Speaking with IGN, the Microsoft exec noted that the company is "close" to offering development tools for the Kinect peripheral to independent developers who publish XNA-powered titles on Microsoft's Indie Games channel.

"When [the] community will light up, we don't have a date lined up yet. It's not that I'm hiding it from you I just don't know. But getting a broad set of developers supporting our platform at all levels is important to our success," Spencer said.

According to Spencer, Microsoft is currently working with some universities--noting the company offered a Kinect course at the University of Southern California last spring for computer science and film students.

"I think we're close," Spencer confirmed. "When you can simply drop the things in and go away and it works perfectly, then you're ready. And I think we're close given we're so close to shipping."

Microsoft's Kinect launches on November 4 for $149.99.