Back in May of 2013, Microsoft announced the Xbox One. While it was met with a tepid response, the emphasis on television and entertainment over gaming was potentially the most controversial aspect of the announcement. Nothing quite summed up the emphasis on entertainment as the inclusion of the Kinect in every box. Not only did the Kinect seem like a peripheral that most consumers didn’t want, it jacked the price up by an additional $100. As most know, Microsoft would then go to do one of the biggest 180’s in gaming history. Microsoft would go on to remove the accessory from the box and removing the focus from entertainment first.
Flash forward a bit, Microsoft unveils the Xbox One S and the Xbox One X. Both of these new consoles do not have a port for the Kinect. Owners with a Kinect need to purchase a separate adapter to use the once mandatory accessory.
As of Jan 3, Microsoft has announced that they are ending production of the adapter which signals what is most likely the absolute end to the Kinect. With no way for new console owners to get a Kinect and an adapter (outside of EBay or third-party sellers), it is likely that we have seen the end of the voice-activated, motion-detecting, weird piece of video game hardware history known as the Kinect.
