Is Gears of War spamming Xbox Live users?

Posted Jul 27th 2006 6:25PM by Robert Summa

Tipsters bring word that perhaps some people within the Gears of War camp are spamming a few Xbox Live users. We were under the impression that Microsoft frowned upon the use of these kinds of tactics; in fact, the lack of spam is definitely one of the positives of the whole service. Either way, an Xbox Live user named MFenix (Marcus Fenix is the main character in GoW) is messaging users with the following:

We need your help. Can't talk now. Don't know who to trust. Will send more tomorrow.

Then followed up with:

Thank you for your help. Don't trust messages from anyone but myself and Dom. He's using the covert name of LocustHordeH8r. They are everywhere, and even classified information sent here could be compromised. We're working on a code. More tomorrow.

We've contacted Microsoft and they have refused to comment on the rumor or speculation. During the whole MI:3 fiasco, Microsoft's position was this:

The recent communication to the customer was NOT sanctioned by Xbox Live. Microsoft's position is that the community will and should manage itself, through providing gamers with a voice they in turn take ownership and responsibility for their experiences. Supporting this, Xbox Live has a robust feedback system in place for situations exactly like this. If required, gamers can file a complaint in the system to report inappropriate behavior or language, which Microsoft will follow-up and investigate fully.

Have any of you gotten this? Also, what's your take on using Xbox Live as a place for spam or viral marketing?

[Thanks, Paul and Michael Piazza]



Source: www.joystiq.com

Personally Response:

I read this article and personally I don't think of this as spam. Spam is annoying viagara ads and stupid cash scams that fill your email box with total crap. They're ads that just annoy you and have no purpose what so ever, except to con idiots that are stupid enough to open them and click on the links.

This is not spam. Even if Epic is doing the contacting, this is a cool concept. They're trying to bring the world of Gears of War to the players by playing out the main character and the storyline. If I got contacted by the character it would be cool just to follow the messages to the end. Besides if you don't like the messages, ignore them. It's not like the messages are hitting you in the hundreds. Just one message isn't spam. It's creative advertising.