A new demo for The Biggest Loser: Ultimate Workout is now available for download from the Xbox LIVE Marketplace. Weighing in at 350.1 MB, the new demo should be available in all Xbox LIVE regions. Check availability in your region from the links below.
Content: The Biggest Loser: Ultimate Workout Price: Free Availability: Check availability in your region. Dash Text: Developed exclusively for Kinect and the Xbox 360 by THQ, the Biggest Loser will include loads of features, such as video diaries and online workouts with your friends via Xbox LIVE.
With the launch of Kinect coming up next month, Microsoft have announced that they will have 17 controller free games available as part of Kinect’s launch portfolio. Read on for the complete list.
Today, the countdown to Kinect begins, as Microsoft Corp. announced the launch of a multiyear advertising campaign and revealed the complete lineup of 17 controller-free games that will transform living rooms around the world starting on Nov. 4.
With pre-orders rapidly selling out and thousands of retailers across the country opening at midnight on launch day, Kinect is set to fly off store shelves and get everyone off the couch and on their feet this holiday season.
“The very first time we saw Kinect, we knew it would be a ‘must have’ item for the holiday season,” said Richard Barry, vice president, general merchandise manager, Toys “R” Us® Inc. “There is no better place in the world to introduce innovative new products than Toys “R” Us, and we are excited about the full day of activities planned in New York City, building up to the much anticipated sale of the first Kinect sensor at our flagship store in Times Square.”
Excitement for Kinect has reached a fever pitch. Over the past four months, tens of thousands of kids and parents, seasoned gamers and newbies alike jumped into the world of controller-free entertainment on the nationwide Kinect Experience Tour. This week, Microsoft continues to fan the flames with the launch of the Kinect global ad campaign.
“The Xbox 360 team created a multiyear, integrated campaign showcasing real people at the heart of the experience,” said Mike Delman, corporate vice president of IEB global marketing, Microsoft. “Kinect puts consumers at the center of their entertainment, and our marketing efforts follow that same charter.”
A Gift for the Whole Family
For less than the price of four tickets to see “The Nutcracker” this holiday, Kinect is a gift that awakens the living room all year round with laughter, camaraderie and the simple joy of new experiences shared with family and friends. The all-in-one Xbox 360 4GB Console with Kinect includes the new Xbox 360 4GB console, Kinect sensor and “Kinect Adventures,” priced at $299.99 ERP (U.S.). Or for those who have an Xbox 360 console1 at home, the stand-alone Kinect for Xbox 360 priced at $149.99 ERP (U.S.) includes the Kinect sensor and “Kinect Adventures” and works with the 42 million Xbox 360 consoles currently in homes worldwide.
With 17 Kinect-enabled titles debuting in November, Kinect for Xbox 360 offers something for gamers (and nongamers) of every stripe.
Family Game Night … With a Kinect Twist
Befriend a playful tiger cub, collect treasures from around the globe or cast a spell in the wizarding world. Whether adopting a new family pet in “Kinectimals” (Frontier Developments Ltd./Microsoft Game Studios), or embarking on a wet and wild rafting trip in “Kinect Adventures” (Good Science Studio/Microsoft Game Studios), Kinect for Xbox 360 is the one gift the whole family will enjoy this holiday season.
Included with every Kinect sensor, Kinect Adventures delivers pulse-racing adventure to you and your family. Work together to complete a variety of challenges that fire up the mind and body for players of all ages and skill levels. You’ll bounce through roaring rapids, challenge obstacle courses or explore a leaky underwater laboratory.
Kinectimals (Frontier Developments Ltd./Microsoft Game Studios)
Limited collector’s editions of the “Kinectimals” game packaged with a 7” plush toy that unlocks a new animal and toy in the game will be available at select retailers. $49.99 ERP (U.S.)/$59.99 ERP (U.S.) limited collector’s edition.
One of the major concerns regarding Kinect ahead of its release this November is lag.
Besides the lack of any physical feedback, the lag that some demonstrations have had between when a player moves and that action is registered on-screen has some people worried. But according to Blitz Games chief technical officer Andrew Oliver, the lag we've seen doesn't need to be there and could be eliminated by developers.
Blitz Games is currently working on, among other things, The Biggest Loser for Kinect. Oliver was asked about the issue of Kinect lag in an interview with Gamasutra, and he explained that Blitz is not using a skeletal system like other fitness games which "takes a little bit of time to calculate." He said, "But this is all software-based, so where some people might see some little cracks, they're easily fixable by software."
Asked if there is any actual delay between the camera and what you see on the screen, Oliver explained, "It depends on what technology you're using. I have seen a few games with a bit of lag, but that is the software choice of the creators; they've programmed it a certain way, and they'll come up with new techniques. We will tighten and tighten it. There doesn't need to be a lag. We can get it down to maybe two frames behind, which is pretty insignificant; you won't notice. We're just learning new tricks. Ours is pretty tight."
Oliver likens the current learning process to developing for a new game console: "... game designers are running forward in a completely new area and learning this stuff. It's like any console. The first few games will look like nothing compared to second and third generation."
This isn't the first time a developer has suggested that lag won't be an issue; back in June, Rare's executive producer of technology and communications, Nick Burton, claimed, "Lag is not an issue." That was, however, what you would perhaps expect to hear from a Microsoft-owned developer. Blitz is arguably less likely to be biased, but whether or not that is indeed the case, hopefully lag really is an issue that we won't have to deal with in Kinect games for long.
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With pre-orders rapidly selling out and thousands of retailers across the country opening at midnight on launch day, Kinect is set to fly off store shelves and get everyone off the couch and on their feet this holiday season.
