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Microsoft Discontinues Xbox One Kinect Adapter
Microsoft have officially discontinued the USB adapter that allows the Kinect 2.0 to work on the Xbox One S and Xbox One X.
The adapter was given away for free to any user who upgraded from the base Xbox One to the Xbox One S, which lacked a dedicated Kinect port, as long as the user sent both consoles' serial codes to Microsoft. Users who did not fit that criteria could buy an adapter for the low, low cost of $39.99. The company stopped this promotion in October of last year, around the same time they confirmed Kinect production has ended.
Now the adapter cannot be purchased at all, no longer appearing on Microsoft's store, Amazon, Best Buy, or other retailers that previously sold the adapter. Microsoft confirmed that production on the adapter has ended.
There aren't many Kinect games, but those that remain have either been patched to work with traditional controls or will just remain unplayable on newer Xbox One variations without the adapter. The Xbox One dashboard has not supported Kinect controls since 2016 for anything other than voice commands, most of which aside from turning the system on can now be done with any headset.
Our Take
The Kinect 2.0 was a misguided attempt to try and differentiate the console from the competition, but it never really took off and ended up hamstringing the console. Still, it's a shame that Microsoft has no interest in keeping owners happy with a small adapter.
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