We may find many different reasons to park ourselves in front of the TV once a year and watch a good football game. I’m talking about American football, and the big game is the Super Bowl. If you took the time to watch it this year, you probably realize that it wasn’t all that super but then again, most of us don’t really watch it for the athletics. We watch it for the advertisements, and they were quite entertaining this year.
The ads in the Super Bowl do more than make us smile, they also target the heartstrings and get us talking. If you are looking for a commercial that hits all of the high points, it seems as if Microsoft has done it this year. They have an advert that features kids with limb differences and they are showcasing a new game controller that allows them to play along with everyone else.
Go ahead and grab a box of tissues because this is going to get incredible.
A few different children are showcased in this commercial, including, Owen, Grover, Ian, Taylor, Sean, and other children who have limb differences. They all have one thing in common aside from the birth defect, they love video games. They also find using a regular videogame controller to be challenging. The new adaptive controller for Microsoft permits children with mobility differences to play like everyone else. That’s pretty amazing!
The description of the video says the following: “When technology empowers each of us, it empowers all of us. This Super Bowl, follow the inspirational story of passionate young gamers rising to the top of their game with a little help from their friends, family and the Xbox Adaptive Controller. The story illustrates Microsoft’s commitment to building accessible technology that levels the playing field and creates opportunity for all of us.”
If you managed not to shed a tear while you were watching the advert, you deserve a medal. Life has changed recently and children love games more than ever. It’s a way for them to connect with each other on a very basic level. When you think about the possibility that one child may not be able to connect because of a disability, it really shows you the seriousness of the issue.
Grover’s mom had the following to say about what the controller means to her son: “You never want your kid to feel like an outsider or an other”
Owen’s dad echoes that sentiment. “One of the biggest fears early on is how will Owen be viewed by the other kids?” He got choked up saying, “He’s not different when he plays.”
We need those tissues again.
Taylor says, “It’s a little challenging, but that’s the whole point of gaming.”
“It’s his way of interacting with his friends when he can’t otherwise do it,” says Owen’s dad.
Looks like Microsoft won on this one.