Xbox Live Vision camera coming mid September
by Conrad Quilty-Harper 
{ May 30th 2006 at 11:30AM }
Major Nelson has revealed that the Xbox Live Vision camera is all set for a simultaneous European and North American launch on the 19th of September. The forthcoming Xbox Live update will be adding support for the camera, so once this little gadget is released you should be able to plug it straight in and talk face-to-face with your gamer buddies or bet your life away in a virtual game of Texas Hold 'Em. There's still no official pricing but earlier rumors suggest that the cam will be priced from around $20-40 depending on whether or not you opt for a bundle that includes a headset, a month of Xbox Live and an XBLA game.[Via Engadget]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
32_Footsteps @ May 30th 2006 11:35AM
I'm going to just ask the same questions I asked when the Eye-Toy came out.
Why are they doing this? Has a camera ever been a good idea for a video game machine? Isn't this just going to result in the same dumb camera games everyone didn't bother with when webcams first started appearing? Has anyone ever really liked camera-based games? Wouldn't the company responsible be better served just working on developing new games?
cringer8 @ May 30th 2006 11:45AM
@footsteps
I don't think developers are going to waste money using this camera IN games. I think it's more of a "Live" peripheral (custom user pics, chatting, etc.)
Nintendo plans on using camera functionality, too (they haven't said if you'll need a Nintendo camera peripheral or if you'll be able to import your own picture through the USB port) to create personalized characters like the Iwata tennis player we saw at E3.
Why are they doing this? Probably something to do with the popularity of MySpace. Just a guess. Monkey see, monkey do (in business).
Either way, it's all just options. In my opinion, options are good.
Jay @ May 30th 2006 11:46AM
How can the camera be priced at $40=£21 yet the wireless adapter goes for £60?
... How on earth do they get away with £60 for a wireless adapter full stop!
Sjohn @ May 30th 2006 11:47AM
Thank you guys for not reporting this as "leaked" from Major's Podcast, it's pretty obvious he wanted it to be released and the guy on there was about to say "fall" or "holidays" not the date when major said "oh you almost said it". I've saw a few sites claim the September 19th date to be mistakenly released in the podcast but we all know that Major would have edited out the date if it weren't supposed to be released.
Lunker @ May 30th 2006 11:47AM
Here come the nads!
32_Footsteps: I think yes, it will result in the inevitable uninspired camera games, but I see this actually being fun to use just for the videoconferencing aspect as an add-on to existing games. Like Uno, for example -- just kicking around with some friends, cracking jokes, only now you can actually see them as well as hear them.
But seriously: here come the nads.
MosquitoControl @ May 30th 2006 11:49AM
2 words - Strip Uno.
miannone @ May 30th 2006 11:52AM
Does anyone know if the camera will plug into the 360 via usb? If so, it would kind of suck for people who have a wireless adapter, since it takes up the usb port at the back of the console.
Canadian Geese @ May 30th 2006 11:56AM
I'm actually really excited about the LIVE Vision. Some of the things I'm looking forward to doing with it are...
-personal pictures (for people on your friends list only)
-graphing your face onto the face of your character (Rainbox Six Vegas will allow you to do this). I'll probably graph my girlfriends face onto my character, so it's a chick out there kicking butt, and I can say "hey honey, look how good you are doing!". Anything to make her like it more, but she's really warming up to it nicely thanks to Oblivion and Burnout.
-video chat
-expansion of LIVE to allow video chat (like with texas hold'em as mentioned in the article)
-senses motion as you wave your hands around, changing the visualizations when playing music (just a gimmick, but one more thing my girlfriend will like about it and every gf-friendly feature is always welcome).
-possibility of improving this technology to allow navigation of the dashboard (think Minority Report).
This item is definitely on my wish list. Plus, it has been confirmed that it's PC-ready, too, so feel free to plug it into the USB port of your Windows XP machine and work without having to install drivers.
martin @ May 30th 2006 11:56AM
Has anyone seen the size of the camera yet. Knowing XBOX Brand it has got to be huge. Capable of taking whole body shots from 1 foot away! The only place you can really set the thing is on the Power Brick though. (and I am not dissing XBOX as a gaming machine, just as a compact gaming machine!)
Canadian Geese @ May 30th 2006 11:59AM
Per Major Nelson's podcast, here is how the gamerpics will work...
Only gamers on your friends list will be able to view the picture you take with the VISION. This means anyone in the general public will have to get you to add them to your friends list before they can see your pic. They assume that you won't want to post your nads for your friends to see, and if they do and you don't like it then ask them to stop or remove them from your friends list.
I think that will work perfect.
jaemz @ May 30th 2006 12:08PM
I like my gaming room dark and I suspect there is not enough light for this camera to work properly.
While I think a camera for the X360 might be a decent idea (video chats with friends), it is not for me.
JimmyHACK @ May 30th 2006 12:10PM
will be cool to see if its used well....
We all know gay vidcam chat on pc is sooo.....
all the sony bashers remember - update adding functionality - camer (sony did it first with psp and eyetoy) wii adding Opera browser (psp did it first and ps3 will have it too)
MarioKartWii.com @ May 30th 2006 12:27PM
£21 seems a little cheap. I expect this to retail at £29.99 in the UK.
The reason why this will be cheaper than the wireless adapter is that to Microsoft, it is important that this hardware is in as many homes as possible. Future games will be released for this accessory, and the larger the installed base, the larger the market.
http://www.MarioKartWii.com
boots @ May 30th 2006 12:39PM
Sony should feel flattered about this.
Jesus some people.......... @ May 30th 2006 12:43PM
32 footsteps why such retarded questions?
Let me break it down.
Why are they doing this?
To make money, thas why they are a business, a B.U.S.I.N.E.S.S tries to make money, okay?
Has a camera ever been a good idea for a video game machine?
Yes, the eye toy has become a sucess, which has allowed many causal or non gamers to have fun experiences, and like me, a great day in with some mates. Even if currently it hasnt been a good idea in your books, thats dosent mean they shouldnt make it, thier trying to offer something unique and cool to users, its a quircky idea which has some great possiblities for games. its like the wii cointroller, when has gyroscopes in games been a good idea? When has it been executed succesfully? Just because everyone else hasnt made good games with it, dosent mean microsoft wont make it brilliant.
Isn't this just going to result in the same dumb camera games everyone didn't bother with when webcams first started appearing?
NO. Besides if you didnt know this camera is a hell of a lot more advanced then simply a web cam, allows you to immerse yourslef with virtual characters, and agin, just like the eye toy, new and excitng games will be made with it. It also allows for you to put your face in a game, which is totally sweet
Has anyone ever really liked camera-based games?
Well you dont know untill you try, and thats why thier doing. but based on other peoples try. YES. stop asking such ridiculous questions.
Wouldn't the company responsible be better served just working on developing new games?
Err thats what thier making this for dumbass. These cameras will be used to create even better games with a whole unique side to it, as well as the whole social aspect of talking to friends on live with it. Besides the side of a company that works on hardware, dosent work on softwar. Come on, please, surely this is basic stuff.
Heres another thing this is unlike any camera before it, and guess what, it can be used to do EXACTLY what the wii allows you to do. And well your really stupid cause you asked these questions with the eye toy, which has been a sucess yet you ask the same question AGIAN.
cyrix_0 @ May 30th 2006 12:51PM
Grabbin Some of Eye Toy glory...
So MS will be chanting the Innovation again.
Eye Toy 2 does all this and much much much more...
I guess releasing a product earlier after copying it from a competitor, with little vision to what it brings to gaming system is a technique MS have harnessed and got into routine of...
Xbox Live Is Great Service...but without Broadband at a good speed and a HDD its not that great...thats one of the reason why Sony PS2 did not have such a platform.
You would need at least 24mb connection to enjoy what Sony "FULLY" WANTED to offer with there Online service. They wanted to roll it out for PS2 but "Broadband" was not as Common and Speeds where very low for US, Europe and UK.
They could have done this Service for Japan only since there Broadband and Telecoms infrastruture is/was Miles ahead of the Rest of the World and Very capable of the Features that Sony wanted to Implement for there Online Service. But Sony wanted to make sure that if they did such service it was Worldwide. They did not go ahead with it for the PS2 Launch as they thought it was not the right time, and that there plans would not be fully utilised. They knew that Online was Important as they have been plannin it to have it as a feature for the PS brand Since PS1, but market did not have the means to implement it fully and knew that other competitors could not offer great services without broadband speeds. So they passed up on it for the PS2 launch.
Pressure came in the from the Xbox from a Software company Giant MS, with the Live Service. MS went ahead with something Sony thought was Inferior to what they "WANTED" to offer and where waiting for the right time to implement it. Live proved after a couple of Bumpy periods that it was a good platform to build there grounds while the market makes that Curve onto Broadband and when Speeds increase that they can be there with the consumers to match that change. (good tactic I think)
Sony released a Network adapter when Broadband Boom hit the Western World. Sony started to Establish some Online Service as it was a features required to comptete against its Rivals. So they established there structure for Online service although not great it did the Job and was FREE. So added value to the system and did not leave Sony the hassle of maintaining servers and maintenance.. So you can understand that they where not implementing there Online Service yet as that move would be when Speeds improve and time is right.
Unfortunetely the Broadband Speeds for US and Europe and UK have not moved as quickly as they have compared to Japan. So hence the a launch of the PS3 will be getting that Competitve Online Service, with a HDD as standard, Ethernet port as standard. So every PS3 is able to take advantage of the service. This is there Rollout for there Initial "TRUE" Online Service. Live has become a threat to there OWN plans and Sony have alot of Work to do, and stay as market leader and meet up on all grounds not Just one killer feature, But on all ground. The Samurai way, dimisnishing weakness in your own from looking at the competitor. (my own interpretation)
:)
jabbertrack @ May 30th 2006 1:28PM
Why is it that people are right away accusing MS of 'stealing' an idea? I could understand if this was for the XBOX but a camera for a connected media device like the 360 just makes sense. Nobody second guesses cameras for PCs anymore... or even mobile phones... but if one is released for a living room entertainment device the red flags go up?
My goodness... why do you guys care so much who had the first gizmo in a certain category? Do you have an actual investment in 'firsts' for your favorite game company?
32_Footsteps @ May 30th 2006 1:55PM
"Here come the nads!"
Heh, that's the sad truth. I don't know why so many guys want to shove their genitals in the faces of so many other guys... maybe there are alot more homosexuals playing video games than I thought.
As for the "reasoned rebuttal" to my questions above... you are aware that the Eye Toy is generally considered a failure, right? Almost nobody outside of Sony itself supports the peripheral, and several games have been cancelled (like Wizard of Funk) because they rely on the peripheral and nobody owns it, guaranteeing sales would be low. By far the best selling games that do involve the Eye Toy are DDR Extreme and DDR Extreme 2 - both of which only offer added functionality with the Eye Toy, and hardly anyone uses it for that.
It's true, they're a business and out to make money. Cameras for consoles have been a noted money sink - they don't make money. So I ask again, why are they doing this?
Canadian Geese @ May 30th 2006 2:07PM
32_footsteps...
I must admit that I'm glad they are doing it. I guess they'll make a couple games that you can't use without it, but I was under the impression that it was an add-on to unlock additional features for games that can be fully enjoyed without it. Call it a gimmick if you want.
jaemz @ May 30th 2006 2:21PM
boots, contrary to your belief... Sony did not come up with this idea.
http://www.segagagadomain.com/hard_dreameye.htm
pennywise969 @ May 30th 2006 2:35PM
Dont you guys know that Sony invented the camera?
Spartacus @ May 30th 2006 4:06PM
To whoever asked about the USB port problem:
Simply buy a $5 USB hub and plug it in the back of your 360. Viola, you now have 4 ports instead of 1- enough for your wireless adapter, camera, iPod and USB coffee cup warmer with no clutter in the front.
alex @ May 31st 2006 1:28PM
this camera will do more tahn people think.
1st Timer @ May 31st 2006 2:02PM
@Footsteps
What you have failed to realize is that this Camera is going to be mainly for X-Box Live. Video Conferencing and Pre Game Lobby's. X-Box Live is hardwired into the X-Box and used by all Live enabled games.
Either you have not used X-Box Live or you simply have issues grasping the simplest of concepts.
I would venture to say the latter.
jnick @ Aug 23rd 2006 10:46AM
#8: GRAFTING not graphing!
I tell you guys, the amount of spelling and grammatical errors found on these forums is scary. It gets my goat every time.
I can live with the odd spelling mistake, but people getting whole words and concepts wrong is just bizarre to witness.
There, I got it off my chest. I'm fine now, honestly. Carry on.
GhostRiderTGAC @ Aug 24th 2006 1:16PM
I am looking forward to the Vision. My friend DeaconBlade360 @ Unscripted360.com just got his and has a nice video up on YouTube. The thing I want to know is what titles will support gaming functionality using the camera? I like the idea of having my face in a game but I want there to be active functions such as with several Eyetoy titles.
Also, I don't know why so many people are worried about people showing off stuff you don't want to see. Let me ask you this... are the people in your friend list the types to go for this blatant exhibitionism? If they are and you aren't interested, then drop them from your friend list and don't play with them. I can't speak for games like poker but I'm certain this type of behavior simply won't be tolerated and MS will do something about it.