Microsoft has done it again, they have created an ingenious new marketing campaign... err... new game that you may have heard of recently that pits you against one hundred other Xbox Live gamers in a test of reflexes and intelligence.
1 vs 100 is Microsoft's attempt to bring advertisers and gamers together in a trivia show style setting, much in the same manner as Who Wants to be a Millionaire or Deal or No Deal but geared more towards gamers. The game will actually be played and hosted in real time over Xbox Live where players will compete against one another in an attempt to win actual prizes like free Xbox Live Arcade games or Microsoft points. The crowd can even participate and win prizes as well if they can outwit "The One". The game is still in a Beta phase right now so people are just playing for fun but once its ready for release they should begin adding prizes.
This sound like a great idea and if they can pull it off, it will attract a lot of casual gamers and even some non gamers to sit down and play. It will also give gamers a chance to gain a little bit of notoriety if they are able perform well enough during the game. Microsoft had better not charge us to play the game though, as they should be earning plenty of revenue from each of 1 vs 100's many sponsors. Yes there are commercials periodically shown to you as you play the game but in my opinion, that's would be a small price to pay for a FREE game that allows you to win REAL prizes.
Which brings me to the topic of this article I'm writing. As I was browsing my Xbox dashboard earlier I came across the little ad that they had placed for a 1 vs 100 sweepstakes that is going on for the next few weeks where players can be entered into a drawing for various prizes just by playing 1 vs 100 during certain eligible times. Nothing special really, just another sweepstakes that's intended to draw more people to the game. The usual PR stuff that Microsoft does for all of their "cash cow" intellectual properties. Except on this one in particular I noticed something very, well... funny to be honest, buried deep inside the legal disclaimer of this sweepstakes that Microsoft has posted on their web site and on Xbox live.
Now I know what your thinking, "Who the hell reads that crap?" and I say to you... I do sometimes because I have always found them to be kind of funny. I get a giggle out of how much crap they have to put into their disclaimers just to protect themselves from being sued by us.
Anyway here is what is written on their legal page, this an excerpt that is copied and pasted directly from it:
"6) GENERAL CONDITIONS: Sweepstakes entrants agree to be bound by the terms of these official rules. The laws of the United States govern this Sweepstakes. All federal, state, provincial, and local laws and regulations apply. Each potential winner will be notified via U.S. Mail and/or e-mail within two (2) weeks of the prize drawing. If you are selected as a potential winner and you are a Canadian resident, you will be required to correctly answer, without assistance of any kind, whether mechanical or otherwise, a time-limited mathematical skill-testing question to be administered by telephone*. If you answer the skill-testing question incorrectly, as determined by us in our sole discretion, you will be disqualified and, at our discretion, an alternate winner shall be chosen from among all remaining eligible entries."
Did you catch that? It seems to that Microsoft (the promoter of this sweepstakes) does not want to give you a prize if you happen to live in Canada and cannot answer their "time-limited mathematical skill-testing question". Can't even use a damn calculator or the internet, geez. I feel bad for all of the stupid Canadians out there but that also begs the question(s).
Why are they testing a Canadian citizens' math skills for winning a prize?
Why doesn't a US citizen have to take the test? Do they think Americans are too stupid to even bother giving a test to in the first place?
I'm sure it has to do with some ridiculous US or Canadian law but I still find it funny that they have to go the extra mile to win a sweepstakes while others don't.
I don't know but it sure does make you think Microsoft is losing their collective minds again or they just plain don't want there products in the hands of mathematically challenged Canadians.
If you want to see the disclaimer for yourself I have provided a link below. Look for it under section 6.
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/live/1vs100/rules.htm
