Xtive

Latest

  • Phonogram to brainwash addiction out of Korean gamers?

    by 
    Jeannie Choe
    Jeannie Choe
    03.15.2007

    Young gamers in Korea have turned from national phenomena to national concern -- some have actually managed to "game" themselves to death, while blank stares and friendlessness are more common occurrences among the obsessed. Attempting to flip the switch on this unfortunate outcome of pwning, Venture start-up Xtive proposes to subliminally convince these kids to kick the habit by exposing them to an inaudible repetitive message. "We incorporated messages into an acoustic sound wave telling gamers to stop playing. The messages are told 10,000 to 20,000 times per second," explains Yun Yun-hae, president of Xtive. (Isn't that a little, um, fast?) The company has applied for a domestic patent and plans to commercialize the phonogram in cahoots with the government and game companies, which he hopes will incorporate triggers for the phonograms after games are played for a certain amount of time. Xtive also hopes to move beyond this application, applying their technology to other areas; Yun creepily tops it all off by adding, "We can easily change the messages. In this sense, the potential for this technology is exponential." You want to talk about video game zombies? Here we go.[Via Joystiq]

  • Game addiction battled with silent sound

    by 
    James Ransom-Wiley
    James Ransom-Wiley
    03.13.2007

    Hear that? No, you can't. But, according to a report in The Korea Times, venture start-up Xtive claims to have developed an inaudible sound sequence that could have already broadcast its message 200,000 times since you began reading this post. And what message is that?Xtive says its message will encourage so-called game addicts to stop playing. "Game users can't recognize the sounds. But their subconscious is aware of them and the chances are high they will quit playing," says company president Yun Yun-hae, before adding, "We can easily change the messages. In this sense, the potential for this technology is exponential." Yun then cracks a grin, followed by a sinister cackle. Exponential...[Via GamePolitics]