For all of you in the comments below that don't like the picking aspect of this, I'd suggest looking up the Child's Play ( [www.childsplaycharity.org] ) charity and becoming involved in that instead.
I know this is a PR stunt, but why they didn't align themselves with this fantastic effort boggles the mind.
Super short summary: Child's Play gathers donations (either money or actual hardware/software), redistributes it to children's wards across the country, and will allow you to specify what hospital you'd like donations to go to out of a choice of 60 or so that participate so far.
They've been going for 5 years, and they've put $3.5 million worth of equipment and games into the hands of sick kids.
@Yossarian: Thanks for the heads up I'm going to look into this further. Do you know off hand if they accept used equipment and games? They'e getting more dust than play time at the moment. This looks like a much better use for them then their current function of filling shelf space.
@Marker: I think they are generally looking for new in the box stuff, but don't quote me on that.
Definitely worth keeping your radar as Christmas approaches (which is their normal season of operation). If you are into cool collectibles there are usually tons of really neat items that get auctioned off to raise money (signed guitars for Rock Band, limited edition artwork, signed consoles, etc etc)
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Now that I think about it, instead of using the cash on a gameroom, it should towards treatment for the kids' illnesses. A little bit could go a long way.
@Violent St. Cannon ([k]): But you have to deal with both the illnesses and the kids' day to day wellbeing and happiness. It's one thing to prolong life, but without giving them a way to enjoy it it's meaningless.
While I appreciate that sentiment, there's a very strong argument to be made for building game rooms like this in pediatric hospitals. Many of these poor kids are hospitalized for weeks, even months at a time. It can be horribly demoralizing and depressing and it only gets worse the longer they are admitted.
A gameroom like this provides a distraction and a certain amount of joy for these kids. Part of the healing and treatment process comes at a mental level for them. If $10,000 can provide them with a way to get through the day and better tolerate their stay at the hospital, it's $10,000 well spent.
@Violent St. Cannon ([k]): But you have to consider that a game room helps many more kids in the long run than $10,000 in treatment. I spent a lot of time in the hospital as a kid, and my most prominent memory is wanting to play Baseball on their Atari, but never seeming to reach the top of the list. From that perspective, I'd say the cost/benefit analysis in this specific case skews in favor of indirectly helping more patients over by boosting their morale than directly helping far fewer by treating their direct symptoms.
I also think its fucking funny how every time a donation/giveaway event is held, the sponsoring company is like "HEY GUYS, LOOK, I'M DOING NICE THINGS! Buy my merchandise now please!"
Its taught in the bible that you should always keep your donations between you and God; that you should donate anonymously. Otherwise its nothing more than self-promotion.
@mfwahwah: Kind of thing said by people who give atheism a bad name.
It's wise to know what you believe in, and also what you don't believe in otherwise you won't know why you believe or disbelieve. And if you don't know why you do things, then you forfeit your reasoning and individuality - the things that make you human rather than a monkey wearing pants.
@Trey: I do. Just look at the image on the article. Look at it carefully. Something is amiss.
"Presented by XBox 360". Not Microsoft. A product name. Generally, people do not buy Microsoft. People buy products. A product name is used in lieu of the company name.
I don't think an XBox 360 achieved sentience, somehow got hold of 30000$ and is holding votes to see which hospital gets some if its brothers and sisters. But that's just me.
No matter what MS does, they'll catch shit for it on Kotaku, lol.
MS rep: "Hey guys, we're going to donate a bunch of 360s to some kids in hospitals. We want you to pick who it is, though."
Kotaku: "Fuck you Microsoft! Think of the children who don't get the totally superfluous video game consoles! How can you sleep at night when you don't donate ALL of your stock to all needy, homeless, ill children everywhere? You're soulless, that's how."
@Trey: Obviously it is to be commended that MS are donating equipment to children's hospitals. It's just that, well, perhaps a straightforward lottery-style selection process would have been more sensitive than getting netizens to choose who will get kit and who will not.
@BritBloke916: Either way, some kids would miss out. I mean, at the end of the day, it's a 360 game room and not a priority heart transplant.
I could kind of see how some people think this is "wrong," but I didn't feel bad when all my votes went to the Children's Hospital around the corner from me. Maybe I'm soulless after all...that would explain some things, lol.
@Michael: Eh. It seems since it's MS and given their reputation, the cynical side of people is more prone to surface.
Anyone who doesn't know who to vote for, I'd ask you vote for Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. I work on campus here and I know the kids would appreciate it.
Bloody hell. So essentially it's "here's a bunch of sick kids, you get to decide which ones don't get anything!" I'll give this a miss and try to avoid the guilt, thanks.
This seems kind of... wrong. Not only are they only allowing you to choose three, the polls aren't even private. I almost voted, but I don't know... I'd feel kind of bad. Anyone else feel that they way there handling this is a little inappropriate?
Michael Dukakis for Senate! promoted this comment
Edited by One Man Freak Show at 09/03/09 9:53 AM
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@One Man Freak Show: It is very strange indeed... Involving sick kids into a contest? Not too classy.
The end result is great for the winners, no doubt about that. But the method is definitely questionable.
If they really just wanted to help a few hospitals, they should have chosen three randomly, period. The cynic in me can't help but think: yeah, but then a mere announcement ("we're giving game rooms to these places") wouldn't have generated as much publicity as a contest.
Not to mention that the winning hospitals will probably be located in the more populated areas, where more people will vote for their local medical center.
It won't be the smaller hospitals which typically need the most help.
Again, it's great that 3 hospitals get game rooms, it will be wonderful for the children. But there must have been a better way to handle this.
Of course, one should also take into account that drumming up interest for this cause may lead people not only to vote, but also do some research, feel involved, and eventually donate money, games or time to these places, so who's to say this isn't the best way after all?
@Scotland: "In the event that there is a tie among two or more Eligible Hospitals with the total most votes, and such tie would impact the identity of a Contest Winner, a random drawing shall be held among such tied Eligible Hospitals to determine which of such Hospitals is a Contest Winner."
@Sentientv2: It really does. Its just awkward, I mean I want to vote but I also feel, Microsoft you make millions upon millions just give them all game rooms. These are childrens hospitals for god sakes.
09/03/09
I know this is a PR stunt, but why they didn't align themselves with this fantastic effort boggles the mind.
Super short summary: Child's Play gathers donations (either money or actual hardware/software), redistributes it to children's wards across the country, and will allow you to specify what hospital you'd like donations to go to out of a choice of 60 or so that participate so far.
They've been going for 5 years, and they've put $3.5 million worth of equipment and games into the hands of sick kids.
09/03/09
09/03/09
Definitely worth keeping your radar as Christmas approaches (which is their normal season of operation). If you are into cool collectibles there are usually tons of really neat items that get auctioned off to raise money (signed guitars for Rock Band, limited edition artwork, signed consoles, etc etc)
09/03/09
09/03/09
Cast your vote for the commenter of your choice, each time you vote you will be entered to win a heart click – the more you vote, the better your chances of winning!
09/03/09
09/03/09
Congratulations - you have successfully been entered as a nominee into this prize draw. However, due to terms and conditions*, you are unable to vote for yourself and as such you and 4 other (yet to be decided) commenters currently have 0 votes.
*Terms and conditions: One can not vote for oneself. 0 votes = 0 heart clicks.
(However, I *cough* am willing to accept a *cough* *whisper* bribe *cough* )
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While I appreciate that sentiment, there's a very strong argument to be made for building game rooms like this in pediatric hospitals. Many of these poor kids are hospitalized for weeks, even months at a time. It can be horribly demoralizing and depressing and it only gets worse the longer they are admitted.
A gameroom like this provides a distraction and a certain amount of joy for these kids. Part of the healing and treatment process comes at a mental level for them. If $10,000 can provide them with a way to get through the day and better tolerate their stay at the hospital, it's $10,000 well spent.
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Its taught in the bible that you should always keep your donations between you and God; that you should donate anonymously. Otherwise its nothing more than self-promotion.
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09/03/09
It's wise to know what you believe in, and also what you don't believe in otherwise you won't know why you believe or disbelieve. And if you don't know why you do things, then you forfeit your reasoning and individuality - the things that make you human rather than a monkey wearing pants.
09/03/09
"Presented by XBox 360". Not Microsoft. A product name. Generally, people do not buy Microsoft. People buy products. A product name is used in lieu of the company name.
I don't think an XBox 360 achieved sentience, somehow got hold of 30000$ and is holding votes to see which hospital gets some if its brothers and sisters. But that's just me.
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you Yanks need to jump on the commie bandwagon lol
09/03/09
"Oh, look at my ferrari and my lack of tuberculosis/leprosy/black plague!"
09/03/09
MS rep: "Hey guys, we're going to donate a bunch of 360s to some kids in hospitals. We want you to pick who it is, though."
Kotaku: "Fuck you Microsoft! Think of the children who don't get the totally superfluous video game consoles! How can you sleep at night when you don't donate ALL of your stock to all needy, homeless, ill children everywhere? You're soulless, that's how."
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I could kind of see how some people think this is "wrong," but I didn't feel bad when all my votes went to the Children's Hospital around the corner from me. Maybe I'm soulless after all...that would explain some things, lol.
@Michael: Eh. It seems since it's MS and given their reputation, the cynical side of people is more prone to surface.
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What a horrid contest. Whoever in PR thought this was a nice or charitable move needs to be terminated.
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3 hospitals are gonna get game rooms, which is gonna make a lot of kids happy. look at this any way you want, that's a good thing.
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The end result is great for the winners, no doubt about that. But the method is definitely questionable.
If they really just wanted to help a few hospitals, they should have chosen three randomly, period. The cynic in me can't help but think: yeah, but then a mere announcement ("we're giving game rooms to these places") wouldn't have generated as much publicity as a contest.
Not to mention that the winning hospitals will probably be located in the more populated areas, where more people will vote for their local medical center.
It won't be the smaller hospitals which typically need the most help.
Again, it's great that 3 hospitals get game rooms, it will be wonderful for the children. But there must have been a better way to handle this.
Of course, one should also take into account that drumming up interest for this cause may lead people not only to vote, but also do some research, feel involved, and eventually donate money, games or time to these places, so who's to say this isn't the best way after all?
09/03/09
(Several kotakuers seem to be less than happy with "only choosing three" (myself included))
"the polls aren't even private" + several angry(ish) Kotakuers (each with 10 votes a day) = an organised 5 way tie?
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