Halo 4 Promotion Rewards Unhealthy Gaming Habits

[IamLEAM1983]

The game is rated M. The target audience is responsible adults that are capable of monitoring their own health. Does anything more need to be said?

Yeah, just one more thing.

A lot of underage kids are going to be playing this, like it or not. These guys will think absolutely nothing of procrastinating on homework, ignoring social duties and going to bed at insane hours. In their mind, this is such an awesome promotion they just can't not get onboard.

 

[fwiffo]

The only thing I find disturbing is the limited amount of MS points to give away. Its not like they're made of unobtanium.

It would suck to put in the time only to find out M$ ran out of points.

 

[DugMachine]

Spoiler

And this is why I don't go to midnight premiers. I know don't judge a book by it's cover but these look like the exact kind of kids that scream "******", "I FUCKED YOUR MOM" when you kill them.

 

[Calcium]

Of course 140 hours is a ludicrous target, but there's some people that would do that anyway, and it's just them giving a small thanks.

Then again, nope, because it's Microsoft people will happily hate. I almost can't believe that somebody is hoping that someone dies attempting to get 140 hours just so Microsoft can be sued...

 

[Formica Archonis]

What center do you work at? I worked at the Alpine center for quite a while, and there were no major discounts (other than my free 360s with kinect).

Sorry, no idea what you're talking about. I'm not an MS employee, just an employee with one of the more trivial MS partners. But condolences on the lack of perks; I mean, the perks aren't amazing for me but they're better than nothing. (Got Windows 7 dirt cheap.)

 

[Link XL1]

The game is rated M. The target audience is responsible adults that are capable of monitoring their own health. Does anything more need to be said?

unfortunately yes, dead space 2's target audience was also adults, and yet we still got that retarded commercial about our moms

 

[Something Amyss]

I'd say this is more to promote "not buying Call of Duty" than to promote bad health per se.

It says "rewards." Though the word "promotes" could work here, too. Just not with the same meaning you're taking.

 

[Something Amyss]

The game is rated M. The target audience is responsible adults that are capable of monitoring their own health. Does anything more need to be said?

Last I knew, the FTC was still reporting a sizable chunk of the marketing for M rated titles was aimed at kids.

Regardless, is there any hard whatsoever in raising awareness by saying something?

 

[YodaUnleashed]

I don't need MS points as an incentive to play this game a ton this next week, though I still won't be playing that much.

 

[The Lugz]

so, wait Microsoft is actively killing off the shooter community with exhaustion?

now i have to admit i have mixed feelings about this.

 

[mjcabooseblu]

The game is rated M. The target audience is responsible adults that are capable of monitoring their own health. Does anything more need to be said?

Yeah, just one more thing.

A lot of underage kids are going to be playing this, like it or not. These guys will think absolutely nothing of procrastinating on homework, ignoring social duties and going to bed at insane hours. In their mind, this is such an awesome promotion they just can't not get onboard.

The game is rated M. The kids aren't the target demographic, they're a periphery demographic. They have no business playing the game in the first place.

Sure, whatever you say.

Spoiler

Look, no matter how much you prattle on about how many kids will play the game, you're not going to change the fact that the game is rated M. If their parents are going to get them the game, let them, but it's also on them to make sure their child is being responsible. The onus of hand-holding will never fall upon Microsoft when people that shouldn't be playing their games start doing stupid things.

 

[Juan Cantu]

Many people where going to do it anyways...

That sounds about right to me. How long is the Mountain Dew, Doritos promotion going on by the way? I mention that because when you add the two promotions together you have a potential health hazard to some players.

I can't see free things being bad so there's that. Of course Microsoft could have just encouraged 343 to release Halo 4 for $50 instead of $60 and made everyone happy without making players jump through narrow hoops. Hell, they could have likely made more money that way since the only reason I didn't buy new is because I'm waiting for a price reduction (and as we know: I'm never the only one)

I really don't know, that promotion was only in the US i guess? here in México we don't get that kind of stunts... anyway, my copy of the game is "totally on spanish" and I facepalm so hard so many times that I think they are really really trying to harm me phisically.

 

[ZZoMBiE13]

I'd say this is more to promote "not buying Call of Duty" than to promote bad health per se.

It says "rewards." Though the word "promotes" could work here, too. Just not with the same meaning you're taking.

I was being glib, not attempting to write a dissertation. I stand by what I said and the way I said it.

 

[Beautiful End]

The only problem I see is the amount of hours required to get a freebie. Granted, it can't be THAT easy to win points, but that's still a bit excessive.

At the same time, I'm sure some guys will get the free points. But I dunno what to make of it. Yeah, the game is rated M so its targeted at "responsible" adults. But...they're kinda asking people to stay glued to their TV to get free points.
I am confused. All I know is that there's no way I could even get 35 hours of playing any game in a month. Heck, I love Gotham City Impostors and I think I have like 60 hours total. And I bought it back when it came out almost a year ago. So no thanks.

 

[IamLEAM1983]

Look, no matter how much you prattle on about how many kids will play the game, you're not going to change the fact that the game is rated M. If their parents are going to get them the game, let them, but it's also on them to make sure their child is being responsible. The onus of hand-holding will never fall upon Microsoft when people that shouldn't be playing their games start doing stupid things.

I'm not disagreeing. You just have to consider the fact that for a lot of parents, video games are still utterly harmless. I'm starting to know younger parents as I edge into my thirties and these fresh recipients of little bundles of joy know what to expect.

The Gen-X-ers and the late 'boomers, however? They don't always expect it, most of them having grown up in a context in which gaming is utterly trivialized. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of parents went "Meh, it's just a game. What harm can come out of letting my kid have fun with a game?"

Then, whaddaya know, grades, focus and class attendance go out the window. Preach for parental responsibility all you want, the ESRB logos are a lot like the disgusting anti-smoking ad Canada's been printing on cig packs for the better part of ten years. They're a handy suggestion, not a command to be obeyed.

If I have an inkling that my kid is mature enough to handle Halo 4 without his other responsibilities suffering from it despite the fact that he's underage, I'll let him have it. Microsoft should be aware of that fact and design its marketing schemes adequately.

As a hypothetical parent, it would be my job to take care of my child's well-being and balanced lifestyle. You say it's not up to Microsoft to hold the kids' hands? I agree absolutely. The thing is, they have a moral obligation to avoid enabling two groups:

1. the shitty parents who don't give a damn;
2. the bratty and unsupervised kids who pollute Xbox Live

Parental responsibility only solves a potential half of the problem. You can't just sit there and go "BE A GOOD PARENT, CHECK THE ESRB'S LABELS, OR ELSE!" and expect for this to be enough. It never will be.

 

[Something Amyss]

I was being glib, not attempting to write a dissertation. I stand by what I said and the way I said it.

Then you were incorrect, "dissertation" or no.

 

[weirdee]

sure, people should be responsible, but maybe companies shouldn't, oh, i don't know, actively encourage unresponsible behavior with rewards?

even the alcohol industry puts up with that legal mandate of "drink responsibly" in their ads and it's not killing them

 

[snave]

This is a terrible gamble for any company to make. The negative brand image of even a single case of "baang death" related to this promotion, and the legal costs associated surely would cost them more in the long run than stifling the competition for a single release.

The game Microsoft is playing strikes me as high risk, low reward.

 

[Jamous]

At first I didn't think it was that big a deal but then I saw the time limit. That's the nasty thing right there. That's the bullshit; I mean, seriously? I can see a lot of people trying to speed run this, getting little to no sleep, only to find out that the rewards all gone when they get to the end. Not cool Microsoft, not cool.