UPDATE: In case we had anyone fooled, we should probably point out this was an April Fools'.
In an announcement that few could have seen coming, Microsoft today lifted the lid on an all new, Xbox One exclusive, Kinect powered adventure, Kinectimals: Now with Beards.
After having left the mysterious island, and its fluffy inhabitants alone for a few years, a state of disorder has fallen over the land. Far from keeping their fur neatly trimmed, now facial hair is all the rage, as Cambridge studio Frontier Developments got pondering what might happen were you to return a few years later.
"We know kids loved interacting with the little big cats and bears using Kinect. We know they loved stroking them, and tickling them behind the ears. But kids have a short attention span. We don't have a Mr. Resetti, and we don't have anyone who shows up to make you feel guilty by telling you how long it's been since you last visited - but we did wonder what the island would look like now, after it's effectively been abandoned for a few years. I mean, no-one would have been able to trim the animal's fur, for starters - and so the idea for Kinectimals: Now with Beards was born"
When quizzed about whether the game had actually originated by way of a typo, seeing as "with Bears" is only a single letter away from "with Beards", the company had no comment.
What they did offer though, is an exclusive look at the boxart, in a partnership with famous beard lover and WWE star, Daniel Bryan:
While little has been released in the way of screens or even a teaser trailer, the new title is bound to be a boon to the Xbox One as it enters the busy Christmas period. Taking the "next-gen" hair tech of the latest Tomb Raider game to the next level, Microsoft are planning a major end of year push, with a marketing campaign set to begin in Movember, before growing into Decembeard and culminating in Januhairy. We'll bring you more as we get it!
