It hit the market on November 4, 2010. On November 29th, a mere twenty-five days later, Microsoft reported sales topping 2.5 million units worldwide...
...annnnnnd three weeks after that there's a video on YouTube showing how the technology behind Microsoft's "family friendly", motion-mimicking Kinect console ("Now you are the controller") can be used to simulate virtual sex.
On December 16th ThriXXX (the folks behind such interactive sex games as 3D Lesbian, 3D Gay Villa, and 3D Sexvilla) posted the first working demo of the Kinect console on a sex-games interface. We couldn't get the image of "Thing" from The Addams Family out of our head as we watched the creepy armless hand grope female avatars in various stages of undress. As the floating hand passes over more "sensitive" areas the women will smile, moan, twitch, or gaze deeply into your eyes. YouTube will not allow age-sensitive material to be reposted, but you can check it out here after signing in and confirming that you're over the age of 18 (obviously, NSFW).
Needless to say, Microsoft was less than thrilled. A company spokesperson released a statement the following day, stating, "This isn't the first example of a technology being used in ways not intended by its manufacturer, and it won't be the last. Microsoft did not authorize or license its technology for this use. Xbox is a family-friendly games-and-entertainment console and does not allow Adults Only (AO) content to be certified for use on its platform, and would not condone this type of game for Kinect."
Regardless, they had to see this coming. The porn peddlers have a long, sordid history of being at the forefront of technology. In fact, we can thank the adult entertainment industry for everything from the VCR and Blu-Ray to the Polaroid camera.
ThriXXX spokesperson Brad Abram acknowledged potential issues with the Microsoft licensing agreement, but told cnet.com that they may be able to work around them by partnering with the company responsible for the core technology in the Kinect. Barring any complication, ThriXXX plans to release a working version of the game in April or May 2011 that will allow users to choose from a variety of male or female avatars, scenes, and sex toys to customize their experience.
We just hope they give that hand some arms.
