As if you didn't already know from this week's reveal, television is going to be a major feature with the Xbox One. Whether gamers want it or not — and judging by response, they don't — TV and streaming is a primary focus on Microsoft's "all-in-one" next-gen console. And to help convince users to embrace this mentality of using your Xbox One for more than just games, it appears Microsoft will offer some sort of achievements or rewards for watching television.
Last November, Microsoft applied for a patent, just discovered by Games Industry, that "encourages a user to watching video content" with "awards and achievements." The specific patent terminology reads:
"Television viewing tends to be a passive experience for a viewer, without many opportunities for the viewer to engage or have interactive experiences with the presented content. To increase interactive viewing and encourage a user to watch one or more particular items of video content, awards and achievements may be tied to those items of video content."
Achievements could be awarded for watching a single event like the Super Bowl, or watching an entire series of a single show. Of course, it ultimately comes down to "increasing advertising opportunities." And if we've learned anything from Microsoft and the Xbox Dashboard redesign, it always comes down to advertising revenue.
"Additionally, by tying the awards and achievements to particular items of video or advertising content, viewers may be encouraged to increase their viewership of the content, thus increasing advertising opportunities," application reads. Furthermore, achievements could also be tied to viewers performing specific actions while watching a show, turning a once passive experience into something engaging — or totally annoying.
Rewards for your television watching, or performing, include GamerScore-like points, items for your avatar, virtual money for a game, and possibly some physical rewards.
[GI.biz]
