Rumor: 'Avatar Kinect' Xbox feature to be unveiled at CES

by Ben Gilbert on Jan 4th 2011 11:30AM

Glimpse Dog received what it purports to be a snapshot of a leaked slide from Microsoft's CES keynote (seen above) showing off something called "Avatar Kinect." This by itself isn't all that exciting, but Winrumors believes that Avatar Kinect will be part of a forthcoming software update -- one that "will allow Kinect owners to interact with each other using their avatars" much like Sony's Home.

Furthermore, the site believes that "the Avatars will have a separate area, much like the Nintendo's Mii Channel, that will allow for users to control them using Kinect and interact to watch content or play games." Does this mean Kinect-based A World of Keflings wrestling matches? 'Cause if so, we're totally on board -- just as long as we don't have to queue for them.

We'll presumably find out more when Microsoft's CES keynote is broadcast live this Wednesday from Las Vegas.

[Image credit: Glimpse Dog]

Source: Glimpse Dog, Winrumors

Tags: avatar, avatar-kinect, avatars, ces, ces-2011, kinect, microsoft, software-update, xbox

Reader Comments (56)

The avatar support makes the kinect look bad at my house. When I have a friend over, I show them dance central or something. When my avatar is up there, it doesn't track as well as it should.

Can they not somehow use the vga cam and mix it with the kinect data? When I see my silhouette up there it looks much cooler and smoother.

Clearly I don't really know any of the technical stuff. I just know what looks better.

Does this mean I can finally see what the bottom of my avatar's shoe will look like?

BAM!

@Uncle Jesse

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXN7vLPsDSM

Yes more useless crap for Kinect, you would think with all the awesome exclusives the PS3 will get this year MS would have had something other than Gears 3 for us core gamers.

@The angry pro consumer gaming ga
i thought they confirmed Gears of War 3 wasn't going to be compatible with Kinect

@The angry pro consumer gaming ga

I'm just hoping the Panzer Dragoon game coming out can also be played using a controller. I can't see myself paying $150 for an add-on no matter how impressive it is.

@The angry pro consumer gaming ga This, like every other year, will not be the year of the ps3. You bought the wrong system deal with it.

@The angry pro consumer gaming ga - Yes, because the only things that are coming out for the 360 in 2011 are what has been announced by January 4... Microsoft would NEVER wait until E3 to show off their holiday lineup.

Seriously, just because Sony has revealed most, if not all of their 2011 lineup by the beginning of the year (a lot of it being stuff that was delayed from last year) doesn't mean that the other companies won't have games worth playing.

If E3 comes & goes and Microsoft still hasn't shown some Core games, then you can be worried.

@Mcmax3000 Steel Battalion is bigger than the 3DS release. So I really don't care about any other of these new tangled announcements.

@Jack Kevorkian

Uncharted 3, LBP2, Killzone 3 and Resistance 3 would like VERY strong words with you

@Billlop Those are cool games I would play them. But I don't feel sad. I expect all three systems to have a very good 2011.

IMO, LBP and Last Guardian are the two games that set the console apart. And who the hell knows what's going on with TLG.

@Jack Kevorkian

Don't offer stupid comments like that. Even if the guy your replying to is offering his 'stupid' (in your opinion) opinion.

@The angry pro consumer gaming ga

why did he get downvoated, i get that it may have sounded a lil fanboyish but he's right. Sony is coming every year with hit exclusives that not only look amazing but play amazing.

what does MS do? they make Kinect support for your avatar. Then on top of that you have some kid saying to wait till E3 to see what MS has in store but no one asks why must 360 owners wait 6 - 7 months to get announcements on games that will be coming out in another 4 months on top of that.

Its hilarious that the 360 has become the new "waitstation"... thats all you are gonna hear 360 owners say "just wait..." like the PS3 used to a long time ago lol

@PR0F3TA - Most companies make their announcements for the rest of the year at E3... Why am I so unreasonable for saying that people should wait until E3 before jumping all over Microsoft about what is coming out this year?

Sony has made the decision to announce their stuff a year ahead of time. That's great, however it doesn't mean that every company needs to follow suit.

If E3 comes & goes and you still don't like what Microsoft has to show for the holiday season, then you can complain but right now people are literally complaining about nothing because we don't know what Microsoft has in store for the remainder of the year.

Quite frankly I'd rather have Microsoft wait and make promises at E3 that they can keep because they know what software will be ready in a few months rather then having a game announced a year or two ahead of time and end up being delayed (which almost everybody I've spoken to agrees will probably happen to at least one or two of the PS3's 2011 exclusives and has already happened to Gears 3).

Now I can break it down with my avatar for all to see

Microsoft - Co-opting ideas since 1975.

@(Unverified) Pfft. Next you'll be saying that Avatars are a cheap ripoff of Miis.

@(Unverified)
Oh please. The whole of PSN is basically a copy & paste job of XBL. Complaining that it's Microsoft doing all the stealing is extremely hypocritical.

@Snowblind
PSN is only a copy in that it offers many of the same features all gamers have been demanding regardless of the console. If nintendo were less of a mother hen it'd offer the same features too.

Controlling your avatars with the kinect sounds like a mistake. Home has too much sexual harrasment even without specific animations, the number of complaints will be ridiculous if you can actually thrust your hips.

@PN04

Everyone copies from everyone, but it's silly to point the finger as a PS3 fan when Sony was BY FAR the biggest offender of it this generation.

They put a hard drive in the console, like MS introduced last gen. They made an online network that is virtually an exact copy (to the best of their abilities) of the one that MS created. Even their take on motion gaming they decided to make the exact same controllers as the ones that already existed, just with more precision. I mean seriously, they couldn't think of any other way to make a motion controller other than exactly what Nintendo did? Surely, Nintendo didn't nail the exact perfect controller on their very first try.

PSN takes so many features from XBL it's nuts. The only thing new Sony brought to this gen was a new storage format (blu-ray) which, whoopdie-do, we see almost every generation.

I may be in the minority in saying that I love my avatar. It may be sad, but that little guy is a representation of me and, in some cases, the first thing people see of me. I know a lot of people see them as irrelevant but I don't. To me, it's something that makes me turn on my 360 more than my PS3. The PS3 Home avatars don't have the same appeal and are not as accessible. The 360 could be accused of being too cutesy but I would say it's homely - it feels like it's alive inside - and that's partly down to avatars.

For this reason, I welcome any avatar supported features.

@Styli

Kudo?

@Styli
I kind of understand what you mean. I'm not pro-avatars, but they are extremely prominent in the dashboard and a virtual representation of oneself. I've even bought a few avatar items in the past to make him look more like me (Skullcandy headphones + Adidas hoodies). To be honest I spend a lot of time on Live, so to me - it's worth spending a few dollars on avatar items, even if they are useless.

Avatar awards are always great too, but mostly seem to be only in Xbox exclusive games, though I do love my Alan Wake jacket and scarf.

Dammit I need to change my avatar. People might think I actually wear a safari outfit in everyday life

My living room is too tiny for this news

I wish they'd let me use the kinect gesture and voice controls for other stuff instead, like say turning off the console, or controlling the media center extender interface.

I was very underwhelmed by the kinect's alternate control features. At least the games are fun.

@Synner
the biggest thing that is missing to me is the inclusion of netflix in the list of apps controllable by kinect. i mean they have the zune marketplace, and espn so why not netflix? i don't think it would be that hard to implement.

@chex I agree netflix would be welcome. I also agree that I expected more menu menu functionality with my kinect. And the lack of guidance on voice controls is frustrating. I have no idea what I can and can't say to my Evil Eye That Watches All.

Is it just me, or does this sound like that movie Surrogates? Controling a false representation of yourself as a replacement while interacting with other people, you know?

@cantwait2bhome
Or, you know...Avatar.

@Daker3
Hm. There's that too...

@cantwait2bhome

I think Gamer would be pretty accurate too.

What with 14 year olds controlling avatars that looked like 'roided out gears avatars.

BAZIING!

Does this mean that the MS just made cybering more interesting?

@Raniz85 Im pretty sure the cybering success of UNO was the entire reason for Kinects development.

@Jack Kevorkian
I think what happened in Uno leads to more services being gimped by MS. A lot of people got offended by what was happening in that game.

My wife gets mad in Kinect sports and adventures when I make it look like my avatar's grabbing her butt....

I wonder why that is?

@Synner Because she doesn't find you attractive in real life and virtually?

@Jack Kevorkian No, I'm gorgeous, that can't be it.

@Jack Kevorkian That's ok, I left your allowance on your mother's nightstand like usual.

@Synner Daddy when are you coming home?

Keep trying MS, haven't get me yet.

@shortboy12

Keep trying shortboy, eventually you'll be able to write proper english.

@leobebes
Perdón, la gramática no es lo mío. Apenas se escribir en español.

I hope they update the kinect to detect more while getting avatar kinect. As well as seeing your avatar dance instead of those generic characters in dance central!

I forsee this being fun for 2 minutes, then never being used again.

So this is how the dry-humping begins. I wonder how long before they offer a bed prop...

@Shadsy Which they removed! the bastards.

I hope the people responsible for making the environments for BK:N&B will create a really fun interactive environment; like an amusement park full of games. If it's a clone of of Home or Nintendo's Mii channel, I will be deeply disappointed.

I want fun games I can use my avatar with. MS already sacrificed JoyRide to pad Kinect launch line-up...

@Tuxy79 great idea honestly. Since nuts and bolts isn't being updates why not just make the whole game this new "home". Car building and all.

Loved that game. One of the best on the system.

@Tuxy79 BK:N&B was mad by the same development group that worked on avatars. So it is very possible you will get what you want.

| 1 | 2 | Most Recent | Next 50 Comments

Rumor: 'Avatar Kinect' Xbox feature to be unveiled at CES

Reader Comments (56)

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 11:41AM bre30127 said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 11:42AM Uncle Jesse said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 11:47AM TraceurRyuk Prepping for LBP2 said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 11:44AM The angry pro consumer gaming ga said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 12:01PM EDZiLLUH said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 12:02PM LoneWolf18 said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 12:31PM Jack Kevorkian said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 12:40PM Mcmax3000 said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 12:44PM Jack Kevorkian said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 12:45PM Billlop said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 12:49PM Jack Kevorkian said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 12:52PM Muzaffar2705 said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 3:20PM PR0F3TA said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 4:56PM Mcmax3000 said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 11:44AM Jawmuncher said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 11:49AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 12:14PM Lucky The Fox said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 12:24PM Snowblind said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 1:36PM PN04 said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 2:27PM Vcize said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 11:50AM Styli said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 12:05PM FernandoRocker said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 12:25PM BlackedOut said

Posted: Jan 5th 2011 8:03AM imadogg said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 11:52AM eat it said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 12:07PM Synner said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 12:19PM chex said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 12:33PM Jack Kevorkian said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 12:10PM cantwait2bhome said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 1:15PM Daker3 said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 3:41PM cantwait2bhome said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 5:07PM xJimmeh said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 12:20PM Raniz85 said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 12:34PM Jack Kevorkian said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 2:15PM Duke said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 12:22PM Synner said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 12:34PM Jack Kevorkian said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 12:36PM Synner said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 2:34PM Synner said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 3:53PM Jack Kevorkian said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 12:46PM shortboy12 said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 2:48PM leobebes said

Posted: Jan 11th 2011 5:29PM shortboy12 said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 1:02PM sykane said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 1:05PM warmonk said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 1:10PM Raiderfan said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 1:44PM Petebot330 said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 2:10PM Tuxy79 said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 2:18PM Jack Kevorkian said

Posted: Jan 4th 2011 6:06PM AntiSniperSpy said

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