Xbox Live Vision camera reviewed, nudity imminent

Our pals over at Joystiq managed to get their hand on the Xbox Live Vision camera over the weekend, and what with the official launch of the Vision being two weeks away, they weren't expected to see any other gamers video-chatting during their testing. As it turns out, Joystiq's innocent reviewer met another camera user within minutes of booting up Uno, an encounter made doubly-memorable by the bare-assed greeting that the other Vision owner decided to send down the pipe. As well as functioning as a broadcasting platform for rookie streakers, the Vision is capable of mapping player's faces onto in-game characters and EyeToy-like gestural control: titles taking advantage of these features will hit the XBL Marketplace on September 19. Other tidbits that Joystiq noted include: an anthropomorphic design enhanced by the fowards-backwards / left-right custom tilt of the camera, and the complete listing of what's included in the two different camera bundles. Budget buyers will be looking to pick up the $40 package which includes the Vision, a one month XBL Gold membership, the Xbox 360 headset, and free downloads of Uno and a 3D platform game called TotemBall. The $80 bundle gets you a twelve month XBL Gold membership, 200 Microsoft Points, and a free download of Robotron: 2084 on top of everything included in the $40 package. Something tells us that September 19 is going to be a disturbing day for Uno players on Xbox Live.

Another shot of the camera.

A sense of scale.

A bit of interface action.

[SWAKEFIELD @ Sep 5th 2006 6:24AM]

MS are having a major update in November ... Then it'll be revised and updated along with the dashboard (this means anyone with a chipped xbox is fucked!!)

[rudix @ Sep 5th 2006 7:19AM]

nice and small

[srw985 @ Sep 5th 2006 7:36AM]

SWAKEFIELD, how can you chip a 360?

or do u mean original xbox

[Scott @ Sep 5th 2006 7:36AM]

@Rudix

That Guy's Ass or the Camera?

[.ed @ Sep 5th 2006 9:30AM]

it's been in my toys r us for over a week... apparently all people use it for is mooning people, at least that's what i've read... this will probably get taken off the shelves if the bad press continues until there is some way to control it other than a disclaimer than "microsoft isn't responsible for the ugly hairy asses on xbox live."

[Andir2.0 @ Sep 5th 2006 10:10AM]

Am I the only one that finds it slightly humorous whenever I see a picture..of a camera. I can't think of anything in the world like this, except maybe a report about a book.

[Seb D @ Sep 5th 2006 10:19AM]

The joystick article is awesome!

I know, slightly off topic; When is MS going to revise the XB360 hardware, to make it less loud and crash prone?

[brandon_r87 @ Sep 5th 2006 11:10AM]

I think he means the ones with the dual firmware chips or flashed firmware. All it allows you to do is play backups so its completely pointless aside from being a filthy pirate. Personally, my old xbox is chipped for homebrew stuff like XBMC. It really is the best media player I've ever seen aside from the fact that the original Xbox can't handle HD video so well.

[a83 @ Sep 5th 2006 11:45AM]

how's it anthropomorphic???

[Ben @ Sep 5th 2006 12:01PM]

These guys had a review up on August 22.
http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/games/read.php?ID=454

[glacia00 @ Sep 5th 2006 1:15PM]

"how's it anthropomorphic???"

It kind of looks like my aunt Betty. Fat, one bulging eye and giant feet.

[dpk @ Sep 5th 2006 3:23PM]

So if we already have Xbox Live and we buy this camera, does the included month get tacked on to the end of our current subscription?