Minecraft XBLA will launch without Kinect support

Newsbrief: When the Xbox Live Arcade version of Mojang's indie game Minecraft releases this spring, it won't include support for the Kinect motion sensor accessory. Dundee-based developer 4J Studios, which is handling the console version of Minecraft, intends to offer Kinect support in a future update, though. "We're going to be updating the version as time goes on, so we want to make sure Kinect gameplay is the right thing for Minecraft," said lead producer Roger Carpenter in an interview with Digital Spy. Carpenter also revealed that the XBLA edition will be loosely based on the 1.6.6 version of Minecraft that released for PCs in May 2011. The developer plans to release free updates to eventually match the XBLA game's offerings with the PC edition. It will also include new features like local split-screen multiplayer and a tutorial for new players.