Getting Smart with Microsoft and Best Buy

Parent: "Video games are unhealthy! You should get away from that screen for a while."

Child: "Video games are so much fun, I could play forever!"

Microsoft and Best Buy are no n00bs. They know parents get frustrated when kids play games forever. So together they have just launched a public service campaign to help bridge the gaming gap between parents and their kids.

At getgamesmart.com there are a number of resources for families, including game ratings and info, Q&A and blogs with experts, a place to share your story, a PACT that kids and their parents can work on together, and a chance to be a Get Game Smart Ambassador.

Ratings, Q&A, Blog, and Video
Ratings for video games are easily available to parents and they clearly state what ages games are appropriate for. Yet parents often ignore them, don't know what they mean, or let their kids decide what games they want. Now with this site, parents can actually get more information on what the ratings actually mean.

The Q&A section is also incredibly helpful. Anyone can ask a question and get it answered by an expert. You will find questions submitted by parents who sound genuinely concerned for their kids. They don't want to stop their kids from playing altogether, but they want to find the right balance and better understand their kids. One expert, named GamerDad, helps answer those questions. He helps the parents understand as well as feel more at ease.

The experts also offer advice and give tips on their videos and blog about multiple topics that parents are concerned about, including reducing family friction when it comes to games.

PACT
"Parents just want to do what's right for their children, and kids just want to have fun. When it comes to digital entertainment, here's a way to do both."
This is what's posted when you first click on their link for "The Pact". It is a tool intended for parents to be able to come to an agreement with their kids about how they will interact with all types of media. Once they've gone through the steps and the rules/guidelines are set, parents are able to refer back to the agreement that their child signed if there are ever any complaints.

Ambassadorship
One of the most exciting things they are doing right now is a video contest. Teams of one parent and one teen are getting the chance to put together a video about how their family approaches the rules of "screen time" (video games, TV, computer, etc.).

Videos will be voted on by the public and the top 10 will receive prizes. They will also choose one parent/teen team to be Get Game Smart Ambassadors for one year, giving advice to and collaborating with Microsoft. They will also get to talk to families about safety concerns and how to talk to their kids about it, and providing any other insight about digital media that there might be a question or concern about.

No Question About It
If there was ever any doubt that Microsoft or Best Buy cared about the products they were selling, it's now gone. They've proved they do care. Of course they are still going to sell the products, that's how they make money. But now they are helping kids and their parents make good decisions about when and how much they will play.

Parents will probably be more apt to purchase games (especially made by Microsoft) now that they know their kids will follow the Pact agreement. And with the chance of being a Get Game Smart Ambassador, I'm sure a lot more parents will get excited about the gaming world.

Microsoft and Best Buy: Congrats on making the first step. You've found your niche in Social Media. They can interact with you, read your blog, watch your video and upload their own, and continually ask questions. Now the gap can be bridged and more parents and kids will be able to find a place that works for them both.

~Connie Jo