Microsoft is touting Kinect as the center point of Xbox One, but it has absolutely no Kinect-based launch titles.
Published by Microsoft and developed by Rare, Kinect Sports Rivals used to be Xbox One’s only Kinect-based launch title but now it has been delayed until early 2014.
Of course there are a lot of Xbox One games that take advantage of Kinect but, so far, all those game are using Kinect as an optional extra. In addition to Kinect Sports Rivals, only Just Dance 2014 is the other Kinect-based game announced for Xbox One. It is scheduled for release before the end of 2013, but not at launch.
Nonetheless, Microsoft remains adamant that Kinect is at the core of the Xbox One experience. "The all new Kinect is now an essential and integrated part of the platform," a Q&A post on the official Xbox news website states. "By having it as a consistent part of every Xbox One, game and entertainment creators can build experiences that assume the availability of voice, gesture and natural sensing, leading to unrivaled ease of use, premium experiences and interactivity for you."
When asked about Kinect-based Xbox One launch titles, a Microsoft spokeswoman answered that "We will have a broad variety of Xbox One titles that will feature Kinect functionality, but we are still months away from launch and we and our partners will have much more to unveil. Stay tuned for more games news soon."