Sooo, this is a little sexist, @Xbox…Maybe rethink this? Sincerely, girl who prefers shooting zombies over knitting http://t.co/O1azsaj6Gh
— Danielle Burger (@danielleburger) November 27, 2013
It was just last week when Microsoft decided to pull off a promotional stunt as they sent out an email that informed future Xbox One owners to come up with a fictional “Doctor’s Orders” note so that they are able to take a break from their work in order to enjoy some time with their beloved console. This kind of promotion had a certain level of customization at different points, where it can then be printed out for an employer – and hopefully folks will be mature enough to know that this is a gag and not to be taken seriously. Well, a similar online form letter has apparently seen Microsoft get into some hot soup. The most recent Xbox One promotional letter could be interpreted as being directed at men who happen to be married or have a steady girlfriend, where this letter is meant to convince the ladies to give the green light for an Xbox One purchase. The default choice in one of the lines read, “You’d rather knit than watch me slay zombies, but hear me out on this: Xbox One is actually for both of us.”
Needless to say, it has raised a fair number of complaints over various channels including Twitter, as you can see from what Danielle Burger voiced above. Of course, Microsoft was fast to respond, removing the “knit” choice in the menu options totally, and a Microsoft spokesperson helped out in the firefighting process, saying, “The letter is fully customizable and we meant no offense, but understand how the defaults could be perceived. We’re making changes to the letter defaults and apologize for the oversight.” It is tricky walking through the politically correct landscape these days for sure!