What’s in a Name: Kinect, Kinetic, Kinetica

By Louis Bedigian
GameZone.com

It was a head-scratching moment. After several weeks of speculation regarding the name of Microsoft’s new device, the publisher made headlines with the news: Project Natal would now be known as Kinect.

“Amusing,” I thought. “But where have I heard this name before?”

A few hours later, information began to circulate regarding the games that were shown at Microsoft’s pre-E3 event.

“Hmmm,” I said aloud while grabbing my chin. “Where have I seen this before?”

Wii seemed like the obvious connection; in many ways, Kinect is Wii without the remote. This was especially true when Microsoft demonstrated the menu navigational tools, which require players to stick out their hands and point at the screen.

But that wasn’t the connection I was making, and it wasn’t until I had a conversation with a friend that the true connection became clear.

“Microsoft unveiled the official name for Natal last night: Kinetic,” I told him.

He quickly responded, “You mean Kinect?”

Whoa – talk about a revelation. Without even realizing it, I referred to Microsoft’s new peripheral as “Kinetic,” which just so happens to be a game that Sony released in 2005. Interestingly, I’m not the only one making this mistake: a writer for a prominent game publication (I won’t say which) did the same thing in an article about Kinect and the Nintendo 3DS.

Granted, similar names get mixed up all the time. Besides Kinetic, Sony also had a racing game called Kinetica, which actually caused me to refer to Microsoft’s peripheral as “Kinectica” (no joke). No matter how silly this sounds, it was completely unintentional – in my mind, I know what it’s called. But my mouth can’t seem to shake the name similarities.

In most circumstances, this would be the end of the story. However, Kinetic (the Sony game) is no ordinary piece of software. It was, in fact, the first video game that heavily pushed the idea of health and fitness. It also used the EyeToy camera, which allowed players to interact with the game while displaying their image on the screen.

Sound familiar?

The whole concept behind the EyeToy was to give PS2 owners the ability to play without a controller. Early on, the peripheral gave birth to numerous mainstream-oriented experiences, most of which amounted to a bunch of mini-games that anyone could grasp.

Hmm, that sounds very familiar. Doesn’t it?

Missed Kinect(ions)

Microsoft’s Wii envy was very apparent at E3, but if its goal was to attract Nintendo fans, the publisher failed. Right now, the people most excited for Kinect are: (1) Unwavering Xbox fans, (2) anyone intrigued by new technology, regardless of its use in video games, and (3) those who believe that driving a car without a controller or a physical wheel in their hands is a good idea.

Unfortunately for Microsoft, those three groups are not (currently) amounting to a very large fan base. Pre-orders are essential to the success of new hardware, and I have yet to speak to anyone interested in buying Kinect on the first day it’s available. Most are excited for what it could bring in 2011 besides Star Wars and Forza 4, which is still a question mark.

Not surprisingly, Microsoft was not able to woo a single Nintendo fan – they were all too busy drooling over a 3D screen they couldn’t actually see. (Unless they were lucky enough to attend E3, of course.)

Where does that leave the new technology adopters and the non-gamers Nintendo hasn’t stolen yet? The former should give Microsoft some support. Your Shape and other Kinect workout games could intrigue the fitness-obsessed market, though I’m not sure they’ll accept the $300+ price tag for the console, the Kinect camera, and a game.

But what I really don’t expect to happen – and this could hurt Microsoft the most – is for Kinect to have any success in getting Bob Nevergames and Jane Preferstexting to come aboard. If Kinect fails to reach the non-gaming market, and if it can’t steal Nintendo loyalists (which it won’t), and if it isn’t able to acquire the hardcore gaming crowd that made Halo a success, this device is doomed.

That’s a lot of ifs, to be certain. But in 2009, Kinect appeared to be from a whole other universe. After seeing some actual games and hearing the final name, Kinect seems to be a bit more Earthly than the world anticipated. I would love to believe the promise of tomorrow, but I did that last year. Everyone did. Why would we get our hopes up again for what might happen someday, when someday should have been now?