The differences in advertising between Sony and Microsoft regarding their motion control is staggering. While Sony’s Move has had a fairly low-key launch, aside from some TV spots with spokesperson Kevin Butler, Kinect has seen a veritable marketing blitzkrieg the likes of which usually reserved for summer blockbuster movies. The device has been given away by three talk show hosts, and appeared as product placement in countless other shows.
So it comes as no surprise to hear that GameStop is predicting Kinect will be the top-seller this holiday season. Speaking to Eurogamer, GameStop merchandising and marketing VP Bob McKenzie said, “right now Microsoft’s Kinect is looking to be the winner of the two for us.” He says the motion device has actually exceeded their initial forecasts, but he isn’t discounting the Move entirely. “I do have them both obviously and the Move sports bundle is a great option,” he said, “but I knew for my family that Kinect was really going to be the thing that was more geared towards my household.”
So far Sony has sold roughly 2.5 million Move devices, and has a head start on sales. Microsoft, however, is projecting five million Kinect units sold this holiday season, and seems to be sprinting out of the gate. Move is cheaper, but Kinect seems to have heavy word-of-mouth support. It will be interesting to see which one comes out on top this year.
