Do You Need a New Xbox Kinect? A Buyer's Guide for 2024

The Xbox Kinect was discontinued in 2017. Whether you "need" one depends entirely on your goals and hardware.

You DON'T Need a Kinect If:

You own an Xbox Series X|S — they lack Kinect ports and support.
You own an Xbox One S / X — they require a discontinued adapter for Kinect; most features (Cortana, gestures) are deprecated.
You just want to play standard games — a controller is superior for 99% of titles.
You want VR — Kinect is not VR. Look at Meta Quest, PSVR2, or PCVR.

Specific Games: You want to play Kinect Sports, Dance Central, Just Dance (older entries), Fruit Ninja Kinect, Child of Eden, or Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor.
Fitness: Nike+ Kinect Training, Your Shape: Fitness Evolved, Zumba Fitness offer full-body tracking without wearables.
Voice Commands / Skype: On original Xbox One, Kinect enables "Xbox On," game launching, and Skype calls (though Skype on Xbox is now deprecated).
Developer / Hobbyist: PC modding, 3D scanning, or robotics projects using the depth sensor.

Check compatibility: Xbox 360 Kinect ≠ Xbox One Kinect. They use different connectors and protocols.
Buy used cheaply: Prices range $15–$40. Ensure the power supply/adapter is included (Xbox 360 Kinect needs a separate wall plug for slim 360s).
Test before committing: Many thrift stores / GameStop allow returns.

Just Dance (Switch/PS5/Series X): Uses smartphone app for scoring — no camera needed.
Ring Fit Adventure (Switch): Best-in-class fitness gaming.
Meta Quest 2/3: True VR fitness (Supernatural, FitXR) and motion gaming.

Verdict: For 95% of gamers in 2024, a Kinect is a nostalgia piece, not a necessity. Buy only for specific legacy titles.

Xbox 360