Leaked Kinect 2 image shows up on Twitter, improved detail and depth

We’ve heard a great deal about Microsoft’s upcoming Xbox 720 gaming console over the past several months including when it might launch but much less of a fuss has been made with regards to the successor to the Kinect motion-sensing accessory. That all changed yesterday as Twitter user @superDaE posted what he claims is an image taken from a Durango (the codename for the next generation Xbox) development kit.

The picture shows two people interacting with the device, perhaps playing a game. We can see that this image includes greater detail and depth than what is currently possible with the first generation model, lending some credibility to claims from a leaked Xbox 720 document that cite higher accuracy and improved stereo imaging. That same document also says we can expect improved voice recognition and support for up to four simultaneous players, among other things.

It’s possible that the image could be a fake although a source for The Verge says it is a genuine test sample. If it’s legit, we still don’t know how he got a hold of the image in the first place. It’s plausible that he or someone he knows has access to the Durango developer kit but based on some of his other Twitter updates, he seems to be in-the-know. For example, a post from earlier this month points out that the device will have more than 8GB of RAM and AMD graphics.

As always, we suggest you take this with a healthy dose of salt.