Xbox as educational tool?

[pipo]

Now I've seen it all.

But the strangest announcement of the day seems to be the release of “educational content” on Xbox LIVE! Talking to the press, Microsoft announced that India will be the first country to see the release of education specific learning aids for grades 1-12 that will, presumably, help kids score better on their tests.

http://theangrypixel.com/blog/2007/10/24/the-great-xbox-360-india-avalanche/

Talking about family strategies...

Isn't the DS being used in schools in Japan too by the way?

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Dunno about DSes, other than the usual 3rd party products like language tutors or whatever. There was a UK initiative with PSPs in school. Generally though Edutainment is covered by the PC. I have thought of consoles being a good initiative; PS2 could have really capitalized on its street-cred to kids doing useful stuff with their consoles. As for India being the target, what's the XB360 install base like over there? Unless MS are confident education is the kiiler-app for that market and will shift significant numbers of consoles, I wouldn't have thought it'd be the ideal place to start adding an educational string to your bow.

 

[archangelmorph]

Hasn't almost every console to date had edutainment releases in some form?

 

[patsu]

I believe the word they used is "serious gaming" -- applying video game principles, content and technologies to other areas (training, education, marketing, ...). There is a track for every GDC too.

 

[pipo]

Hasn't almost every console to date had edutainment releases in some form?

If you say so. I can't name anything on my last gen (Cube/PS2/Xbox/Dreamcast) systems though...

Anyway, pushing this through XBLM is quite big IMO, and I wonder if it will see a broader release.

 

[archangelmorph]

If you say so. I can't name anything on my last gen (Cube/PS2/Xbox/Dreamcast) systems though...

Anyway, pushing this through XBLM is quite big IMO, and I wonder if it will see a broader release.

I know PS2 had tons!

I only have to walk into my nearest Game store to find them scattered around in the bargain bins.. Also I do remember a rayman edutainment game for the PSOne?

Most are junk and released regionally by smallscale devs but they definitely exist/have existed in pretty wide numbers in the past..