Microsoft Seeks Patent On Shaming Fat Gamers

theodp writes "A newly disclosed Microsoft patent application — Avatar Individualized by Physical Characteristic — takes aim at fat people, proposing to generate fat avatars in gaming environments for individuals whose health records indicate they're overweight, limiting their game play, and even banning them. From the patent application: 'An undesirable body weight could be reflected in an overweight or underweight appearance for the avatar. Only requisite health levels are allowed to compete in a certain competition level. A dedicated gamer could exercise for a period of time until his health indicator gadget shows a sufficiently high health/health credit in order to allow reentering the avatar environment.' Linking one's gaming avatar to one's physique, explains Microsoft, will produce healthy and virtuous behaviors in individuals. Microsoft also proposes shaping gaming experiences by using 'psychological and demographic information such as education level, geographic location, age, sex, intelligence quotient, socioeconomic class, occupation, marital/relationship status, religious belief, political affiliation, etc.'"

Comments

Brilliant

[tsotha]

Brilliant idea. Take people who don't measure up to everyone's expectations, and heap shame on them in the one place where they can take a break from it all. Microsoft should also file for a patent on a method to lose money.

You think this doesn't effect you

[Locke2005]

Does this mean I won't be able to play as a 36-24-26 blonde woman anymore? If Microsoft starts actually checking players appearance and gender, I predict there will be absolutely no "hot chick" avatars in the Microsoft MMORPGs! Is this "sausage fest" environment really the result they are looking for?

Re:Digital medical records

[Anonymous Coward]

I thought one idea of games was to escape various aspects of the real world, by pretending to be somebody we aren't (like a would-be ruler of the world)?. Why do we want to be dragged as ourselves into the game enviornment????

Re:Digital medical records

[Anonymous Coward]

funny you should mention that. When I read the summary my main response was something along the lines of it being impossible to implement even if the stupid patent was approved simply because:

NO GOD DAMNED GAME COMPANY SHOULD BE ABLE TO ACCESS YOUR FUCKING MEDICAL RECORDS TO FUCK WITH YOUR GAMING TO BEGIN WITH. (For ANY reason really.)

Re:Prior art: Nintendo Wii Fit

[Itninja]

Or one could say her life was made miserable because of her weight. The grotesquely obese (of which i am a member) are such by choice. There may be genetic traits that can lead one to being overweight, but so what. There are also genetic traits that make certain people's breath smell like death, or make people gravitate toward alcoholism. We are not animals. We are not slaves to every wisp of DNA-inspired urge or weakness. I, for one, am still fat because I have not yet chosen to make the lifestyle changes needed to lose weight. I am not a victim.