Videogaming takes more shit from the media

[evildead2099]

I don't think particularly highly of Time Magazine; for every well written article concerning medicine and natural science, the periodical invokes reactions of disgust to its sensationalism, yuppyism, celebrity worship / obsession re: corporate icons (especially Donald Trump, Martha Stewart, Phil Knight), and lack of critical perspective regarding politics.

I saw something in a recent issue of Time Magazine that has since factored into the latter half of my like-dislike take on the rag: it listed the Xbox 360 as one of its top "toys for tykes" picks.

TOYS FOR TYKES...

A +$300 console whose predecessor was renowned (or infamous, depending on how you want to look at it) for such violent / controversial titles as GTA: San Andreas, Manhunt, and Halo is considered a great toy for a tyke?!?

Here are some of the primary definitions of "tyke":

- a native of Yorkshire

- peasant: a crude uncouth ill-bred person lacking culture or refinement

- child: a young person of either sex; "she writes books for children"; "they're just kids"; "`tiddler' is a British term for youngsters"

Which definition do you think was implied?

It's no wonder that so many soccer moms and gullible yuppie dads stand behind proponents for censorship like Joe Lieberman when one of America's most read news magazines spreads misinformation suggesting that consoles like the Xbox are intended for 'child's play.'

I haven't been paying too much attention to the Xbox 360; I have had more important things to worry about. The only 360 game that has been generating any significant hype, to my knowledge, is the new Perfect Dark title. I think most who know me would agree that I'm fairly knowledgeable when it comes to videogames. If the new Perfect Dark title is the only real 'killer app' for the 360 that I know of, I have to wonder what the people at Time Magazine (who don't take videogaming very seriously, apparently) were thinking when they deemed the 360 a toy that would be appropriate for a tyke.

I'll look the other way when mainstream magazines promote the latest incarnation of Nintendo's Gameboy as a great, "must have" toy for kids, since Nintendo continues to define itself through family-friendly franchises like Mario & Pokemon rather than veering out into more 'mature' territory. But just what in the hell is on the Xbox 360 that would make it a great gift for a tyke? x_x

[evildead2099]

Here's a link to an online transcript of the article:

http://www.time.com/time/2005/techbuyers/toys_for_tykes.html

As you can see, they've listed the Xbox 360 with the likes of Lego and Winnie the Pooh (not to mention the Gameboy, but I already went over why I'm willing to let references to 'The Big N' slide)

[djbeatmongrel]

yeah crap like this makes no sense. i dont understand why they don't test or resaerch the games for the system first. out of all the systems currently selling on the market xbox and the 360 are the least likely i'd recommend for a child

[evildead2099]

yeah crap like this makes no sense. i dont understand why they don't test or resaerch the games for the system first. out of all the systems currently selling on the market xbox and the 360 are the least likely i'd recommend for a child'

I think it's b/c they (not to mention idiots like Hilary Clinton, Joe Lieberman, and Jack Thompson) still buy into the misconception that videogames are for kids, and therefore, any new console that comes along is designed and marketed with kiddies in mind.

I agree with your remark; of all the major systems out there right now (PS2, GC, Xbox, Xbox 360, DS, PSP), the Xbox 360 would be the LAST one I'd buy for a kid at this point in time.

Are there even any 360 games marketed specifically at "tykes" (i.e. Play with the Teletubbies, Monster Rancher, etc)?

[Crazycarl]

yea, luckily my family has me for these kinda things LOL. My sister had no idea what system to get my 5 year old nephew. She was thinking about Xbox, but i pushed her into getting a GameCube since their would be a lot more games he would find fun, and little to no violence. Also i think the GameCube controller fits better in a 5 year olds hands then a Xbox or PS2 does.

[evildead2099]

Time should stick to what it knows best - politics - and leave entertainment-related topics to the experts. Nothing worse than a magazine trying to be everything for everyone. :/

I agree that Time should stay out of entertainment, but with respect to your claim that 'Time knows politics best,' I strongly disagree. I feel that politics is Time's weakest asset, and I even talked about this a little bit in my intro. The editors are far too uncritical of politicians (of either major party), and conveniently 'erase the past' whenever an incumbent administration's PR takes political discourse in that direction. Plus, you have to be cynical of a magazine which puts Ann Coulter on the cover and whose feature suggests that her idea of 'political discourse' is intelligent (even if it does admit that her tactics are bullyish). "Demagoguery" is a term with which the editors are unfamiliar, apparently.

Having studied political science, I find Time Magazine's approach to politics unbearingly gullible. They do much to reinforce the validity of systems theory.

Why do I even bother with Time? As I said, every once in a while that rag prints a well-written piece concerning the latest insights in the fields of natural science and medicine. The magazine's attention to the situation of immigration in the United States from Mexico has also been particularly strong, although not entirely free from bias.

Anyway, no one else feels that it's ridiculous that the 360 was classified as a toy for tykes?

[swlovinist]

Games are mainstream, although obviously knowledge is not...Articles like this just make them look stupid LOL

[evildead2099]

Games are mainstream, although obviously knowledge is not

Well put. ;)