Yesterday IGN posted new questions in their ongoing AMA (Ask Microsoft Anything) article. One of the answers will come to great relieve to some. The question was “Since Kinect must be plugged in for the Xbox One to function, what happens if your Kinect breaks? Like if it falls off the top of your TV onto a hardwood floor or something? Will the console cease to function?” Marc Whitten, Chief Xbox One Platform Architect, answer with a bunch about how much the Kinect will greatly enhance the gaming experience, yadah yadah yadah. Basically still trying to sell the Kinect as something more than voice remote for Netflix and not answering the question. But then he goes on to add “That said, like online, the console will still function if Kinect isn’t plugged in, although you won’t be able to use any feature or experience that explicitly uses the sensor.” That’s right. The Kinect no longer has to be plugged in to work. All you haters can now shut up. HAHAHA. Like that will happen. I still stick with my ‘turn the damn Kinect around’ plan.

One of the other questions that were asked, worth mentioning, was about cross generational voice chat and how that won’t happen because of technical reasons. But you can still send text messages between consoles.

<source: IGN>