The game you remember was Time Traveler. The 3d effect was actually false, but the trick was very effective. Notably it was one of the only laserdisc games to make use of a laserdisc player's ability to play video smoothly backwards. Interestingly this is one reason it hasn't been simulated yet.

[www.dragons-lair-project.com]

John Laur

Way to go.

Kovitlac

No matter what their true motives, whether altruistic or egocentric, the bottom line is that these kids are getting consoles, games and some much needed distraction. And that's all that matters.

Bashi

Poor kids...

dragonfang18

okenny :)

I work in the OR, and one of the hardest things to do is to see a really sick child roll through the door. It isn't easy on anyone, from the child themself, to the parents, and on to the staff. If Microsoft is doing something that is going to help these kids get through their tough times (because trust me, if you've had any sort of hospital stay...you can understand how rough of a time it is), then let them sing it to the public all they want. It isn't like announcing this is going to increase their sells, and they aren't saying "Hey we're good people, throw money at us", so I see no problem with it.

Some people just can't appreciate acts of kindness. They are rare after all.

Nslick

tho i can just imagine some poor kid with an awful illness going "games?...yaay.... wait... XBOX?! SUXXORS! I HATE YOU!"

Stueymon

Nice going Microsoft

Filthy_O_Bedlam

While you may think it's shameful that they sent out press releases and are hyping up their charity, they are completely entitled to do so. While I firmly prefer anonymous acts of charity, don't fault them for wanting the positive press.

It doesn't matter one bit to the children they're helping out if MS had the purest intentions in mind when they did this (they didn't). I'm sure as hell MS just now helped out sick kids more so than you will in the next decade.

Words and thoughts are meaningless until action proves their validity.

Destrudo

TOWER_JUNKIE

Barf#1

Chilly Hollow

boettesattva

sick kids are happier.
the intentions don't mean dick if the result is still the same.

this is just a continuation of Bill Gate's philanthropy in action.

andrewmedina

I kid. Philanthropy is a great thing.

boopadoo

kejtu

ElReyMysterioso-PBUH

I has a lot of health problems as a child (still do, actually) and I spent a lot of time in the hospital, for weeks at a time, and the only thing that made it bareable was that the children's ward in my local hospital had an NES and a whole lot of game, it was a nice escape from laying in a bed for hours hooked up to machines...

kathartik

I too spent a summer in hospital and at home convalescing. I spent the couple of weeks in hospital entertaining myself with an Amiga, and a friend lent me his Genesis when I went home.

Made the whole experience much more bearable.

Jonman

You guys do remember that Sony did something like this a couple months ago, right?

Detha

Do you think Microsoft is exploiting Hispanics as well? They did a press release on "Vida Digital Latina Campaign" today:
[www.microsoft.com]

How about geneticists?
[www.microsoft.com]

I think you are just reading way too much into this. On average Microsoft puts out at least one press release every day about SOMETHING they are doing:
[www.microsoft.com]

Sony and Nintendo put out a ton of press releases as well for their own "nefarious" purposes:
[www.us.playstation.com]
[press.nintendo.com]

You can read as much or as little into the particular press release in TFA as you want, but I really think you are letting your dislike of Microsoft color your view of this article.

(Before getting tagged as a Xbot, I'm on my 4th unit, and have talked to the BBB, the WA AGO, and basically every customer service department I could get my hands on there at Microsoft about how I've been treated by them. I truly believe Microsoft treats their customers like shit. However, just because I've had so many negative experiences with them doesn't make this an evil gesture.)

@fuchikoma: I guess we'll see. I don't think these are stock Xboxes (xboxen?) anyway since they sound like they have the games all preloaded on them. I just really doubt Microsoft would jump onto a program to put Xboxes in hospitals without any testing considering how just about anyone will sue a large company for anything these days.

But they've probably done less intelligent things. :-P

NateN

Oyn

Wolfers

Come on Microsoft - when are we going to get some better accessibility for this console. We get it on a PC - but nothing for the Xbox 360. Why?

OneSwitch.org.uk

"My only problem with the way they handled this one was that they sent the press release themselves. ( that is where my 'grandstanding' statement came from ) IMHO they should have left it up to their partner organization on the project to send the press release. It always looks better when you hear someone else say " Look what these people are doing " as opposed to " Look what WE are doing "."

That's exactly my point.

Fantus

Meuacan

FTA:
"The Cognio software, however, was baffled by this new signal: "Unknown emitter" was the classification. The signal shows up in the Cognio display as a kind of green-blizzard effect, covering a large swath of the 2.4 band, Barber says. That means the signal "is jumping all over the spectrum band," he says. In contrast, a nearby Meru access point shows up in the same scan as a strong, stable yellow-red glow, almost like a sun. The green blizzard is shot through with red dashes, which show, Barber says, that the signal at moments nearly rivals the access point in strength.

...

Barber says his "best guess" at this point is that the embedded radio, not the USB adapter, causes the signal. The signal is created even if the Xbox console is shut off: Just plugging its AC adapter into an electrical outlet seems to trigger the radio to look for -- and keep looking for -- a companion wireless controller. "It's even worse when you have multiple Xboxes in an area," Barber says."

Unless they remove the wireless hardware from it, it will probably keep doing this. And I highly doubt they're modified in any way looking at how regular customers are treated. They probably don't think it's an issue.

fuchikoma

Anyway no more complaints from me, I'm off.

Llost

Kudos Microsoft.

MiddWalrus

Meuacan

Hibikino

You to can donate consoles, controllers, and games to places that can use them to help entertain and heal (a happy person feels better, can heal faster then a sad person).

So if you are moving from Gamecube to Wii, see if some organization around you would like to take on the Gamecube instead of selling it to Zellers or Gamestop or GAME.

Never play those Gameboy games anymore? For many years Nintendo has given away free handhelds to orphanages, hospitals, and hostiles. Though never as many games as they should.

The information on how to donate to such organizations are often on their websites, your own Department of Social and Human Services, or local goodwill charities.
Do note some will only take new items, but not all of them. More then a few are quite happy to take on items that are in working condition and very good quality.

Refurbished items are often thought of best for that last point.

Kenofthedead

Llost

You really are a colossal douchebag. Who do you want to kick off the giveaway? Gee, maybe you're right. Maybe we shouldn't have the senior vice president of entertainment kick the event off. That might get us too much press. Just get Paul in accounting to do it.

Dumbass.

Stimpy

My only problem with the way they handled this one was that they sent the press release themselves. ( that is where my 'grandstanding' statement came from ) IMHO they should have left it up to their partner organization on the project to send the press release. It always looks better when you hear someone else say " Look what these people are doing " as opposed to " Look what WE are doing ".

Mr.SithNinja

And in this case, true.

lionkitten

There ARE press releases, there ARE features in magazines and TV about them donating to many things. So right now, what you're saying, you're pulling it out of your ass apparently. He might be doing it for the cause, but there IS PR.

What's the big damn deal about Bach going there and doing that? I seriously don't understand how that undermines ANYTHING. If MS celebrated by making a new MD can and flavor and other merch, yeah...i'd understand.

Meuacan

Quit being a fucking asshat.

dead_red_eyes

@mitsoxfan: "I see your point, but they can get all the PR they want, when the result is helping sick children, the ends justify the means.

The point is they helped regardless of how they did it. "

I couldn't agree more.

caleb

I never "annoited" nintendo anything other than another company that's doing the same thing. But they aren't making a spectacle out of it.

It's not the announcement that bothers me, it's not the fact they are doing this at all. I applaud M$ for doing this. It's a very good thing. For the children.

But what bothers me is that Robbie Bach is "kicking off the giveaway". WTF is that about?

And yeah, Bill is one of the greatest philianthripists of our time. But how often are there press releases for all the billions of dollars he's given to AIDS and other disease research in Africa? Next to none. Cause he's doing it for the cause, not for the PR.

Fantus

homernoy

BILLIONS. Fuck Reggie. Seriously dude, get you head out your ass.

Phew. That felt good. I apologize for all of the cussing. You really need to get out more.

heretrix

"To help bring even more Xbox 360 kiosks to children's hospitals across the country, individuals can visit the Companions in Courage Web site at [cic16.org] to make a donation."

Apparently, they charge for the 360's.

How's that for goodness of their hearts. Make money AND a tax writeoff.

Well, I guess they gotta get the games division profitable any way they can right?

Fantus

MS does stuff like this all the time and Bill Gates and his wife are two of the most charitable people on the planet.

If you knew anything you'd realize that publicity stunt or no, they are bringing some sort of relief to these kids.

It so much more productive than bitching on the internet.

heretrix

NPC

Then he goes so far as to anoint Nintendo as a saintly organization, when they do stuff like this:

"From Nintendo's announcement: "On Saturday, April 14, many of the YMCA chapters also will incorporate active Wii games into their Healthy Kids Day events. Participation varies depending on the chapter, but participants will get their hands on games like Wii Sports™, a widely heralded and highly active five-sport collection of baseball, golf, tennis, boxing and bowling. The events will showcase how Wii has become part of a healthy lifestyle for everyone in the family, since Wii's motion-sensitive controller gets people up off the couch and moving."

Not only does Nintendo do the same thing, they're doubly worse because they actually pretend like the Wii is an adequate substitute for real exercise.

Sorry to be off-topic, but those posts were infuriating.

Snuffbox

From a PR perspective, it's a darn good idea.

I just hope they did it out of the goodness of their hearts.

TheOtis

TheHun

If your answer rhymes with 'ness', I'll hate you forever ( not really).

You have to remember Microsoft is known for Windows, crappy software and the abortion that was the Zune. They're less known to be a gaming industry giant.

Hell, like NateN said, EVERYONE makes a fuss. They have to. It's not a question of honor, or what have you. No large company with half a brain would do that to its shareholders.

Meuacan

This is not all about Microsoft. This is a partnership with Companions in Courage and Microsoft to give sick children video games to play while in the hospital.

homernoy

The best thing a kid with leukemia can hear is the voice of other kids with serious illnesses. It's lonely being in a hospital- even as a physician, it can get pretty distressing seeing kids with serious illnesses. I can only imagine what its like from their perspective.

This is the best use of Live- I hope I end up doing my residency at New York Presbyterian so I can see these things in action :)

Snuffbox

My only point is why do they have to make a point of saying anything?

If they DIDN'T make a spectacle of it, would the sick kids NOT get the consoles? No, the consoles will still be there. And it's not like people take their kids to hospitals BECAUSE they have 360's or Wii's or N64's. It's an added bonus.

My question is, if MS couldn't get any PR out of this. Do you think they would have still done it?

If so, why not do the honorable thing and just donate the consoles and let people talk about it without making a spectacle of it yourself.

Instead, they are making themselves look good by exploiting sick kids. Sure the kids get 360's out of it while they are in the hospital. But shouldn't they get the consoles anyway?

Fantus

Think of it this way:

Have you ever heard of the Companions in Courage Foundation before today?

How likely is it that you would have heard of this foundation if they HADN'T done a joint press release with Microsoft? (They were founded in 1997).

Do you think the Red Cross, St. Jude's, or any of THOSE organizations are horrible people every time THEY put out a press release reminding you they exist?

I don't see anything wrong really with a company putting out a press release saying "Hey look, we're decent folks! We're doing X!". Plus if it helps some of these smaller organizations that are trying to do good things get their name out there, all the better.

NateN

HarshCargo

So because Ninendo has been doing it forever, Microsoft shouldn't be getting any credit for doing it? That's like saying 'FIRST' in a thread.

So who SHOULD they call? What SHOULD they say? You seem to be very knowledgeable in how to be beneficent without making a big fuss. So, please enlighten us.

Meuacan

nospacesinmyname

You don't see Reggie at hospitals "kicking off the giveaway" tho.

I'm not saying they shouldn't have done it. It IS a good thing to do. Just don't make a spectacle out of it and expect me to respect you more for it.

It makes a mockery out of charity.

And as far as publicity goes, they SHOULD get publicity. They just shouldn't call everyone up and say, "Hey guess what? I'm giving sick kids a bunch of consoles. Come put me in the paper. Yeah, i'm gonna be there kicking off the giveaway! It's gonna be awesome! Mountain Dew is gonna have a limited edition can to commerate the event!"

Fantus

Tracert has it right. This is the way these things are done. Get over yourself. Remember Sony's Folding@Home initiative? Yup, they sent out a press release. Shock and awe.

Stimpy

Well, for one they can't apparently make it apparent to other people via advertising, that's one. Then no XBOX or Microsoft markings or anything that might show it's a 360.

You people do realize that Ninendo would make a BIGGER fuss and that Sony would make a big deal (just as big) over this? And do you REALLY think that they would be so benevolent as to do this without an ulterior motive?

What are you thinking, again?

Meuacan

DanteODiabo

I hope this might encourage some folks to join up with Child's Play or just go out and donate time to the hospitals or hospice houses that house the families (much of the time for free).

KosherInfidel

weasl

trigger2

Meuacan

badmoogle

Corporations only do things that can, in some way, generate value. It is their legal obligation to their shareholders to operate under this mandate. This whole program was designed to be a PR event. That is why these things are done.

Tracert

homernoy

I think they are doing a great thing here despite the obvious self promotion behind it. If it gives sick children hope or even just puts a smile on thier faces then I say let Microsoft do all the grandstanding that they want. It sounds like a great program and I hope that they keep it going long after the press stops covering it. Being one of the biggest M$ haters it pains me to say this but......

Thank You Microsoft.

Mr.SithNinja

@Meuacan: Those are renders, perhaps they'll have the supporting pillar so the height can be changed?

@fuchikoma: The controllers are wired in the render, and I've seen plenty of hospitals use wireless devices for patient tracking so I'd assume having the consoles be networked via wireless would be no big deal. I'm sure Microsoft is going to test the living heck out of these things before they give them to the hospital either way, it would be a PR nightmare if they caused health problems.

The hard plastic controllers should be great since they should be able to be sprayed with disinfectant, but I wouldn't be surprised if the controllers were slightly different just to avoid getting liquid under the thumbsticks.

@Hylian: Troll much? I suppose you hate Child's Play as well. Look at all the corporate sponsors! They must just be doing it to advertise!
[www.childsplaycharity.org]

NateN

TheHun

[www.childsplaycharity.org]

They're a charity run by the guys from Penny-arcade. I wish Kotaku had mentioned them in the article itself.

And I'm sorry, but the press release reads like a 360 sales pitch.... HOWEVER, understand that the people at Microsoft who worked on this are likely very happy that they were able to help sick kids, and the whole project shouldn't be bashed because of some marketing/PR pricks.

Gannoc

The point is they helped regardless of how they did it.

mitsoxfan

Now, if you're questioning the moral and ethical aspects as to WHY they're doing it...maybe. It makes sense that they'd make somewhat of a deal out of it, though. It brings it to the attention of the people, and the press. Also, most things of this caliber are inaugurated, not just brought on 'without warning' so to speak.

Hell, i'd like to see most people make a donation of that caliber without making a fuss out of it. You'll find NO ONE will. Just be glad the kids have something to do while in the hospital to take their minds off the fact that they're THERE with nothing to do and the remote possibility that something might go wrong.

So instead of focusing your cynicism at Microsoft for this, focus on something that actually has a negative impact.

Meuacan

whiptcracker

You're really trying to spin this aren't you? For shame.

dead_red_eyes

dappaute

Here come the inevitable RROD comments... hopefully followed by an immediate ban.

Oh, c'mon? 360s in a hospital? That's perfect fodder for a good RROD joke! Quick, someone get the paddles, stat! stupidfanboy's sense of humor is coding! ;)

Seriously, though, this is an awesome thing. For once, we can hope that the other game companies will immediately copy this idea.

doubtful

ShaggE

Why couldn't they just give the hospitals the systems without making a spectacle out of it? Why does Robbie Bach have to "kick off the giveaway"?

They think this is going to make people get all sappy and say, "you know, MS really does love me."

NO THEY DON'T!! THEY LOVE YOUR MONEY!!

Give the sick kids the toys because you want them to be happy while they're in the hospital. DON'T give the sick kids the toys because you think it makes you look like Mother Teresa.

For shame M$...

Fantus

MNC

feartheraven

ceokhan

Nice one MS.

edhe (xbl)

Meuacan

DoubleOh187

Gray665

Hylian

Good on you Microsoft.

Krondonian

sargemat

[www.ubergizmo.com]
[www.networkworld.com]
[www.pcworld.com]

fuchikoma

Great idea.

homernoy

Hyperlite

Masterpain22

TDunne

Sweet!

wild_world_girl

stupidfanboy

I'm gonna throw a suggestion out there, because it's something I like to do as well.

If you getting rid of your older systems like a PS2 donate them to the childrens ward at your local hospital, along with any games your not planning on keeping. This makes a difference for children in your local community!

DeadlyRose

Meuacan

liquid_kore

Elemence

Handsome Fat Man

Shinamano

ionwaffle

Capp

But seriously nice. the private network is a nice touch. I predict a spike in young people, non sick related, voluntering at children hospitals. Take that Mr. Patcher!!

DanteODiabo

Bluecell

JustJake

I honestly considered making one for all of two seconds, but it just wouldn't be right.

Jonn

Meuacan

cubed2D

Great job Microsoft!

xBBx

dead_red_eyes

I hope that this helps some of them have some comfort through their hospital stays- wonderful gesture Microsoft

Snuffbox

spaz33

ChoZ3nWon

Capp

Timsobuff74

This is great though, and a nice thing to do, especially the private network thing to other hospitals.

stupidfanboy

mescalineeyes