Update: Microsoft And Machinima Defend YouTube Promotion Deal

[TomWiley]

Not to sound naive or anything, but is there any real evidence of Microsoft or any other company in the gaming industry actually directly bribing people to say positive things about their products, whilst telling them to lie about and hide their involvement?

Advertising and promotion, as well as indirect "bribes" such as Microsoft and Sony sending youtubers free consoles and games with no agreement involved, doesn't count.

I don't know about the others, but historically for Microsoft the OOXML fiasco from 10 years ago is a pretty big black mark on the company for this sort of shady dealing.

I didn't even know about that, and ten years ago is well, ten years ago.

The problem was the poor attempt at deception. These videos will essentially be commercial videos in an arena that is traditionally assumed to consist of honest community based content. "Paint in a positive light" is basically Microsoft paying individuals that are supposed to represent grass-roots consumer views to lie to their viewers.

It's the fact that Microsoft assumes it can buy opinion that makes people uncomfortable, the attempt at a collective lie that the Xbone is not a consumer hating pile of micro-transactions and questionable pricing models.

Except that this isn't really true, which was reveled be recent updates recently summarized by his husky gentleman.


Basically, this is on Machinima.

The question that crops up for me is 'what motive would lead Machinima to contract like so completely out of favor of themselves'? They're the ones with a closer finger to the pulse of the community (why else would Microsoft approach them with marketing incentives?); from what Boogie is saying, essentially, Machinima puts up an NDA...on themselves???

Best case scenario, and excluding boop-ups (an outside PR company was mentioned), there's just too much stupid shit going on to even pin this solely on Machinima (until more details come to light).

I'll pick out some things that are pretty universally clear:
- Microsoft is giving out money in hopes to improve their image (AKA marketing)
- A Youtube commentary channel, which bases its following in the integrity of its commentators is involved
- There's an NDA in place.

Well Machinima has a long history of questionable and straight up weird practices. But I say nothing wrong with them taking promotion money, that is if they make it clear what is genuine commentary and what's promotion. In this case, they certainly didn't.

I don't think it's as much the lack of consumer of ethics as poor internal organization.