Kinect Kudo Tsunoda: Core Gamer Definition "Weird to Me"
Launch lineup does appeal to the 'core gamer.'
Microsoft Game Studios manager Kudo Tsunoda has defended concerns regarding Kinect's launch lineup, suggesting that the perception of 'core games' needs to be redefined.
In a recent interview, the mouthpiece for the Xbox 360's new motion-sensing peripheral fielded all sorts of questions formed by initial reactions to the peripheral's big unveil at E3 this year. Of particular note was the fear that 'core gamers' had been abandoned by titles like Dance Central and Kinectimals - Tsunoda said that these games can provide a worthwhile experience for the more advanced player.
"Obviously core gamers are a big part of everything that goes on on Xbox. But it's always weird to me how there's a definition of core gamers; it's only people who like action games or only people who like shooting people," Tsunoda mused. "To me, gameplayers enjoy skill based gameplay that has depth to it - there are things to learn and you get better at the game.
"I think Mario Bros is a great example of a game that provides that in a big way and gives any kind of gamer the full satisfying experience they want, but with an interface that is simple enough for anybody to jump in and play at any time. There are a few things that you need to learn how to do, but once you get those down it's not about learning the controller, it's about learning how to be awesome in the game and that's the fun part."
Tsunoda continues to say that it is this fusion of accessibility and addictive gameplay that will make Kinect a success. "Arcade games used to be super approachable - if the game involved riding on a motorcycle, you sit on a motorcycle. That's the same as Kinect - the games put you in a position where you can do things as you would in your real life. Kinect is removing the abstraction of a complicated controller."
So, Kinect is like riding a motorbike, then. Convinced, readers?
In a recent interview, the mouthpiece for the Xbox 360's new motion-sensing peripheral fielded all sorts of questions formed by initial reactions to the peripheral's big unveil at E3 this year. Of particular note was the fear that 'core gamers' had been abandoned by titles like Dance Central and Kinectimals - Tsunoda said that these games can provide a worthwhile experience for the more advanced player.
"Obviously core gamers are a big part of everything that goes on on Xbox. But it's always weird to me how there's a definition of core gamers; it's only people who like action games or only people who like shooting people," Tsunoda mused. "To me, gameplayers enjoy skill based gameplay that has depth to it - there are things to learn and you get better at the game.
"I think Mario Bros is a great example of a game that provides that in a big way and gives any kind of gamer the full satisfying experience they want, but with an interface that is simple enough for anybody to jump in and play at any time. There are a few things that you need to learn how to do, but once you get those down it's not about learning the controller, it's about learning how to be awesome in the game and that's the fun part."
Tsunoda continues to say that it is this fusion of accessibility and addictive gameplay that will make Kinect a success. "Arcade games used to be super approachable - if the game involved riding on a motorcycle, you sit on a motorcycle. That's the same as Kinect - the games put you in a position where you can do things as you would in your real life. Kinect is removing the abstraction of a complicated controller."
So, Kinect is like riding a motorbike, then. Convinced, readers?
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