‘Delivering more choices’
In a post on Xbox.com this morning, Head of Xbox Phil Spencer has announced that Microsoft will begin selling Xbox One without the flagship motion-sensing, voice-controlled device Kinect. This new option brings Xbox One’s price down to $399, which is right in line with Sony’s PlayStation 4.
In the beginning, it was planned that Xbox One and Kinect would be inseparable. Later, Microsoft confirmed that Xbox One would be able to function without the peripheral. Now, the console will be sold without Kinect, though Spencer adds in the blog post that it “remains an important part of our vision.” In the video that accompanies the post, Yusuf Mehdi emphasizes the utility of Kinect, saying “As excited as we are about the new Xbox One option, clearly if you use Xbox One with Kinect, you have the best experience.”
The Kinect-free Xbox One will go on sale starting on June 9. For those who buy the Xbox One without Kinect and later decide that they want the upgrade, a standalone Xbox One Kinect will be made available this fall.