Xbox 360 Kiosks Bring Games and Entertainment to Children's Hospitals Microsoft partners with Companions in Courage to give young patients an

outlet for games and chat via private Xbox LIVE network.

    REDMOND, Wash., April 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Microsoft Corp.
 today announced a new partnership with the Companions in Courage
 Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting children and
 families who are overcoming life-threatening obstacles. As part of its
 commitment to providing fun, interactive entertainment for children,
 Microsoft is supplying hundreds of Xbox 360 game kiosks to playrooms in
 children's hospitals across the United States, intended to provide a
 respite for young patients and be a catalyst for fun. In addition to select
 games, movies and television content, the Xbox 360 kiosks will provide
 access to a private network that allows hospitalized children across the
 country to play games and chat in a safety-enhanced environment over Xbox
 LIVE, the world's largest social network connected to television.
 
     (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO)
 
     Microsoft is celebrating this partnership and the installation of the
 first wave of kiosks with three simultaneous events today at Morgan Stanley
 Children's Hospital of New York-Presbyterian, Children's Hospital &
 Regional Medical Center of Seattle and the Children's Hospital of Orange
 County in California. Robbie Bach, president of the Entertainment and
 Devices Division at Microsoft, will attend the Seattle event to commemorate
 the first group of Xbox 360 kiosks and the launch of the special Xbox LIVE
 network.
 
     "Microsoft is committed to keeping kids entertained in a variety of
 ways within a safer gaming environment, so partnering with Companions in
 Courage to offer children in hospitals a way to connect through something
 as universal as games is a natural fit for the work we do," Bach said. "The
 goal for this program is to give these kids a chance to have some fun and
 just be kids."
 
     Companions in Courage founder and National Hockey League Hall of Famer
 Pat LaFontaine said, "Entertainment, creativity and personal connections
 can be important factors in alleviating some of the isolation and
 discomfort these children experience each day. Xbox 360 offers young
 patients a fun escape through games, TV shows, movies and positive
 interactions with others over the Xbox LIVE network. These gaming stations
 are a perfect complement to the interactive playrooms."
 
     The customized and hospital-friendly Xbox 360 kiosks are pre-loaded
 with a variety of Y-rated TV programs, G-rated movies, games rated E and
 E10+, as well as Xbox 360 Headset and Xbox LIVE Vision Camera capabilities,
 which enable patients to communicate over a dedicated Xbox LIVE network.
 This network, created just for Xbox 360 kiosks and consoles in children's
 hospitals, allows patients to play games over Xbox LIVE, but limits chat
 via voice, text and video to only those children playing from select
 hospitals across the country. The industry-leading parental controls on
 Xbox 360, known as Family Settings, will be used to help restrict access to
 content outside ratings parameters, as well as the times during which
 patients can use the kiosks or consoles.
 
     "It's extremely gratifying to witness the joy and excitement of these
 children and teens when they have a chance to break away from the normal
 hospital routine, and make new friends while playing video games," said
 Cynthia Sparer, executive director of Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of
 New York-Presbyterian. "We are grateful that our partnership with
 Companions in Courage helps us meet the needs of our patients and allows
 kids to be kids even when they're sick."
 
     To help bring even more Xbox 360 kiosks to children's hospitals across
 the country, individuals can visit the Companions in Courage Web site at
 http://cic16.org to make a donation.
 
     About Xbox 360
 
     Xbox 360 is a superior video game and entertainment system delivering
 the best games, unique entertainment features and a unified online gaming
 network that revolve around gamers. Xbox 360 has a portfolio of more than
 300 games in nearly 40 countries. More information can be found online at
 http://www.xbox.com/xbox360.
 
     About Companions in Courage
 
     The Companions in Courage Foundation was founded by NHL Hall of Famer,
 Pat LaFontaine in 1997. CiC builds interactive playrooms in hospitals
 throughout North America. Through innovative communications tools, these
 "Lion's Den" playrooms replace the isolation of a hospital with a
 connection to family, friends and celebrities during each hospital stay.
 
     About Microsoft
 
     Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq:   MSFT) is the worldwide leader in
 software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize
 their full potential.
 
 
 

SOURCE Microsoft Corp.

RELATED LINKS
http://www.microsoft.com