Microsoft Patent Targets Fat Gamers?

A patent filed by Microsoft for “Avatar Individualized by Physical Characteristic” appears to be targeting overweight gamers.The patent that’s been filed outlines plans to assign larger game avatars based on an individual’s real weight and size which they say will reflect “many of the incentives of the real world replicated in a virtual environment”. So what does that mean for the overweight gamer? According to the document, “Physiological data that reflects a degree of health of the real person can be linked to rewards of capabilities of a gaming avatar”, in other words, there’s the possibility that if you’re overweight Microsoft could limit the amount of time you can play or reflect your heftiness by giving you a fat avatar in-game, or perhaps even on Xbox Live as demonstrated by our handy fat avatar image.How exactly Microsoft plan on assessing your level of fitness is unclear but the patent does mention the use of a health information repository, receiving physiological data sensed from the user, detecting a pedometer recording, and the list goes on. Of course this could be Microsoft investigating the fitness game fad for the 360 which would be a more logical conclusion to this patent filing. Make of it what you will.Thanks Ericbrighteyes.