2. Voice And Motion Control Will Always Be Optional...
At some point - and most likely whenever it's attempted to be spoken in a Microsoft meeting room, everyone starts looking in different directions - the Kinect is going to make another return. Where we're at right now the Xbox is just trying to stand firm for a few months without something questioning its intentions, but the fact of the matter is the hardware itself - the very fabric of the machine and the way its menus work - was built from the ground up with the motion and voice controls in mind. You could see and feel all the potential waiting to be tapped into back at launch, it was just hampered by a broken piece of tech that couldn't fulfil its end of the bargain. It resulted in Microsoft back-pedalling on their "You'll never see an Xbox without a Kinect" spiel completely, all for the sake of getting some people through the door before having to force-feed motion controlled flambé down their throats when everyone's about to get comfortable. It's an inevitability they're going to return to it once the blazing fires of hate have been quelled somewhat - and that's going to be one mighty fine PR spin to present the idea in a positive way without resorting to a hands n' knees apology.