TV Viewing Achievements May Be in the Future for Xbox Users

From DailyTech: Microsoft has offered many types achievements and trophies performing specific tasks while gaming on the Xbox 360. Gamers are awarded trophies for finishing certain races, completing a certain amount of kills in a shooter, etc.

Polygon is now reporting that Microsoft has applied for a patent that would give users of the Xbox rewards for watching linear video content. The patent is called Awards and Achievements across TV Ecosystem. It's unclear exactly which console the patent covers, but odds are that it would be used on both the existing Xbox 360 and the recently announced Xbox One.

However, there is a chance that the technology could also be used for Windows platforms. The patent application reads, "Traditional television viewing experiences tend to be passive, and do not frequently provide opportunities for a viewer to engage with the programming.

"To increase interactive viewing and encourage a user to watch one or more particular items of video content, awards and achievements may be tied to those items of video content. Producers, distributors, and advertisers of the video content may set viewing goals and award a viewer who has reached the goals."

Presumably, the patent would cover a system that would allow users to get trophies and awards for watching an entire series of their favorite show. You could also get trophies for watching commercials.

One thing that the patent application also calls out is the ability to win awards for "performing a specific action while watching the linear video content."

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