Rumor: Xbox 360 parental timer coming in December

by Kyle Orland { Nov 5th 2007 at 10:22AM }

The Xbox 360's parental controls could be getting a boost next month with a "parental timer" feature that would let parents limit the amount of time children can play. The information comes from a TeamXbox forum poster who says he found the feature listed on a pamphlet included with a Guitar Hero III keychain, of all things. Not exactly iron-clad sourcing, but given that Microsoft's Vista operating system already has a similar feature, it doesn't seem too far-fetched. Still, consider it a rumor until we can confirm this for ourselves.

[Via XboxToday]

Tags: controls, microsoft, parental, rumor, timer

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Jeff @ Nov 5th 2007 10:27AM

I am so gonna limit all my friends to an hour a day.

Jerk Face @ Nov 5th 2007 10:48AM

LOL

Vidikron (FU) @ Nov 5th 2007 10:29AM

Seems like a handy tool for a parent to me. Using that plus the ability to set limits on the rating of games being played is exactly what parents should be doing. If more parents did their "job" correctly maybe games wouldn't be getting blamed for all the violence these days.

Devils Advocate @ Nov 5th 2007 10:38AM

Tell you what Vidikron,

Give the parents back their freakin rights, and you can bet your ass we'll be happy to keep the kids in line. This isn't "always" the parents fault, as the state takes our rights away yet on the other hand wants to hold us accountable for all the little cretins actions. You can't have it both ways.

As for video games getting blamed these days, that is because we are a society of "it's not my fault, it's somebody elses"...and that somebody else is usually somebody that has a better ability to pay a fine from litigation then the actual culprit.

Vidikron (FU) @ Nov 5th 2007 10:46AM

Ummm, OK. Not sure where you said anything that contradicts me. I never said it was "always" the parents fault. I just think that something like this that can help take the heat off games is a good thing. The more stuff like this that is in place the less excuses parents and lawmakers have. As you mentioned, people are alwayslooking to blame someone else and this is yet another tool that prevents that.

Jonny @ Nov 5th 2007 10:49AM

I'm just curious Devil's Advocate, but what rights have been taken away exactly that are impeding parents' ability to discipline?

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Nov 5th 2007 11:33AM

Good luck spanking your kid in california.

gonk @ Nov 5th 2007 11:52AM

don't tell your kids about the laws. I was spanked a few times when i was being a little shit, and I never bothered telling anyone else. Jesus christ, it's not gonna kill you

Zsavior @ Nov 5th 2007 12:58PM

Problem is if you have to hit a child for them to listen you are probably to far gone already. If we were to hit anybody and, everybody who did something that was rude or disrespect we would be arrested for assault.

If the only way you can discipline your child is with force, then look froward to when that power can't be enforced that child just not listening to you.

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Nov 5th 2007 1:04PM

You don't spank your child to get them to listen to you, you spank them so that they realize there are consequences for their actions. Actions like deliberate disobedience. And the experience has to be unpleasant enough for it to stick in their minds. And after the spanking, a good parent will tell their children that they love them, give them a hug, and dry their tears. Because a good parent doesn't spank to inflict pain, they do it out of love.

Being spanked for not coming when you're called is alot better than being hit by a car because you didn't listen to mommy when she said "Come out of the street!"

Devils Advocate @ Nov 5th 2007 1:26PM

Jonny~

Corporal punishment. I would have been a waste of flesh as a kid had I not been concerend about the consequences from my father for doing something I knew was wrong.

Cronos has it exactly correct, and Zsavior is a perfect example of the PC problems we parents have raising our children.

ukickmydog (NDF - Earth) @ Nov 5th 2007 7:42PM

yea man, i'm freakin indian and i got hella bad spankings, but i'm way more disciplined than my white friends,

i believe in it, but i don't believe a parent should do it just to inflict pain

ill trooper @ Nov 5th 2007 10:30AM

I might engage this to keep my own procrastinating self off the Call of Duties!

Savok @ Nov 5th 2007 10:36AM

They'd better be adding some sort of save state functionality to that as well or we're gonna have a lot of lost progress.

LAZoftheTamarinds @ Nov 5th 2007 10:40AM

I hope they do. Because when my mom finds out about it shes going to install it. And I'd be really pissed if I was in the middle of something then it just shuts down and I couldn't save. :(

UnnDunn @ Nov 5th 2007 11:09AM

It will likely warn you several times before shutting you down. That's what the parental controls do in Vista.

Like "You will be signed out in 20 minutes"... "10 minutes" ... "5 minutes"... "1 minute"... etc.

Savok @ Nov 5th 2007 11:13AM

Won't help with games like LEGO Star Wars which don't save until the level ends. Some of those levels can take over an hour if you're looking for Minikits and all the studs.

UnnDunn @ Nov 5th 2007 11:19AM

Well then it's your own dumb fault for playing a game you know will take you longer than you're allowed to play.

Savok @ Nov 5th 2007 11:25AM

Kids are supposed to be psychic and know exactly where the next save point is? Exactly how long this next level will take them? You wouldn't pick up a controller out of fucking terror.

UnnDunn @ Nov 5th 2007 11:33AM

Maybe that's the point.

UnnDunn @ Nov 5th 2007 11:35AM

If you're at the point where your parents feel the need to enforce limits on your gaming time like this, then maybe you DO need to be a little more wary of picking up that controller.

Savok @ Nov 5th 2007 11:35AM

I think it's story time.

Many years ago I was playing Robowarrior on my NES as I'd been doing for weeks, I couldn't get past the 3rd level with the damn flashlight thing.

Right on my bedtime, I actually beat the wretched level, first time I'd done it. My mother knew how long that level had been taunting me and let me play on until I ran out of lives.

I didn't run out of lives, I beat the whole god damn game that night, it was about 11pm when I finally made it to bed. To this day it stands as one of the only memories of my childhood not filled with terror and/or tears.

See what happened there? God damn proper parenting, that's what, she knew what was going on with me.

Giving parents an endless stream of shitty crutches only serves to further dumb them down. God forbid they take interest in their own children.

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Nov 5th 2007 11:36AM

Could it be that thats the point.

UnnDunn @ Nov 5th 2007 11:41AM

Hey, look, I'm with you on that. But you probably respected your bedtime most of the time, so your parents gave you the pass. That's good parenting.

But if you have kids who continually refuse to respect any gaming limits set on them (like that guy who punched his mom and the cop because she stopped him from playing Halo 3), then this parental timer will be a very useful tool.

Whether it's a crutch or not depends on how the parents use it.

gonk @ Nov 5th 2007 11:57AM

parents that can't get their kid to respect bedtime should take away the console they gave. They giveth, they can taketh...

Savok @ Nov 5th 2007 12:21PM

Bub, a timer isn't going to do shit with little psychopaths that beat up their parents, they'll beat their parents for setting a timer in the first place.

And yes, I'm sure MS is looking to annihilate civilization by continually dumbing down parenting, letting their children grow into the uncivilized, drug addicted rabble we have roaming the streets now.

MS like just about everyone else in a position of power only thinks 5 minutes ahead and fucks everything in the process. Actions have consequences, think!

Vidikron (FU) @ Nov 5th 2007 12:34PM

I fail to see how this is a "crutch". Making use of a tool like this IS parenting. You can make use of something like this and still take an interest in your child. Do you really expect parents to sit around and watch the kids every minute they play?

Savok @ Nov 5th 2007 12:39PM

No I expect them to have a rough idea what time it is and what time their children are meant to go to bed.

Heaven forbid they have to talk to their children without some form of automation.

UnnDunn @ Nov 5th 2007 12:54PM

This is a tool just like any other; a tool to help parents be better parents. Are you saying parents should refuse to use any of the tools available to them when they feel it's necessary?

Good parents will evaluate how best to use this tool to make their kids better people. Maybe they won't use it at all.

Vidikron (FU) @ Nov 5th 2007 1:07PM

@Savok

But whose to say this has anything to do with bedtime? What if a parent wants to set a 1.5 hour daily limit on game time? A tool like this this would allow them to set the limit and then the kid(s) can use the time when they want, but once it's gone it's gone and they'll have to do something else. I have yet to see even a remotely good argument against this.

Savok @ Nov 5th 2007 9:12PM

A "tool" to further disconnect a parent from their child is something we really don't need, UD.

If it's not bedtime and there's no chores or homework to do, nor is the TV or computer required, I say let the kid play however long he wants.

Why? Because if you start pissing your kid off for no reason they'll start plotting against you and you're fucked then, because as others have said in this thread you can't discipline your kids anymore without social services on your doorstep.

Then they grow up to vandalize telephone lines annoying everyone around them (yes that's specific, I've seen it happen is why).

Count Noobula @ Nov 5th 2007 10:38AM

I see this as a good thing. Kids today are fat, and should get off their butts and do something else for a while.

Sean @ Nov 5th 2007 10:45AM

Like talk on internets!

Ten Dolla Bill @ Nov 5th 2007 10:54AM

haha, agreed my man.

DemonGSides @ Nov 5th 2007 11:14AM

You've obviously never seen a child before.

Savok @ Nov 5th 2007 11:16AM

Sorry, kids aren't allowed outside because of the pedophiles, rapists, kidnappers and other assorted criminals we're told daily to be utterly terrified of.

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Nov 5th 2007 11:38AM

Savok wins this one.

Geist @ Nov 5th 2007 11:58AM

Don't forget the communists.

Zertoss @ Nov 5th 2007 12:01PM

Hahaha Savok gets a + for that. Good game!

Maybe we could let them play outside if we give them guns so they can protect themselves.

ThornedVenom @ Nov 5th 2007 12:02PM

Some kids are fat because they ARE working their ass off... but in an academic way.

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Nov 5th 2007 1:08PM

Actually, intensive intellectual thinking (like doing your math homework) burns more calories in the same amount of time than working out on a treadmill.

Zertoss @ Nov 5th 2007 10:41AM

They should take it one step further and give the console the ability to bring varying levels of pain down on the kid, from a mild shock to putting their head through a wall. Call it Terry Tate Mode.

*CRASH* "WOO! YOUR LANGUAGE IS ENTIRELY INAPPROPRIATE, BILLY! AND STOP SCREAMING INTO YOUR HEADSET, BITCH!"

Fandel @ Nov 5th 2007 10:41AM

Giving the state of parenting in America, I predict that this feature will be used by 1% of the population.

And for that 1%, the feature will probably be turned on accidentally when the dad/mom tries to connect the console to their kids 15-year-old, 13-inch TV in his/her room.