Microsoft Celebrates 1 Million Kinect Sales

By Richard Gibson
Nov 16 2010

Microsoft announced today that in the US over 1 million Kinect video game controllers have sold thus far.

This is a much-needed hit in the consumer electronics world for Microsoft. They have seen a rather tepid response to the Windows Phone 7 mobile device operating system, a major setback for the software giant.

However, the new Kinect system seems to have jumpstarted the entire shopping season for Microsoft. They officially released the Kinect on November 4^th in the US followed six days later by the European release. Later this week they plan to release the device in Asia.

Kinect is a motion sensing controller for the Xbox360. It utilizes a camera and audio sensors that track 48 points of movement for the player. This allows the player to control all of the on-screen action for the Xbox360 without using a handheld controller.

One minor downfall for the new Kinect system is the price. As a controller alone it sells for $149. However, Microsoft has bundled the controller with the Xbox360 for $299 or $399 depending on the storage space.

But the gamers of the world already have the Xbox360 and they are screaming about the cost of the single controller. Nonetheless, the system is still flying off the shelves. Microsoft has raised its forecast for the Kinect system to 5 million units sold by the end of the year.

Several hackers have already attempted to crack the Kinect controller, something that could lead to further sales as users open them up for use on other video game consoles.