Microsoft offers reward for missing Xbox gamer

Microsoft offers reward for missing Xbox gamer

videogames.yahoo.com

US software behemoth Microsoft has doubled a cash reward for information on the whereabouts of a Canadian boy who ran away from home after his father took away his Xbox game console, it said Tuesday.

Brandon Crisp, 15, took off on his bicycle from his Barrie, Ontario home on October 13 -- Canada's Thanksgiving holiday -- and rode east along an old rail line.

He has not been seen since.

His father told local media he had removed Brandon's Xbox, built by Microsoft, after noticing changes in behavior since Brandon started playing "Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare" online.

(visit the link for the full news article)

I hope the kids okay but why is Microsoft offering a reward and then doubling it?
Doesn't this open them up to lawsuits because they are taking a partial blame for the kid running away and backing the fathers decision about the game?

This story is very bizarre... I find it very strange that Microsoft would offer a reward its like they admit fault on various levels.

The father is also very apologetic about taking the xbox away now, which imo teaches children that they can do what ever they want as long as they run away if punished. When I was 15 I threatened to run away all the time and did it once, I stayed at a friends house for a few days which is most likely where this kid is.


videogames.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by SEEWHATUDO


I think Microsoft is just treating it as a publicity stunt. Offering a reward for a missing child just means that "they care". The government offers rewards for arrests and stuff, that doesnt mean they take responsibility for what happened.

Microsoft is just using this as a way to show "they care". Fine by me. Doesn't mean they are saying "we are responsible", just "we look out for our consumers".

reply to post by Benarius


Meh, child or grown up it makes no difference. If the person is not grounded in reality, video games, and any media source for that matter, will do "damage", even news.

Children are more likely to be damaged by media, but thats because they are less grounded in the real world. At 15, I had no issues with video games and knowing the difference. Maturity plays a factor. If his behavior changed when he played CoD4, that either means the online play was a factor, or the gameplay was a factor.

If it was the online, then the kid must be sheltered because at 15, most kids are talking and acting just like most of the foul mouthed clowns online are. Heck, most of them ARE the foul mouthed clowns.

If it was the gameplay, this kid probably has some issues with reality and fantasy. If he can't handle CoD4, then he can't handle R, or even many pg-13 movies.

Honestly, I wouldn't necessarily jump the gun and blame video games. The kid IS 15, he probably entered highschool recently, big life changes going on. Behavior changes, depending on what type, might not have ANYTHING to do with video games.

I agree. I also beleive that parents lost control of how much these games are an important part of their childrens life. A substitue for attention. And suddenly the most important aspect of life, in this case the XBOX, is taken away. But I am sure that there is more than just the games issue. Communications must have been so neglected at home.

COD4 is an awesome game. As a lifelong gamer I know that this is the best battlefield simulator ever, bar none. Just for any non-gamers who don`t know.

That said, it is also very addictive. And the affects of long hours spent playing, rather than doing other, better, more constructive things, no doubt has an effect on the psyche and the body overall.

I agree that MS is just using the chance for a publicity stunt.
They couldnt give a crap.
I feel sorry for the kid I hope hes ok.
And COD4 would have to be the crappiest game on here.

i love how on yahoo news it has an ad right next to this article for call of duty 5

Hey, I have an xbox 360, I play COD4.

I think I'll go missing to, I'll mail my whereabouts to any person that will split the reward with me.

Call of Duty 4 is an M rated title anyway, hence he shouldn't even have been playing it in the first place.

great! Now lets all buy X-Box consoles, run away and wait for the reward! Easy money!

(sarcasm)

I ran away from home once when I was 10. I went to my friend's house down the street. Can't remember exactly why I did it, but I remember the consequence quite clearly. My Dad beat my ass with a paddle, and my Mom got her turn as well. Then they hugged me. It was the last time I ever did anything like that.

The kid ran away because like the majority of us when we were 15 it was then and is now still the most damaging thing a child could do to their parents in terms of revenge.

Hopefuly the lad is staying with friends and is safe, and like most that age is now too scared to go home because he imagines he is going to be in for a right old telling off.................... except normally it will be the total opposite.

I do blame the parents for one thing though............an Xbox ???? We all know the PS3 rules.

Wolfie

This has "guilty" written all over it! Parents who let their kids play these violent games ought to be ashamed! What happened to playing "Army" outside with plastic weapons? The video games are far to realistic for children, it cuts away the imagination.

Originally posted by red_leader
COD4 is an awesome game. As a lifelong gamer I know that this is the best battlefield simulator ever, bar none. Just for any non-gamers who don`t know.

That said, it is also very addictive. And the affects of long hours spent playing, rather than doing other, better, more constructive things, no doubt has an effect on the psyche and the body overall.

That's like saying that any random game is cool & addictive. To some it is, to some it isn't.

Regardless, imho COD4 doesn't even come close to the best battlefield *SIMULATOR* ever.

That honor goes to Bohemia Interactive straight away, especially for their VBS2 software.

If you ask me, the actions of this child are extremely childish, and microsofts response is indeed probably some kind of publicity stunt.

I totally know what that father is talking about, I played that game and beat it over two days, I felt the whole time like it wasnt a game but more like a real time simulation , increased heart rate and all, also the realism was almost disturbing, after I beat it I thought about the different missions and scenerios, and I could help but feel like it was all just a desensitising for the future generation of soldiers who's entire purpose in the armed forces will be squashing out factions of civilians trying to defend them selves, for example, the mission where you take the town from so called extremists that are hiding out in farm fields a chruch and farm type outbuildings, looks kinda like any rural rea in the US, also if it really did go down hostile take over style here in the US wouldnt allot of people think that places like churches and rural areas would be the only safe havens???
So while playing the game I coulndt help but feel as though all these youths were being groomed for the murdering of their nieghbors and eldars in their own country, Any one else get this impression? I know my spelling is awefull.lol

reply to post by PammyK


I played army when I was a kid, even now at 42 I still can make the sound of a sub-machine gun, it was my preferred weapon of choice when a kid.

Then at 11yrs my paper round bought me my first computer (VIC20) and I have been playing games ever since.

My main point to you is this, here I am typing on my pc just like you have just done, shouldn't we be outside playing army !!!!

Please don't portray video games as nasty evil things, they are just the new entertainment for kids/adults.

Wolfie

This whole thing doesn't pass the smell test with me. As time goes on, they are going to be leaning on the Dad a little more harder. More likely the parents had a hand in his dissappearance. And as for the child playing a violent game like that?? I can't really say much on that. I finally caved in and let my son buy X-Box 360, he saved up double what it would cost from delivering the local flyers. He did earn it I guess. Being an ex-army guy myself, I don't understand the fascination with these ultra-violent games. I'd like to know how many anti-war protesting people out there went out and waited in line for the latest Halo game when it came out last year??? I am of the opinion that violent video is violence, and that wether it is in cyber space or in the mean streets of some city it's wrong. I like the WII, we have one of those too.

reply to post by Wolfie_UK


I didnt say games were nasty or evil, I am mearly pointing out the fact that a game that was colaboration with the army and navy seals probably wasnt made just for the entertainment factor, you get it yet narrow mind!, god and I though ATS was progresive thinking individuals that looked deeper than the surface of an issue or hapenstance.