Is Microsoft scared of something? No sign of Kinect reviews before launch

We already know Kinect is for kids and moms/women who watch Opera, so it obviously isn't gonna games that ARENT targeted towards them. Chance of seeing something good on Kinect is probably as good as seeing something good on the Virtual Boy.

Of course it sounds fishy, because it is. Maybe they have a good reason, but more than likely they know that the titles they have so far won't review well and that would probably hurt Kinect sales.

Even if it is completely broken and doesn't work, people will still buy it about the same if it worked well.

Its 10 days before release...why would one expect a plethoria of reviews for it 10 days before release?

and lol n4g sorry man that is not a reputable site...and any thing linked through it instantly becomes circumspect n4g is meant for fanboy news and fanboy news only which is why I never visit there. there are many places that put up review embargos including sony...it means nothing.

Its 10 days before release...why would one expect a plethoria of reviews for it 10 days before release?

WilliamRLBaker

Did you just notice this now? If Kinect was a worthwhile product they would invest $500 million on Kinect games and not Kinect marketing.

We already know Kinect is for kids and moms/women who watch Opera, so it obviously isn't gonna games that ARENT targeted towards them. Chance of seeing something good on Kinect is probably as good as seeing something good on the Virtual Boy.

ChubbyGuy40

Do people honestly expect this to be as big as the Wii?Fightingfan

Do people honestly expect this to be as big as the Wii?Fightingfan

So I googled Kinect for reviews and I come a cross rumors that Microsoft will not send out review kits before launch date 11/4/10. When studios don't allow movies to be reviewed before opening night, such movies are always bad. The same concern can be said of Kinect since Microsoft won't allow reviews to come out before launch. What is going on? http://n4g.com/news/629617/xbox-360-microsofts-kinect-review-embargo-is-a-red-flagbooniga

[QUOTE="booniga"]So I googled Kinect for reviews and I come a cross rumors that Microsoft will not send out review kits before launch date 11/4/10. When studios don't allow movies to be reviewed before opening night, such movies are always bad. The same concern can be said of Kinect since Microsoft won't allow reviews to come out before launch. What is going on? http://n4g.com/news/629617/xbox-360-microsofts-kinect-review-embargo-is-a-red-flagFrostbite24

Do people honestly expect this to be as big as the Wii?Fightingfan

[QUOTE="Frostbite24"]

[QUOTE="booniga"]So I googled Kinect for reviews and I come a cross rumors that Microsoft will not send out review kits before launch date 11/4/10. When studios don't allow movies to be reviewed before opening night, such movies are always bad. The same concern can be said of Kinect since Microsoft won't allow reviews to come out before launch. What is going on? http://n4g.com/news/629617/xbox-360-microsofts-kinect-review-embargo-is-a-red-flagvaderhater

Its 10 days before release...why would one expect a plethoria of reviews for it 10 days before release?

and lol n4g sorry man that is not a reputable site...and any thing linked through it instantly becomes circumspect n4g is meant for fanboy news and fanboy news only which is why I never visit there. there are many places that put up review embargos including sony...it means nothing.

WilliamRLBaker

you see, I would have expected you to visit there for that reason alone. but anyways the guy has a point, regardless if there's a plethora of reviews or not, there isn't a single review. I don't expect it to be good, but they're obviously going to try to sell as many as they can before reviews are posted. it's a good business tactic, regardless if it's sony, ms, or ninty.

[QUOTE="ChubbyGuy40"]

We already know Kinect is for kids and moms/women who watch Opera, so it obviously isn't gonna games that ARENT targeted towards them. Chance of seeing something good on Kinect is probably as good as seeing something good on the Virtual Boy.

savebattery

Mario Tennis was horrid. That was the only game I ever played for it that I can remember. The whole system felt like a PoS. Now that I had to urge to watch videos on youtube about a few other games, I'm glad it didn't succeed. The other games looked just as bad.

if they are smart not only will they not send out review copies but will also add a $1999.99 sur charge to any reviewers that want to pay for it themselves.

instructions to retailers will be if a fat guy with stains on his 1up mushroom shirt come into the store ask if he intends to review it for a major internet site.

All the gaming press comments in previews have been how do I put this, "less than positive".

Why would Microsoft send out early ones to get bad reviews and hurt their 500million ad budgets effort.

They know it's going to suck so they expect millions of people to fall for it before they realize the horrible mistake they made.kuraimen

If you ask me, Kinect is not the kind of thing you want to be 'Jump(ing) In' on day-one with anyway...67gt500

This is a very wise statement.

How about we wait until next month.

[QUOTE="kuraimen"]They know it's going to suck so they expect millions of people to fall for it before they realize the horrible mistake they made.Frostbite24

[QUOTE="kuraimen"]They know it's going to suck so they expect millions of people to fall for it before they realize the horrible mistake they made.Frostbite24

All the major sites got Move early...

some by almost a month

[QUOTE="Frostbite24"][QUOTE="kuraimen"]They know it's going to suck so they expect millions of people to fall for it before they realize the horrible mistake they made.kuraimen

Is Microsoft scared of something?booniga

[QUOTE="Frostbite24"][QUOTE="kuraimen"]They know it's going to suck so they expect millions of people to fall for it before they realize the horrible mistake they made.dercoo

All the major sites got Move early...

some by almost a month

[QUOTE="dercoo"]

[QUOTE="Frostbite24"] And on top of that they are copying Sony by doing exactly what they did with the Move. MS can't even be original huh?Frostbite24

All the major sites got Move early...

some by almost a month

It's an embargo. And some can't actually get the hardware/software to do a proper review.

You're right! Sony must have actually thought Move was good so they gave out review copies early. My oh my how they were poorly mistaken...Frostbite24

[QUOTE="Frostbite24"][QUOTE="dercoo"]

All the major sites got Move early...

some by almost a month

FIipMode

They were well aware of the tripe that was the software coming with it :?

quiet down now kinect haters... have a helping of reality.

http://www.lazygamer.net/is-the-lack-of-kinect-review-opportunities-a-red-flag/

"On the second major aspect, the fact that Microsoft are not sending out units to gaming sites for review and the review embargo is set for the release date, this isn't anything new in the industry and can mean one of three things.

Either that they have no faith in the product and are planning on selling it purely on the back of marketing

Or

They don't feel that gaming sites are the appropriate channel to market the device

Or

They want full control of the marketing machine and would rather manage it all themselves.

All three are true in some aspect but if Microsoft had no faith in their product then you wouldn't be seeing it in road shows, public events or any number of TV shows and schools that we have already seen it in.

I don't think that Microsoft do think that gaming sites are the best channel for marketing Kinect as can be seen from reading any comments section on any gaming site, gamers want to know how Kinect is going to make their games even better and the fact that it isn't doesn't sit well with them.

In closing, Kinect isn't the first title or device to have release day embargoes. This happens pretty often and while it is worrying it isn't necessarily a sign that the device will fail but rather a sign that Microsoft are dominating the marketing machine while they can."

[QUOTE="FIipMode"][QUOTE="Frostbite24"] You're right! Sony must have actually thought Move was good so they gave out review copies early. My oh my how they were poorly mistaken...Frostbite24

They were well aware of the tripe that was the software coming with it :?

good god the next time i hear you guys spewing the whole MOVE WAS WELL REVIEWED!!! thing i'm going to puke.

the HARDWARE was well reviewed, which means when they turned it on, it worked.

congrats on that.

see, you guys start that stuff and then the next thing i have to hear is lems screaming KINECT WAS WELL REVIEWED!!! as the games for it get an average score of 5.5, y'know just like the move trash.

hey everyone my microwave was well reviewed also, who wants to come over for a steamy mouthful of hot turd? see how that works? the software is the important part here.

[QUOTE="Frostbite24"]

[QUOTE="FIipMode"] But Move got good reviews :?FIipMode

They were well aware of the tripe that was the software coming with it :?

good god the next time i hear you guys spewing the whole MOVE WAS WELL REVIEWED!!! thing i'm going to puke.

the HARDWARE was well reviewed, which means when they turned it on, it worked.

congrats on that.

see, you guys start that stuff and then the next thing i have to hear is lems screaming KINECT WAS WELL REVIEWED!!! as the games for it get an average score of 5.5, y'know just like the move trash.

hey everyone my microwave was well reviewed also, who wants to come over for a mouthful hot turd? see how that works? the software is the important part here.

Riverwolf007

Its 10 days before release...why would one expect a plethoria of reviews for it 10 days before release?

and lol n4g sorry man that is not a reputable site...and any thing linked through it instantly becomes circumspect n4g is meant for fanboy news and fanboy news only which is why I never visit there. there are many places that put up review embargos including sony...it means nothing.

WilliamRLBaker

A good way to spread some good will about a great product before launch would be to give critics the opportunity to eat their own words. Its a great way to market without spending $500 million. On the flip side if the product is not so great to begin with one could see why giving it to the critics to rip apart might be detrimental and result in lost sales.

..

Basically

If x is good, early reviews will support this sales will increase.

If x is average, early reviews will support this sales will either stay the same or decrease

if x is bad, early reviews will support this and sales will go down.

What this means is that with a 67% chance MS does not think to highly of their own product.

Can you actually use the move controller without software? Of course I'm talking about software. They go hand in hand. Please don't misunderstand, I fully expect Kinect to perform just as well, embargo or not. Frostbite24

I think they are just building up the hype as much as they can, usually big stuff dont get reviewed this early

Just pay media millions $ to have kinect on news, i am surea lot ofamerican will buy it next month like avatar and ipad trend.

[QUOTE="WilliamRLBaker"]

Its 10 days before release...why would one expect a plethoria of reviews for it 10 days before release?

and lol n4g sorry man that is not a reputable site...and any thing linked through it instantly becomes circumspect n4g is meant for fanboy news and fanboy news only which is why I never visit there. there are many places that put up review embargos including sony...it means nothing.

alextherussian

A good way to spread some good will about a great product before launch would be to give critics the opportunity to eat their own words. Its a great way to market without spending $500 million. On the flip side if the product is not so great to begin with one could see why giving it to the critics to rip apart might be detrimental and result in lost sales.

..

Basically

If x is good, early reviews will support this sales will increase.

If x is average, early reviews will support this sales will either stay the same or decrease

if x is bad, early reviews will support this and sales will go down.

What this means is that with a 67% chance MS does not think to highly of their own product.

MS decided to spend $500 million on advertising a product they dont think very highly of? Its not like they have any chance of recouping that money during the holiday season... so they are clearly expecting strong continued sales.

If kinect got good reviews, would you buy one? probably not. This is why MS doesnt care about handing it out to reviewers.