What Are You Doing Microsoft?!

This just makes my brain hurt...it can't be good news. It could be nothing, but USUALLY when something isn't released to the critics, be it movies or games early. It usually means that there is a sub par product and a company doesn't want bad reviews to affect sales. So they rely on marketing and ignorance to push a product rather that the quality.

It seems that Microsoft may, not just biting the bullet but eating the damn thing here when it comes to to Kinects. But they are going after the casual gamer here, the family, elderly who bought a Wii who own one just for its Wii sports.

Only recently I was visiting a friend who told me they own a Wii that they that rarely play and when they do, its only the bowling and these are the casual gamers that Microsoft are hoping to take advantage of. Here is the full article by gamrconnect.

Microsoft is attempting to stop reviews of Kinect from surfacing before the controller is released – which many are taking as a sign Microsoft is trying to cover up a sub-standard product.

The gaming press complains about not being sent review copies:

Kinect is Microsoft’s biggest push for the Xbox gaming division to date. The Xbox division could sink or swim depending on the success of the device. However, in an unusual move the company has been hesitant to send out the device for review.

Many journalists in the gaming industry have complained about Microsoft’s hesitation to send the Kinect and any of its software offerings for review. This is actually something that has been actively talked about on game press forums.

In addition the publisher has also placed an embargo on posting any sort of review for the device prior to launch. Microsoft’s internal anti piracy investigation group has also issued a take-down notice to Destructoid, who incidentally made fun of the Kinect’s new commercials.

The fact that Microsoft is being so sensitive about any sort of criticism towards the device is a major concern. Just like how film studios won’t hold a pre-screening for movies that is expected to tank, the video game industry operates exactly the same way.

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Typically its a very bad sign when publishers do this as it means that there is something wrong and the company wants to rely on ignorance and marketing rather than letting the public find out early. I am not saying this is the case for the Kinect, but it is very concerning nevertheless.

Here is what Andy McNamara, editor-in-chief of Gamer Informer recently tweeted (read from bottom up):(Click to enlarge)