Xbox One No Longer Requires Kinect To Function

In a recent AMA with IGN, Xbox Corporate Vice President Marc Whitten revealed that buyers of the Xbox One will still be able to enjoy some of the features on the console even if they decide to disconnect the Kinect. Prior to this announcement, it was declared otherwise.

Of course, having the Kinect not plugged in anymore does disable features such as voice commands, facial recognition, and other Kinect-related features, but that’s to be expected. This comes as a surprise as Microsoft has been trying to push for the Kinect along with every Xbox One sold. Although, just like the DRM reversal prior, this announcement has left many happier than the first impression.

So, the question still begs; Will Microsoft release a new Kinect-less Xbox One SKU? Or, will they perhaps stick with their guns and continue to keep the Kinect as a Mandatory piece of hardware included in every Xbox One purchase?

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