3 has that motion sensing crap too, and it's library is almost completely made of adult games. Well, the good games on it anyway. ;3