E3 2011: Microsoft looking to Re-Kinect

Mike Bantick
Tuesday, 07 June 2011 08:39

Your IT - Entertainment

A new imagining of the original Halo plus Halo 4, Gears of War 3, Mass Effect 3 and Minecraft all slated for Xbox 360. No new hardware announcement, but plenty of choice for the millions of Kinect motion detection controller owners in the future with Microsoft confirming at E3 today details of Star Wars, Dance Central, Fable and many more Kinect enabled titles on the horizon.

E3 is the Electronic Entertainment Expo show in L.A that attracts the biggest names in the video-game industry.  The big three (Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo) all get to strut their stuff with keynote press presentations.

Microsoft focussed on software this year with plenty of game announcements, particularly centred around the Kinect motion detection device.  Here is a rundown of the highlights:

*         'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3'  (Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer Games). The best-selling first-person action series of all time returns with the epic sequel to the record-setting, blockbuster phenomenon 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.'

*         'Dance Central 2'  (Harmonix Music Systems Inc., Microsoft Studios). Following up to the best-selling dance game for Kinect, Harmonix expands the full-body dance game universe with 'Dance Central 2,' which provides new multiplayer experiences and all-new routines set to an unstoppable soundtrack, featuring Usher, Rihanna, La Roux, Nicki Minaj, Montell Jordan and more. Meet the crews and dance collaboratively with friends in Perform It! or challenge them to a simultaneous head-to-head Dance Battle to determine dance floor supremacy.

*          'Fable: The Journey'  (Lionhead Studios, Microsoft Studios). Set five years after the events of 'Fable III,' 'Journey' takes you on a magical journey with only your loyal horse at your reins, Theresa, the mysterious seer of 'Fable III,' by your side, and a malevolent evil to defeat before it claims all of Albion. With the power of Kinect for Xbox 360, craft and control magic in a way that can't be done with a controller. 'Fable: The Journey' draws players deep into the action and adventure of the 'Fable' franchise like never before.

*         'Forza Motorsport 4' (Turn 10 Studios, Microsoft Studios). The highest-rated racing franchise of this generation returns, delivering the most expansive and vividly realistic automotive experience across any console. With genre-defining controller-based racing, game-changing Kinect experiences, such as head tracking, and new social features that connect players in ways no other racing game can, 'Forza Motorsport 4' is transforming the racing category. Available October 13.

 

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