Microsoft’s Copilot for Gaming: A Perfect Match for Kinect

AI can spark debate among tech enthusiasts, yet it has undeniably become a staple in our day-to-day lives. Personally, I find myself using AI almost daily, partly because Microsoft has seamlessly integrated it into so many of their products. Ever since technologies like ChatGPT and Bing Chat evolved into Copilot, I’ve discovered creative ways to incorporate this tech into my routine, making life just a tad bit easier and more enjoyable.

The concept of an Xbox Copilot, or Copilot for Gaming, which Microsoft recently introduced, appears promising at first glance. However, there’s a minor catch: it operates via a smartphone interface. I’m not thrilled about pausing my gaming session just to fiddle with my phone.

Remember the Kinect? It was another Microsoft innovation that might have been ahead of its time and eventually discontinued. Imagine combining Kinect’s capabilities with Xbox Copilot – wouldn’t that be a game-changer?

Let’s talk about voice control. Interacting via the same device is vastly superior to juggling a phone mid-game. That’s one of the brilliant features of the second-generation Kinect with Xbox 360, which offered a novel way to engage with games. With Xbox One, it took on a pivotal role, evolving from a cool gadget to an intuitive voice-controlled assistant.

I delighted in giving commands to my Xbox One through the Kinect, transforming it from a mere tool to control power settings to a genuinely useful accessory. During those early parenting days, juggling a newborn was made simpler thanks to the Kinect, which allowed me to navigate the Xbox without anyone baby crying.

Now, fast forward to our AI-dominated world, with Microsoft keen on weaving it into every possible platform. Isn’t it baffling that native Xbox Copilot doesn’t include a built-in Kinect-like interface for seamless voice control?

Sure, using your phone is an option, but in a gaming setup that already involves a console, TV, and controller, it feels redundant to introduce another device. Unless you possess superhuman abilities, managing a game and using a phone simultaneously feels cumbersome.

My colleague, Samuel Tolbert, nailed it when discussing Xbox Copilot: being forced to shout at a smaller, secondary screen just to enhance your gaming experience isn’t ideal.

Reflecting on this, it’s clear Kinect has missed its window of opportunity, yet its premise still holds value. It seems almost inevitable that Microsoft will eventually embed some form of Copilot directly into Xbox consoles. With AI even finding its way into Notepad on Windows 11, why should Xbox be any different?

Unfortunately, the necessary hardware like Kinect isn’t compatible with modern consoles anymore. I’d happily interact with Copilot on the Xbox if it allowed for hands-free voice commands. Let’s be honest, when engrossed in a game, nobody wants to divert their attention to a separate gadget just to access AI features.

If Microsoft wants to make Copilot successful, they need to integrate a robust voice interface. A distraction-free experience is crucial; you should be able to activate it, engage, and dismiss it with just your voice, without disrupting your gameplay.

Whether Microsoft will bring this vision to life remains uncertain. But looking back at their history of innovative concepts that were shelved too soon, it does provoke a nostalgic sense of “what could have been.”