Update: Microsoft And Machinima Defend YouTube Promotion Deal

[vagabondwillsmile]

Edit: how the hell do you embed things in this forum? Nvm, I'll just drop the link...

For youtube videos do this minus the spaces:

[ youtube = ###### ]

Where ##### is the part of the url after 'watch?v='

So your video would be

[ youtube = 9CnSIJJNjIs ]


I hope that helps.

OT: I think this is probably going to backfire for Microsoft in that people now know they have been buying positive opinions. No doubt they have given a few reviewers/websites a 'goody bag' for their reviews on Xbone titles.

Yeah, he makes a point in his video. However, every contract must have at least two parties. It doesn't matter if Machinima or MS wrote that line of the contract. Both enterprises have lawyers, both enterprises have equal bargaining power in the context of the agreement, both enterprises are privy to the same information, and both enterprises are savvy in their respective industries. Whether Machinima wrote that condition or not, Microsoft - who's lawyers really should have known better - knew of it, acquiesced to it, stamped it, and passed it on. It is as though they wrote it themselves, even if in fact they didn't.

Unless, Machinima's NDA with Youtube content makers was completely separate from Machinima's promotion contract with Microsoft. Only this way could one say that Machinima is truly the party that issued an offending contract condition. Yet, even then, Microsoft could have, should have - and in all likelyhood - would have, reviewed the NDA as it would at least be a link between their agreement with Machinima and possible subsequent agreement between Machinima and youtube content makers.

There is no way Microsoft escapes at least a share of blame, and looking very stupid.

 

[Atmos Duality]

"That didn't happen here and we're evaluating why," the statement said. "All participants are being asked today to include our standard language going-forward. We apologize for the error and any confusion."

*laughs uproariously*
Yeah, bullshit. You're just backtracking because you got caught.
Probably because the original wording of the promo made it FLAT OUT ILLEGAL.

Doesn't change the fact that the promo itself is pretty fucking shady; they aren't just advertising the system, but are trying to get their content producers to sell their opinions (can't dissent when the term specifies praise-only).

Oh yeah, and Microsoft (or rather, Machinima):
Rape is common. It happens all the time. Right now, I guarantee that someone, somewhere is being sexually assaulted against their consent. Since it's so common, does this make rape OK?

No? Then lets cut the bullshit and stop trying to understate a dirty practice entirely because of its frequency, OK?

 

[TomWiley]

Not to sound naive or anything, but is there any real evidence of Microsoft or any other company in the gaming industry actually directly bribing people to say positive things about their products, whilst telling them to lie about and hide their involvement?

Advertising and promotion, as well as indirect "bribes" such as Microsoft and Sony sending youtubers free consoles and games with no agreement involved, doesn't count.

I don't know about the others, but historically for Microsoft the OOXML fiasco from 10 years ago is a pretty big black mark on the company for this sort of shady dealing.

I didn't even know about that, and ten years ago is well, ten years ago.

The problem was the poor attempt at deception. These videos will essentially be commercial videos in an arena that is traditionally assumed to consist of honest community based content. "Paint in a positive light" is basically Microsoft paying individuals that are supposed to represent grass-roots consumer views to lie to their viewers.

It's the fact that Microsoft assumes it can buy opinion that makes people uncomfortable, the attempt at a collective lie that the Xbone is not a consumer hating pile of micro-transactions and questionable pricing models.

Except that this isn't really true, which was reveled be recent updates recently summarized by his husky gentleman.


Basically, this is on Machinima.

The question that crops up for me is 'what motive would lead Machinima to contract like so completely out of favor of themselves'? They're the ones with a closer finger to the pulse of the community (why else would Microsoft approach them with marketing incentives?); from what Boogie is saying, essentially, Machinima puts up an NDA...on themselves???

Best case scenario, and excluding boop-ups (an outside PR company was mentioned), there's just too much stupid shit going on to even pin this solely on Machinima (until more details come to light).

I'll pick out some things that are pretty universally clear:
- Microsoft is giving out money in hopes to improve their image (AKA marketing)
- A Youtube commentary channel, which bases its following in the integrity of its commentators is involved
- There's an NDA in place.

Well Machinima has a long history of questionable and straight up weird practices. But I say nothing wrong with them taking promotion money, that is if they make it clear what is genuine commentary and what's promotion. In this case, they certainly didn't.

I don't think it's as much the lack of consumer of ethics as poor internal organization.