Microsoft decided to stop manufacturing Kinect Adapter for the Xbox One console. The company said it will focus on developing new accessories for its customers.
Microsoft told Polygon that the adapter "will no longer be available." The company justified its decision to stop the manufacturing process to make way for new projects. "After careful consideration, we decided to stop manufacturing the Xbox Kinect Adapter to focus attention on launching new, higher fan-requested game accessories across Xbox one and Windows 10," a Microsoft spokesperson said. The representative did not give further information if the company might consider bringing the adapter in the future.
Many Xbox One gamers expressed their sadness over the news, and Microsoft received some backlash from netizens. One netizen on Facebook suggested that Microsoft develop an Xbox One console with the Kinect already built in. There are others who are saying that they are now looking for other gamers who own a Kinect adapter and purchase it directly from them.
Microsoft did not disclose further information about new accessory projects they are working on. Microsoft's latest addition to the Xbox One console franchise is the Xbox One X released in November 2017. Even before the release of the Xbox One X, there had been many reports saying Microsoft had already stopped its Kinect production.
Polygon also reported that few people already speculated that Microsoft already discontinued the product because most retailers selling it are out of stock. However, a number of Kinect games still support the peripheral function. Microsoft did launch new updates to make sure Kinect games are playable without the Kinect.
The Kinect was first introduced in 2009 during the E3 event as Project Natal for the Xbox 360 and a model for Microsoft Windows was released on Feb. 1, 2012. Gizmodo and other technology publications consider the Kinect function as one of "Microsoft's most revolutionary ideas."
