Xbox Video Chat Includes Camera, Remote Vibration

Thanks to Game Science for its post discussing the Japanese announcement of the Xbox Video Chat hardware/software bundle, which includes "camera, 12 months of Xbox Live service, chat disc and Live Starter Kit." Although the product is "being developed mainly in Japan", a release date in the West is likely, if currently unknown. However, with features including "up to 5 people video conferencing simultaneously... participation can be restricted to invite only... send vibrations to participants' controllers", the staid Brits at Eurogamer are naturally horrified: "Given the remote-rumble function and the fact the Xbox audience is 'adult'; well, our minds are boggling, frankly."

The first thing that came to mind

[Incoherent07]

was this [gamegirladvance.com] article.

Like shooting fish in a barrel, it is.

Dear Japan.

[Photar]

Please stop experimenting with your sexuality, its freaking us out.

Re:Dear Japan.

[whathappenedtomonday]

wouldn't want to feed a troll, but this is kinda fundamental: this has nothing whatsoever to do with the japanese, but with people in general. works like spam: it's only there because there's a market / audience / recipient / customer for it. (would spam be dead if noone ever ordered one of those advertized penis enlargement products / "endurance pills" / mortgage solutions / whatever?)

Re:Dear Japan.

[Photar]

Stories like this are fundamentally Japanese. Its just like all the strange stuff that seems to uniquely come from Florida.

This won't end well

[Rie Beam]

Cybersex with combo moves...gawd...

Re:This won't end well

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah, but if you're playing Mortal Cumbat just don't do the humiliation move at the end when you "Finish Her!!"

Re:This won't end well

[Impotent_Emperor]

Well, it's not that weird if you consider that normal sex should already have combo moves such as combining a pelvic thrust with a nipple pinch.

Now I can buy girls a year to xbox live.

[schild]

We make jokes, but truth be told, Sex Sells. There's no two ways about it. For every 5 ubergeeks on slashdot that make fun of this, there are five girls or erhm...guys getting off in japan that don't care what lewd subtle jokes you may be making.

The video conferencing thing with people over xbox live is nice, though I worry it may be absolutely shitty quality. What is that? Four other people on the screen at once, in live video from four different places? That's a lot of throughput, unless the rez is like 60x40.

Re:Now I can buy girls a year to xbox live.

[MC Negro]

Very true that sex sells, but will it sell the Xbox/components? I'm skeptical. Microsoft has tried these shenanigans before [wired.com] without much success [the-magicbox.com].

Re:how long...

[0x0d0a]

It should already do so.

There are force-feedback-supporting USB HID adapters for just about every force-feedback console joystick out there (I would assume the XBox controller is included).

Linux supports force feedback on HID devices.

Re:how long...

[g-san]

yeah but if you run this you have to remove your xbox linux cause XBox live and xbox linux are incompatty [xbox-linux.org].

I know for sure

[88NoSoup4U88]

When i see my housemate buying this software/hardwrae when it comes out in Europe... i won't be touching his damn controller anymore . ;)

Maybe it's just me, but...

[Rie Beam]

I think SuperScopes are going to make a comeback...

The fourth X...

[jeremy_dot]

Your new Spam E-Mail:

Free!! Young!! XXXXBOX Vibrating!!

Whoa, whoa, whoa

[Anonymous Coward]

"Given the remote-rumble function and the fact the Xbox audience is 'adult'; well, our minds are boggling, frankly."

Boggle is an ageless game for both adults and children alike, not simply adults.

Five bucks says

[wheresdrew]

the "shake" feature will get removed if this sees a US launch.

(Though I wonder how the ESRB would handle rating this with the "shake" mode included....)

Re:Five bucks says

[Frobnicator]

(Though I wonder how the ESRB would handle rating this with the "shake" mode included....)

Simple, the same way they handle other games.

They'll put that the game is rated 'E', since video conferencing doesn't seem to meet any of the ratings elements, and keep the little warning that says "Game Experience May Change During Online Play"

Killer App for the X-box

[DrWho520]

Forget Ninja Gaiden, forget Fable, forget Star Wars: Kinghts of the Old Republic, forget Halo. THIS is the killer app for the X-box.

Couple this with the new Playboy game coming out and people really will never leave their houses ever again.

Re:Killer App for the X-box

[ImTheDarkcyde]

dont forget DoA Xtreme Beach vollyball i dont see what kinda guy gets off to that.. but to each his own, eh? pr0n!

A new market for cam whores

[BinaryOpty]

And you thought cam whores were all over before, now imagine Xbox-Cam Whores!

Coming Soon...

[Chris Acheson]

The new longer, ribbed X-Box controller.

quit

[paradesign]

Quit beating around the bush

FU-FME [fu-fme.com]

Where'd they find those Xbox users for the pics?

[superultra]

4 people at a time eh? Microsoft could market it in Japan as, "Talk to half of all the Xbox users in Japan at one time!"

Think Of The Troops

[nick_davison]

Haven't they been installing X-Box Live centers for the US Army to stay in touch with friends back home? What could be more beautiful than the thought of forty or fifty of our brave warriors all sitting in a room together, using the vibrate function with their partners back home?

The Army That Plays Together, Stays Together

Ew.

Size matters... (to all the pervs out there)

[JackAsh]

Why do I get the feeling, that the original, huge [penny-arcade.com] Xbox controllers are going to be in really high demand?

-Jack Ash

PS: Note that they very tactfully display the camera with the smaller controller-s...

Should've thought of this sooner...

[UltimaL337Star]

Nintendo would've made trillions more then what this'll make for MS if they had this for the 3 way orgy N64 controllers

Power Glove for Xbox

[wickedj]

I wonder if they'll release a Power Glove device for Xbox with the new remote vibrate feature?

"I just love the Power Glove, it's sooo bad."