Kinect Sports is a set of games that were released exclusively on the Xbox 360 platform back in November 2010. The series was published as a direct response to Nintendo’s Wii Sports – which proved to be extremely successful after its release in 2006. The Xbox version, which requires the use of the Kinect software to function, contains six different sports. These are ten-pin bowling, boxing, track and field, table tennis, beach volleyball and football (soccer). Essentially, the Kinect version of these games work exactly the same way as the Nintendo Wii but offers better graphics and an all-round updated experience.
[singlepic id=10284 w= h= float=center]
by bfishadow
Over the years, Kinect Sports have introduced other sports, including basketball in their Kinect Sports Ultimate Collection bundle, but neither the Xbox version nor Nintendo’s Wii Sports have opted to make a rugby-based game. This is very strange, particularly as there is a clear lack of competition in the market and a well-planned rugby game could certainly attract people towards the game. There is even more reason to make a rugby union game for release in 2015 as many people will be watching, betting on and tracking the 2015 Rugby World Cup in the autumn. Many rugby fans would have enjoyed playing an interactive version of rugby through the Kinect whilst keeping up to date with the World Cup throughout October.
[singlepic id=10285 w= h= float=center]
by KRB events
An interactive rugby game would certainly attract attention and could help Xbox to claim some of the Wii’s users to purchase a Kinect. In terms of the controls, the game would be relatively easy to play as the movements are tracked by the Kinect camera. On Kinect Season Two, there is an American Football game available. The rugby game could work in a similar way to that. Although the game would lack realism, it would be fun and user-friendly – henceforth allowing the opportunity for novices as well as advanced gamers. The clip below shows the latest American Football game that is available on Kinect Season Two and there is no reason why Microsoft Game Studios couldn’t produce a similar style game to cater for rugby fans.
It is difficult to suggest why neither Wii Sports nor Kinect Sports have already produced a rugby-related game for their devices so far. There is no doubt that there’s a clear gap in the market and, in a Rugby World Cup year – especially with England hosting the competition – it is strange to see neither attempt to offer an improved game with a rugby aspect included. In fact, neither rugby code is covered as there is a lack of a rugby league game, too. Some customers took to Twitter to raise their frustration after finding out that there would be no rugby feature on Kinect Sports: Season Two.
So will Kinect Sports Season Three include Rugby League?? #Season12MoreLikely
— Matthew Vose (@matthewvose) June 6, 2011
It looks as though fans of the Nintendo Wii and Xbox Kinect shall be waiting a while before they will be treated to a rugby aspect on their interactive games. There are a number of other sports that struggled to succeed after their inclusion in second editions and, therefore, the producers and developers may be worried about another failed game in the future. That being said, a rugby game would certainly have fared well during a Rugby World Cup year and one can’t help but feel that both gaming giants have missed out on a huge opportunity to seize the initiative and control the market share.
[singlepic id=10286 w= h= float=center]
0
