Microsoft Game Smart

Game Smart is a new initiative from Microsoft, designed as an educational campaign capable of delivering a new perspective over how media use and video gaming should be managed by families. Aimed at the U.S. market, Game Smart offers a wide range of incentives via the search for Get Game Smart Ambassadors, including an Xbox 360, Xbox 360 games (family-friendly of course), Zune digital media players, Insignia 7-megapixel digital cameras, as well as hard cash.

At the same time, Microsoft's initiative is offering additional prizes to families that already have their own strategies for smart media usage and video gaming through the Get Game Smart Family Challenge Sweepstakes, which will have the winner walk away with a $5,000 Best Buy gift card and another 100 participants with $250 Best Buy gift cards.

“I’m a dad, and I know how important it is for parents to get involved with their children’s video gaming and media experiences, not to mention feel equipped to make sure those experiences are as fun and safe as possible,” Robbie Bach, president of the Entertainment & Devices Division at Microsoft, said. “Get Game Smart demonstrates Microsoft’s ongoing commitment to this effort, and complements the award-winning Family Settings tools we built into our products like Xbox 360 and Windows Vista. These offerings allow families to get the most enjoyment out of today’s digital entertainment.”

However, in the end Microsoft's Game Smart project is only aimed at ensuring that parents and caretakers can access the necessary resources, namely the tools and information required to help them deal accordingly with the children’s media use. Microsoft emphasized the need for families to develop healthy habits when it came down to video games, TV watching, and surfing the Internet.

“In our house, we strongly believe that a balance between media use and other activities is necessary, and we’ve established rules for our family to make sure our kids are spending quality time on their school work and being active. Though our kids love their games and we want them to have fun, we also want them to find entertainment in a variety of ways – whether it’s sports, music, or playing outside with friends. Diversity and balance are [the] key,” Bach added.