Microsoft refers to core audience as "Sweaty thirty year olds in Metallica t-shirts"

[tlozoot]

http://www.atomicmpc.com.au/News/230934,microsofts-kinect-launch-laughs-at-sweaty-gamers.aspx

"Gaming's not just for sweaty thirty year olds in Metallica t-shirts," quipped Microsoft's regional entertainment tzar at yesterday's lifestyle event, David McLean. The audience of fashion editors and lifestyle doyens yukked it up appreciatively, but we couldn't believe our ears. That's it? That's what you're reducing a huge percentage of your audience to now - a one-liner gag to make the cheap-seats feel it's okay to waddle about in front of their television sets?


Wow...just wow Microsoft. Way to perpetuate gross and out-dated stereotypes about your core audience.

 

[oplinger]

He doesn't play on Xbox Live. Obviously.

 

[IamQ]

And people give these people money.

 

[JaymesFogarty]

I'm not succumbing to this. Honestly people, don't react. It's what they want.

 

[KwaggaDan]

Ridiculous. I'd never wear a Metallica T-Shirt.

Also I doubt Microsoft actually knows their customers. They remind me of Yuri Orloff in Lord of War...

 

[Amnestic]

No, we're sweaty twenty year olds in Dragonforce t-shirts.

 

[Ironic Pirate]

I wonder what they call a quality PR department.

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

In Microsoft as a wholes defence it was only the one guy who said it...

Still he's very stupid for saying that at all, doesn't sound like a scripted line. I stay hopeful for a backlash.

 

[Nwabudike Morgan]

Oh gamer persecution complex. How wonderful you are, taking offense to something because you, not the person who said it, applied it to a large group of gamers. I hope it never goes away.

 

[Ekit]

I'm not succumbing to this. Honestly people, don't react. It's what they want.

Why would they want their core audience to be pissed at them?

 

[lacktheknack]

I'd like to point out that Microsoft STILL doesn't give ANYthing to those "sweaty thirty-year-olds" anymore, so they are doomed to alienate the "hardcore" crowd anyways.

 

[Krythe]

Ridiculous. I'd never wear a Metallica T-Shirt.

Also I doubt Microsoft actually knows their customers. They remind me of Yuri Orloff in Lord of War...

Yuri at least got his customers what they wanted in a timely manner.

We, on the other hand, have been waiting for sequels to Jade Empire or Eternal Darkness for HOW long, now?

(Also, you win for remembering this movie.)

 

[Serenegoose]

Well.... at least they admit that gamers come in ages above 14?

 

[Phoenix09215]

Ok... so Microsoft have basically just punched themselves in the face? Who do they think play COD and Halo all day? (besides all the cool kids)

 

[Kenko]

People sometimes say stupid shit. Leave it at that and dont bother getting angry. If this is true, then just boycott kinect. No point in raging about it.

 

[tlozoot]

Oh gamer persecution complex. How wonderful you are, taking offense to something because you, not the person who said it, applied it to a large group of gamers. I hope it never goes away.

I think that, given the context, it's obvious that the comment was directed towards core audiences.

 

[AugustFall]

I hope this is one of those things where they realise they've fucked up and the dude apologises afterwords. I don't require penance or anything I just like to see douchebags like this brought down a peg by their superiors.

Sadly I doubt the gaming community will boycott Microsoft or anything because of this so there will be no repercussions from insulting their core audience.

 

[Outright Villainy]

Yay for perpetuating stereotypes!

 

[cke]

Oh yeah? We'll see who's going to be the sweaty ones after an hour of playing with kinect :/

 

[Nwabudike Morgan]

Oh gamer persecution complex. How wonderful you are, taking offense to something because you, not the person who said it, applied it to a large group of gamers. I hope it never goes away.

I think that, given the context, it's obvious that the comment was directed towards core audiences.

Or it was a guy trying to sell games to a new audience who may or may not think stereotypes are true. But if you guys want to think it was him slamming you, go ahead. I know how much gamers like to whine. Why don't you guys start an online petition to get him fired.