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

[tomtom94]

So-called 'hardcore' gamers are and always will be a minority of the gaming market, in my uninformed opinion.

That said, stereotyping is never nice. And this guy's an ass.

 

[T_ConX]

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

I'm wearing a Rammstein T-Shirt RIGHT NOW! Just like this mass-murderer...

 

[ImprovizoR]

I am a 21 year old dude in Ruff Riders t-shirt and I don't sweat. I also train marshal arts and I don't give my money to Microsoft. Stereotype crushed.

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

I wonder what they call a quality PR department.

Not to be blunt but the PR in Microsoft stands for Pretty Retarded. As all this is as someone has already said is MS just looking for a reaction. I am actually surprised that they would say this about their core audience. I remember then saying something else like anyone who doesn't game on the xbox online is not a true gamer. They just say these thigns to try goad a reaction and more money out of people.

 

[JaymesFogarty]

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?

I don't know, but I'm reminded by the famous phrase, "any media attention is good media attention." Or something like that.

 

[David Bray]

Well, maybe a Flintstones t-shirt.

 

[Snarky Username]

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?

I don't know, but I'm reminded by the famous phrase, "any media attention is good media attention." Or something like that.

That phrase is wrong. I highly doubt that getting your core audience pissed at you will get them to buy more of your stuff. There's a difference between trolling and just being retarded.

 

[oooooooooooooooooooooooooo]

To be fair, every time I've ever been to gaming expo, about a quarter of gamers there have been in some sort of metal-head outfit. But then we have a relatively above average sized metal community down here.

 

[Risingblade]

Well, maybe a Flintstones t-shirt.

I prefer to wear my Popoye T-shirt, it's shiny :3

 

[Krythe]

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

I'm not getting kinect, are you? The Wii's already out.

 

[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.

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.

Well...yes. It was a guy trying to sell games to a new audience, using unflattering stereotypes to do so. It doesn't bother me personally - I'm not yet into my twenties, don't particularly like Metallica, and barely ever sweat. I juat think it's a massive PR fail to be making such statements to people who represent your core audience.

 

[Booze Zombie]

Microsoft, I don't think most people who are going to use Kinect are pastel-shirt wearing nuclear families.
Just saying...

 

[reg42]

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

Hey th-
...
No, that's about right

OT: I'm feeling the love, Microsoft. I'm feeling the love.

 

[RatRace123]

Well, personally I wear Mario shirts, but still.
That's not how you want to describe your core audience, that's actually a good way to lose them.
I guess they're banking on the Kinect to give them a whole new (insipid) audience.

Hmm, I guess I'd consider getting the Kinect, oh wait! My Wii still works fine.

 

[Brotherofwill]

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

Nice rebuttal.

 

[BlumiereBleck]

Meh, it applies.

 

[teqrevisited]

This is the same company that made Games for Windows Live. I think it's quite clear they know nothing.

 

[AugustFall]

I don't know, but I'm reminded by the famous phrase, "any media attention is good media attention." Or something like that.

That only applies to the people who haven't heard of you, like catching the attention of people. The people who already are paying for your service and buying your consoles you should probably stay on the right side of.

It really is an idiotic move (heh heh, move. Like motion controls. Holy Shit.) one I wouldn't expect a business as big as Microsoft to make.

 

[Vaccine]

Nothing surprises me with Microsoft anymore.

Spoiler

 

[Yureina]

I consider myself a "hardcore gamer", though perhaps not in the amount of time that I actually spend playing. I actually do rather well with hygiene, am eight years younger than thirty, and I don't like heavy metal, much less metallica.

Sorry, but it is my duty to point out how I can defy these types of general statements. ;P