Microsoft Gets Game Smart

Xbox 360 maker joins with Best Buy to launch family-education Web site for digital media, soliciting ambassadors, sweepstakes entrants.

Last week, Congressman Joe Baca of California introduced the Video Games Health Labeling Act of 2009, a bill that seeks to affix a descriptive warning label to all games with a rating of T for Teen or higher. He said that the move was necessary, given the gaming industry's failure to properly inform parents, families, and consumers of the "potentially damaging content that is often found in their products."

Every initiative needs a logo...

Microsoft, for one, undoubtedly takes exception to Congressman Baca's stance on the issue. The Xbox 360 maker announced today that, in collaboration with electronics retailer Best Buy and a variety of children's activist groups, it has launched the Get Game Smart Web site. The site is designed to "help parents and kids maintain a dialogue about balanced and age-appropriate media use," specifically as it relates to games for the Xbox 360 and PC.

The newly launched Web site is geared toward informing parents about current issues surrounding the gaming industry, as well as child-safety trends that may impact their future purchasing decisions. The Get Game Smart site will also play host to a number of tips that parents can implement on their kids' consoles for responsible game-playing habits, such as parental controls.

To drum up support for Get Game Smart, Microsoft also announced a contest and sweepstakes opportunity. Microsoft is currently searching for Get Game Smart Ambassadors, whose job it will be to engage other parents and share their experiences concerning healthy game-playing habits. In exchange for their services, Microsoft is offering a number of giveaways to elected ambassadors, including an Xbox 360, a Zune, an Insignia 7 camera, and cash.

Microsoft also announced the Get Game Smart Family Challenge Sweepstakes. To enter, families must complete a number of activities that promote proper digital media and game-playing usage. The grand-prize winner will receive a $5,000 Best Buy gift card, while 100 others will take home gift cards in denominations of up to $250. More information concerning both initiatives is available on the Get Game Smart Web site.

114 Comments

  • CSP2009

    Posted Jan 28, 2009 1:20 pm PT

    Sorry but I have to say this. When EVER I play online on Gears 1/2 or Skate 1/2 or Halo 3 all I ever get is abuse off of Americans. No problems with other people from England just Americans. Xbox Live is an OKAY service. Although most of the online is laggy with poor servers and people all being stupid.

  • sydneyviles

    Posted Jan 22, 2009 11:46 am PT

    xbox is not as good as ps3 and here is the proof.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6MvBAJrIWQ&feature=related

  • chupamelpo

    Posted Jan 22, 2009 5:31 am PT

    Mr. Baca is an !D!OT

  • amhero15

    Posted Jan 21, 2009 4:23 pm PT

    What a waste? They're only doing this to build a reputation and get some parents to buy games.

  • StarlightHunter

    Posted Jan 21, 2009 3:05 pm PT

    i would just ignore the foolish clowns you occasionally meet on xbla. i find it funny to be honest, at the fact they act cocky behind the saftey of a mic. you can easily mute people you dont want to listen to, but i simply put the mic in but turn the sound down so i cant hear arguments through the tv set. and yes they should have xbla age groups for like young kids and sperate for adults, i think thats a brilliant idea.

  • joevit

    Posted Jan 16, 2009 5:36 pm PT

    @hatieshorrer. My son had XBL for 30 days free. I have XBL and its the same crap. Some guy or kid gotta sing or call you and ur mom names.

  • TehUndeadHorror

    Posted Jan 16, 2009 4:34 pm PT

    Oooo I'm going for the prizes.

  • woofie13

    Posted Jan 16, 2009 12:00 pm PT

    I like pie

  • Autolycus

    Posted Jan 16, 2009 9:41 am PT

    BETTER PUT THAT SAME WARNING ON BOOKS OR AND ART, SINCE IT COULD STIR MY IMAGINATION TO DO VIOLENT THINGS.

  • Autolycus

    Posted Jan 16, 2009 9:40 am PT

    Cali Residents DONT VOTE FOR Congressman Joe Baca of California thats the only way you can make a dent. Vote for his competitor and voice your opinion about it everywhere you can

  • godzillavskong

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 5:49 pm PT

    I actually let my kids play on xbox live. At first I didn't let them use the mic, mainly because of the immature adults they may run into, and I also know how some kids can annoy the crap out of you and ruin your experience online. After hearing most of their friends voices and realizing that they were young kids too, I now let my sons use the headset, but only with their particular set of friends. I monitor their online matches, so to make sure they don't get out of hand. I've raised my kids to show respect to everyone,and so far they have been doing fine online and look forward to the weekends so they can play.

  • hatieshorrer

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 5:02 pm PT

    @Joevit

    The answer is simple it there is a problem from what your son is exposed to on XBL because of threats and offensive language and MS doesnt take it seriously canceal your XBL account and tell MS why. The only way to protect your son from that behavior is to canceal your account and MS wont take it seriously unless they know its costing them money.

  • Geek12

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 2:43 pm PT

    @Precyse And your totally right, its just like movies. And on a movie you actually have to pick the box up and scour the back for info. On a video game its a big-ass M or T or E that tells you what the game is rated. Its just plain stupidity on the parents part.

  • 24k_Solid_Gold

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 2:31 pm PT

    I suppuse it's not a bad idea, but it's also not gonna work that well. I honestly doubt that many parents will bother. I mean, if they apparently can't even read the esrb rating, aka, the thing they just bought for their kid, why would they browse the internet instead?

    Microsoft is trying I guess, but really, they shouldn't have to do this in the first place. Let's all hope Joe Baca dies or something useful like that.

  • Dreski83

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 11:55 am PT

    I have to say this is not the worst thing Microsoft and Best Buy could do in these current times. With so much blame being tossed around, everyone has to cover their bases.

    Lucky for these big companies they see how easily this can work in their extreme favor, so why not put something worth-while on the internet

  • joevit

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 11:32 am PT

    @razgriz_101. True. Even on Xbox live you hear people get mad at others and its just a game. One of the things I dont like about XBL is the fact that some 10 or 12 year old kid talks crap and bust out with some bad words and what it up with the "ur mom stuff" I'm 30 and We did the ur mom crap talk when I was a kid. Its funny cuz they think its new. XBL or any one line play should be for the 17+ people. My son when we frist got are 360 tryed DOA on XBL and we had to stop him cuz some older guy was calling are kid who was 5 at that time a mother f**ker. This was also set up so my som could play online with kids his age.

  • razgriz_101

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 10:58 am PT

    Another good start would be gettin Parental Control at a much more visible level on consoles to prevent younger users from playing restricted games...But then i would be a hypocrite since i got GTA3 when i was 13 but i took it as its only a game,problem is some people take it too serious and a big deal gets made out of it.

    Hasnt the same thing happened with films i mean cmon most younger people have prolly seen an 18 rated movie like 28 days later or Hostel.

  • ALTAIR360

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 10:46 am PT

    yesterday at my work a woman came to me with her 10-12 year old boy with GTA IV. she told me is this something for my boy ?
    i told her no way its all about killing/stealing/blood ect.
    she said hmm ok its just a VG i want this.
    i tought wtf the 18+ mark is not for fashion.

  • klugenbeel

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 10:34 am PT

    The crap out there with people blaming games for them say killing their parents, like the Halo 3 Killer, is just ludicrous. People need to take responsibilities for their actions. Halo 3 didn't make that kid kill his parents, the guys already unstable mind set and aggressive behavior did and he couldn't accept the idea of being punished and killed his parents for it. People like him need to first, be sterilized so they can't further taint the world and 2nd, be locked away for good if not put down themselves. I normally hate the state of Texas, but I will say, when they convict you and put you on death row...they actually use their death row. The tax payers should not be flipping the bill for these sickos to just sit and rot in jail...if you get the death penalty, it needs to be used. Plain and simple, video games like guns don't kill people, people kill people.
    The parents though are at fault for letting their kids play some of these more hardcore games. I don't have an issue with kids playing violent games, as long as the parents know and don't go on their crusades when they find out what they let their kids play and don't approve. For example, i play gears2 a lot online and i come across kids who are clearly and say they are under the age of 10, why are thye playing Gears2? If the parent knows what the kid is playing, then fine, but most don't and then blame the game, rather then themselves or child.

  • thefutureofball

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 10:15 am PT

    Man Ive noticed that ALL of these murderous little kids or these grown @ss people who blame videogames for turning them into sociopaths have started to pop up ever sense the PS2 generation an into this generation, why is that??? Has anyone noticed it??? theres no point in puttin this stupid crap up all your doing is just making people look alot dumber than they really are. an either way if a kid cries enough there parents will do what almost every parent now a days does wich is break an give them what they want.an another thing how come none of these sad stories of children turning into little leather faces ever pop up during the 90s there were just as many M rated games then???? whatever,parents need to teach there kids out of experience an not through some big corporation........

  • necronaux

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 10:12 am PT

    If parents aren't performing their parental duties now (not letting their youngins play 'inapropriate' games), with all the warning stickers and rating programs in place now, is one more site really going to make a difference?

  • rotnem

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 9:45 am PT

    God...humanity just keeps on taking big leaps backward and small steps forward. What more could people want? You need an ID card to buy the game and ads themselves say at the very beginning "Rated M for Mature." The controls to regulate and educate such things are already there, ESRB ratings are not eye candy! Jesus Mary and Joseph, grant me patience with people blaming games and make them look at themselves.

  • enoslives7

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 9:40 am PT

    What a massive waste of time and money. No wonder microsoft's stock is in the crapper.

  • DarqFlare

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 9:19 am PT

    I think this is a good idea, but again, just like ESRB ratings and all of the other content out there designed to educate parents about video games, the key is getting the word out and getting the parents to care enough to read up about the games they're buying their kids.

    The verdict? It will probably fail given that parents are too apathetic to put any effort into educating themselves. But at least it was a good idea.

  • joevit

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 9:19 am PT

    It's up to us moms and dads to find out what are own kid can and cant play. Not you, not the store that game came from, not MS and not the game studios. As a dad I know how it works. I under stand it. I do let me 6 year old son play halo 1,2,3 and Gears 2. Gears 2 walks the line. Halo 1-3 are not that bad. For the most part, my son played more games made for him. My 10 year old girl plays the wii and we dont really need to stand over her. Both my my know what they can and cant play and what is very sad is that my son knows the game ratings better than moms and dads.

  • WardCleaver02

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 9:03 am PT

    "potentially damaging content that is often found in their products"

    Do razors or shards of glass occasionally fall out of the jewel cases?

  • jadefury27

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 8:28 am PT

    anything developed by or with the help of the gaming community to help to educate the clueless sheep that continue place blame on gaming for every little thing is a very good thing. families that game together tend to have better relationships, me and my dad used to play streets of rage, madden, and tons of other titles on the genesis growing up.

  • halomonkey1_3_5

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 8:26 am PT

    you know what would be better then these idea's? forcing the store clerk to read off the content descriptors to the parent when they buy a M rated game...or have a database that has examples of things in the game that the clerk has to read to them.

  • tmthywtsn

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 8:25 am PT

    I think some parents get to the point that they just don't care what the hell there kids get hands on, that is after the children blast their ears off for wanting it.

  • clauwman

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 8:01 am PT

    The ESRB even started their own marketing campaign, with the talents of the guys over @ Penny Arcade. The ads had to spell it out to these clueless parents.

  • XSniperX21324

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 7:58 am PT

    well put it this way, now microsoft doesnt have to worry because they can say "you should have visited the site." Its like Mcdonalds putting " Caution hot" on their coffee because someone sued them for the coffee burning them

  • xatman911

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 7:57 am PT

    Educating Parents about Gaming should be made COMPULSORY!!! It is never to late to LEARN!!!

  • baystatethrashr

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 7:50 am PT

    i think the current ESRB system is fine parents just dont care when they are buying the game (or dont know how to read) then they turn around and blame the game companies when there kids become murdering psychopaths. granted the ESRB system is extremely flawed as it stands now and there rating are incredibly vague.

  • Precyse

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 6:08 am PT

    I'm beginning to think these parents are retarded. The esrb has been along for how long with its same ratings c, e, e 10+, t, m, ao. I see on every commercial for a game that it contains it's proper rating and tells you rated t for teen, or e for everyone, do they not understand the commercial or what? FFS on the left bottom corner of the box for the game is a rating, it's just like the movies. what they need to include on that site is a list of game's each under it's respective rating, so that parents can look on the site under the e category or t category and click on it to get a list of games and get info about what the games are like, and also what material it contains that give the game it's rating.

  • jmartin1016

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 6:07 am PT

    This is a much better response to parental worries over game content than the warning labels. lol Microsoft>Congressman at parenting.

  • Zerabp

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 5:57 am PT

    @Kris I am a parent and i have to say that all the consoles have parental controls over what games they can play and whether they can access online content or not. It's not confusing in the least to use, and therefore makes this whole idea that Microsoft is doing redundant and unfortunately, a waste of money that could be used developing better games and consoles. Again this is unfortunate because this is still almost necessary just to show congress and others looking to legislate an artform, that no matter what they do this responsibility lies with parents. This is just taking one more scape-goat away from those parents who are unwilling to be responsible over their children, the cost of life lost to parental irresponsibility is already far to great . The sooner they have no one else to blame the better, i just hope that the game industry hasn't become a Nazi state by then.

    Overall since we know that the games and their content themselves are not the issue, we all suspect that this isn't going to show any significant change.

  • bullsfan769

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 5:22 am PT

    wow is it just me or are game systems involving whole families more and more

  • killkill3 posted Jan 15, 2009 4:50 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    killkill3

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 4:50 am PT (hide)

    This proves that Microsoft is lame.

  • Nibbles37

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 4:49 am PT

    This seems quite superfluous to me. If the parents can not judge weather their child is mentally stable to differentiate Virtual from Reality to play a violent video game or watch a violent movie or listen to violent/vulgar music. Then the child should be removed from their custody. I've played violent games seen violent movies and heard violent music from as long as I can remember. My mother taught me the difference and it really didn't seem to be that difficult and I don't think i would have a problem explaining to my kids so what are these parents excuses?

  • Geek12

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 4:42 am PT

    Ok the video game industry is really doing something now, you can shut up congress and blame the parents now. (the real ones at fault)

    *claps* Good job Microsoft, takin' a stand

  • supersexysteve1

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 4:20 am PT

    my mother didn't give a crap im fine i came out just fine ^_^

  • kris1975

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 4:17 am PT

    I am not a parent yet but I can understand thier concerns. A lot of problems can be avoided by not buying Mature rated games. Where the big promlem is on is Xbox live. The behavior and language on it are redicilous. Will be interested to see if Xbox can solve that issue.

  • StevenCrockett6

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 4:11 am PT

    This can only be a good thing.

  • MiiOnWii

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 4:01 am PT

    lol...an insignia 7 megapixel cameras....

  • Gordfacekiller

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 4:00 am PT

    Waste of money these parents that don't know crap about electronics like video games won't know about the web site or understand it if they find out about it.

  • donmega1

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 3:57 am PT

    whose parents are into what their kids play enough to visit the webpage?

  • -HCMF-

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 3:31 am PT

    crap like this is why games cost 60 bones. Congress sucks, and has no idea what the people want. Companies realize who is buying the games and set up sites like this at great expence to combat the idiotic congress, and we pay out the nose. Great system!

  • drivinggod2005

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 3:08 am PT

    Actually..................this is pretty boring.

  • drivinggod2005

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 3:07 am PT

    Expect all the Sony fanboys to come on here now and say' That's a stupid idea! PS3 pwns all!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!'

  • newb16

    Posted Jan 15, 2009 2:47 am PT

    morewasabi why are you talking about the Bloody Valentine movie? This is a topic about microsoft comeing out with a website for litle kids and parents being stupid.

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