Microsoft Kinect to battle in videogame market

2010-06-15 10:31:09

Phil Spencer, corporate vice president of Microsoft Game Studios, speaks on stage during the Xbox 360 media briefing at the Wiltern theatre in Los Angeles June 14, 2010. Microsoft Corp christening its new motion-sensing game system "Kinect", on Sunday offered a sneak peek of upcoming titles it hopes will help draw a new generation of casual players into the 40 million-strong Xbox game console fold. (Xinhua/Reuter Photo)

BEIJING, June 15 (Xinhuanet) -- Microsoft Corp will begin selling its "Kinect" motion-sensing game system on November 4, media reported Tuesday.

Microsoft would not say how much Kinect -- which plugs into Xboxes and lets players control games with body and hand gestures -- will sell for, though analysts' estimates range from $50 to $200.

Microsoft Corp., seeking to re-energize sales in the videogame market, also unveiled a redesigned version of its Xbox 360 game console that is sleeker and smaller.

The new model increases the hard drive space to 250 gigabytes — twice that of the current one — and includes built-in Wi-Fi capability. Current Xbox models need an accessory to access Xbox Live and other online features wirelessly.

The redesigned device, expected to be available at retailers later this week, is smaller and "whisper quiet," says Don Mattrick, the company's senior vice president of interactive entertainment.

The new Xbox is "completely designed for the future of entertainment," he says.

The Microsoft unveiling is among the first of several expected from this year's E3 Expo videogame trade show from an industry that is counting on new hardware to rejuvenate sales.

On Tuesday, Nintendo Co. is expected to announce a new 3-D version of its DS hand-held device and Sony Corp. will likely show a slew of 3-D games and provide more details about its Move motion controller.

(Agencies)

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