Way back in January, Microsoft showed off a radical new gaming concept called the "IllumiRoom." The concept outlined a system that would use Kinect and a projector to extend gaming off the TV screen and onto a room's walls and furniture.
Needless to say, the response by gamers across the land was incredibly positive. Sadly, Microsoft's proof-of-concept will probably never be made available due to high set-up costs.
Addressing the possibility of the IllumiRoom concept being released Xbox One, Albert Penello, head of product planning for Xbox One told AusGamers at a recent Gamescom Q&A:
"I wouldn’t expect you’ll see that. It’s very, very cool tech but it’s, like, for a consumer, it requires projectors and things. It’s really super-neat if you’re in the lab and you’ve got Microsoft money and you could totally set up this awesome lab, but... we looked at it, but for an average customer it’s, like, thousands of dollars [for the set up]."
If that comment is accurate, Penello is only referring to IllumiRoom's possible release on the Xbox One. What may be expensive to produce now could be inexpensive in five years or a decade. Case in point: Kinect, the company's gesture-controlled camera that originally cost $30,000 to develop the first model and now sells for under $100 in many places.
In case you missed it, you can take a look at the IllumiRoom concept video in the video below. While Penello has dismissed the IllumiRoom concept for Xbox One, it could potentially reappear for future Xbox consoles. VIDEO
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