The application states “Television viewing tends to be a passive experience for a viewer, without many opportunities for the viewer to engage or have interactive experiences with the presented content”. It further adds “to increase interactive viewing and encourage a user to watch one or more particular items of video content, awards and achievements may be tied to those items of video content.”
Although we don’t know if or how this will be implemented, Xbox One TV viewers could potentially see themselves receiving achievements for, let’s say, watching an entire TV series or a sporting event.
How would you feel about receiving achievements for watching your favourite shows? Or would you even be encouraged to watch other TV shows if this were to be implemented?
Source: GI International
cam the man
So you get up in the morning, switch TV and X1 on, stick a shop dummy in front of TV to keep kinnect happy and go to work. Get back from work to check how many achievements you’ve got, simples!
Alex C
Yeah it’s not like Sony have some dumb patents.
Oh.
Wait.
http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2013/04/16/sony-patent-shows-controller-smart-shells-terrifying-teddy-bears/
MadYetHatless
That bear thing is ridiculous, but at least the rest of those actually involve actively gaming. This is basically trying to reward people for literally doing nothing except looking forwards.
ABlokeCalledDaz
You have to breath as well, important to remember to keep doing that at the same time.
DJ Judas
The difference is that in light of recent events, Microsoft seem entirely likely to implement something like this.
Gamoc
Wait, wasn’t there a Japanese thing about achievements for TV on PS3 or something at some point? Am I remembering that incorrectly?
Gamoc
Here:
http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2010/01/30/watch-tv-earn-trophies/
a inferior race
I was just about to mention this. Which makes me wonder how this has even been granted.
hazelam
just one of the marvels of patent law.
tonycawley
Yep I was also just about to say this. Surely if Sony contest this it’ll be withdrawn?
hazelam
-500 gamer points for watching anything with Kim Kardashian or Paris Hilton in.
^_^
Amphlett
Kim who?
hazelam
i envy you.
for once let me reassure you, in this case, ignorance is indeed bliss.
^_^
Kennykazey
So achievements for watching the Halo Television series, then.
bravotangosix
How will they know if you’ve watched the program and not just switched on the system and wandered off to do something else just to get the achievement? Unless they get the Kinect to watch you watching the program to make sure you stay awake and pay attention to take in the message that the program maker wants to say because that’s what they payed Microsoft money for to get the achievements added to their program! This + QVC would be a complete nightmare scenario.
DJ Judas
Like the first episode of Black Mirror ;)
DJ Judas
Sorry, make that the second episode.
John Malcolm
One suggestion: could this be used to reward people who watch specific adverts?
And the produce the product advertised to show they’ve bought it – maybe the kinect reads the receipt and reports back to Microsoft (or the third-party involved) – and thus the Achievement is gained.
The potential of this is terrifying! I’m off to hide inder the kitchen sink where THEY won’t find me…
John Malcolm
Ooops! Should be “And THEN produce the product…”
TheShepanator
Another feature completely useless to the consumer motivated by sheer greed.
Not only that it devalues the achievement system entirely, instead of your gamerscore reflecting how good you are (or how much time you spend) at playing games it would just be a useless number. Would kinect make sure that there is actually somebody in the room watching the show to award the achievements, or could you just leave your xbox on while you’re at work to farm achievements?
Starman
With the new kinect being able to identify individuals just leaving the tv on wouldn’t work. I can already imagine people desperate for the toilet but unable to go until the program and adverts finish, just to get that 10G achievement.
TheShepanator
The new super accurate technology in the kinect 2.0 can recognise when somebody is fidgeting because they need the toilet, and it rewards you with an achievement for holding on just that bit longer ;)
Starman
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED – 10G – Wet yourself.
TSBonyman
When i use the source button on my tv remote, it’s like a mental switch occurs at the same time. I am switching from gaming (active) mode to tv (passive mode). Microsoft seem to think that people want to PLAY their tvs? No, we want to veg out. Making vegging out an achivement is really sending out the wrong signals.