Gamer boycott of Xbox?

Gamepolitics.com is calling for a boycott of Microsoft's Xbox 360 to protest Microsoft's collaboration with Chinese censorship.  Here's what their press release says:

On June 16th, GamePolitics.com called for gamers to boycott the upcoming Xbox 360 in protest of Microsoft's decision to support government repression of Internet users in the Republic of China. A polling feature recently added to the site indicates that readers are indeed heeding the call. As of 7:00 P.M. Sunday, over half of poll respondents indicated that they would either boycott the Xbox 360 or hadn't made up their minds yet.

Will Boycott Xbox 360 - 33%

Won't Boycott - 45%

Not Sure - 21%

 

Total Either Boycotting or Possibly Boycotting - 54%

GamePolitics Editor Dennis McCauley was both surprised and encouraged by the results of the polling.

 

"The poll shows that gamers are able to put games into their proper context with the world at large. Gamers these days are not only tech-savvy, but also politically aware. The fact that more than half might be willing to forego a hot new system like the Xbox 360 simply to make a political statement just blows me away."

The boycott can be discussed on their blog here.

UPDATE: Dennis at Gamepolitics.com has the following update as of Tuesday afternoon:

It's only fair to mention that the numbers have changed somewhat. The poll remains open, and as of Tuesday afternoon it looks like this: Will Boycott Xbox 360 - 26% Won't Boycott - 66% Not Sure - 7% That's with over 400 votes recorded. If the results finish this way, it will still mean that 1/3 of respondents plan to either boycott the Xbox 360 or will consider it, based on MS' stance in China. That's encouraging, as gamers are not normally given credit for political awareness.

Comments

[GamePolitics]

Rebecca, I'm honored to see this information about what we are doing on GamePolitics.com posted here.

It's only fair to mention that the numbers have changed somewhat. The poll remains open, and as of Tuesday afternoon it looks like this:

Will Boycott Xbox 360 - 26%
Won't Boycott - 66%
Not Sure - 7%

That's with over 400 votes recorded. If the results finish this way, it will still mean that 1/3 of respondents plan to either boycott the Xbox 360 or will consider it, based on MS' stance in China. That's encouraging, as gamers are not normally given credit for political awareness.

[Dennis McCauley]

We've moved the poll to an archive page located at...

http://www.gamepolitics.com/pollarchive.htm

...but it is still open for voting. After 542 votes, results have been remarkably consistent.

27% will boycott, 65% will not, 6% unsure...

Robert Scoble was mentioning how he searches blog postings for potential complaint or customer service issues about MS...

I replied, asking if he had picked up on the Xbox 360 boycott. He said that he had, but thought it was misguided. Were we boycotting Wal-mart as well?

Huh?

His comments make me think he still doesn't get it, despite his earlier change of heart on MSN China censorship.

Here's the exchange:

ME: Very cool that you monitor RSS feeds for Microsoft issues. Just wondering if you picked up on our call for an Xbox 360 Boycott?
GamePolitics • 7/5/05; 1:12:46 PM

SCOBLE: Yes, I think it's way misplaced though. It's the Chinese government that deserves scorn here. Are you boycotting Walmart? Did you notice they blocked nearly every blog site?
Robert Scoble • 7/5/05; 1:30:15 PM

ME: No question that the Chinese government deserves scorn on this issue. But, as gamers, our power to directly impact the Chinese government is zero. Wal-mart? Are they engaged in censorship like Microsoft is?
GamePolitics • 7/5/05; 4:04:43 PM

URL = http://scoblecomments2.scripting.com/comments?u=1011&p=10535&link=http%3A%2F% (scroll down near the bottom of comments)

No way I am going to boycott the 360 i want it to succeed fully.sorry but i have already preordered mine and i plan to buy lots more for the system. people don't listen don't boycott.

[Mike]

man 360 will be the best, i wont boycott, and im a full microsoft fan.

[sypher]

gamers SHOULD boycott the xbox 360, why? because 10/10 systems all go dead within a year. my SEGA GENESIS/SATURN/DREAMCAST ALL STILL WORK PERFECTLY. xbox 360 is simply a poorly made piece of hardware. from what i have seen ALL xbox 360 owners will have to deal with their console going dead on them within the next year or so.. how do i know this?? i have about 22 people on my xbox live friends and they all..ALL have ether had to trade there system in for a new one. trade it in for ps3 store cred. or sent it off to get repaired. WHY IS THAT?? whatever the reason is...its irrelevant because a fumble of that magnitude isnt a fumble, its greed. and i wont/cant support it, i hope no one eles will.

i dont have a ps3 yet but I WILL be getting one soon.

[lily]

it's really pathetic of gamers (who, let's face it, are often stuck with a pathetic stigma as it is) to not realize that there is something larger in life than playing video games. the chinese government is limiting the information that it's citizens have access to. microsoft is supporting the censorship. and instead of playing some other gaming system to possibly change one of the many problems of this world, gamers are lined up like lemmings. i guess it just goes to show that some stereotypes are correct.