"Controllers are still a huge barrier, Xbox 720 needs to go beyond Kinect"

  "I was a big Trekkie when I was a kid and I still have this dream that, ultimately, we're going to end up creating the Holodeck - you know, totally immersive experiences. I still think one of the huge barriers is the controller, and even people who played games when it used to be just one big red button and a D-pad can't play games now." 

 Jade Raymond, Ubisoft Toronto's boss, obviously has a problem with current controllers, as they can't really touch older and younger players. Both kids and adults who are not technology savy have trouble controlling the classic controller, so companies are beginning to look to the future. Kinect was just the first step. Games that used Kinect are always best selling, from just dance, to Xbox's all-time best selling game, Kinect Adventures!.

Raymond hopes that this technology can be brought into hardcore gaming. Being able to make movements in-game naturally, like leaning around corners would bring gaming to a whole new level, and make play much easier for all age levels. It is a necessary step if gaming wishes to keep growing.

 Holodecks and Virtual Reality are what Raymond is hinting about, and each day we get closer, but how close are we really? The tech isn't quite here, but apparently Microsoft has ramped up its work on Natural User Interface Tech, and has been hiring many more people to work on it. This hopefully validates rumors that Xbox 720 will have better, expanded Kinect functionality.

Posted in: Kinect,News,Next Gen,Retro,Xbox 360,xbox 720