That is very sad if the body is indeed identified as the childs. There was, without a doubt, a much larger problem at play here than just playing the Xbox. It might have been the kid's escape from other things happening. Everyone goes through stressful times and everyone has different ways of dealing it. The fact that some people are treating this as a joke or a way to slam MS is despicable and a true measurment of ones integrity.

I'm not gonna be buying he's innocent crap. I went through my good share of problems back home when I was a teenager and even I considered running away... for 2 minutes until I realized that there is absolutely nothing to do out there. I wasn't being beaten, starved, or in any shape or form abused. Yeah I was forbidden to play Video Games or to see my GF and all that other crap, but I stayed home. From the sound of the situation and the fact it got to the point of where he was playing that much, the boy wasn't abused either, more like spoiled to no end. If he's stupid enough to run away from home for such a reason then he gets no sympathy from me, one less snobbish idiot won't hurt anyone. I fully blame the parents for this since if they had taught him liek they should have maybe he wouldn't have turned out that way.

My heart goes out to the parents, it is a terrible thing when a young life is taken away. No matter who they are, or what triggered it. Its a very terrible thing. As gamers ourselves. We should feel as though we lost a comrade, and a friend.

I'll be sending a letter to the Crisp Family at Oro-medonte, Ontario. Wishing them well in such hard times, it won't cost me much. 15 minutes of my time and less than a dollar in postage. But its the least I can do to help them out.

Sounds like bad parenting blamed on video games if you ask me (everyone needs a scapegoat to blame for their problems instead of just admitting it's your fault)

I took away all of my 7 years old kid's video game systems (including handheld) and he just said sorry, and corrected the errors that got himself grounded to being with... he never once ran away or really even got mad at me for it.

So, crappy parents of the world, get over blaming Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft for raising your kids wrong, and instead take parenting classes and learn how to do it the right way...

It reminds me of those dumb kids who terrorize their schools with firearms, and then the schools and parents blame Grand Theft Auto. Give me a break. I've been playing shooter games since they came out in the 80s, and I turned out okay... haven't shot a single person yet.

I love it when parents tell their kids (after a mom shuts the kid's game off on level 81 before he had a chance to save his progress), "It's just a video game, it has nothing to do with the real world".

Oh, but the first time their kid does something screwy, they blame it on a video game.

If you read the article they aren't blaming video games...

the fact that the media seems to have a need to repeat that a video game was involved says otherwise.

one of you please run away from home due to your XBOX and come to my house.

When MS offers a reward we can split it!

Yeah, but that's the media.  Comarade Tovya said it was bad parenting with them blaming video games and if you read the article and what the parents even actually say you'll see they don't blame video games at all.

It's not a breaking story... when it originally came out last week, the original AP article gave the impression that they were 'partly' blaming video games for their addictive attributes... though they did say overall it wasn't Microsofts fault.  None-the-less, I have heard more than one parent actually put the blame on video game manufacturers for violence and other negative things pouring from video games and into the real world.

My overall point is, people need to just take ownership of their own shortcomings as humans, and stop looking for a boogie man to blame for problems.

The reason it's even an issue at all is because of the media...

If the story were simply, "Kid grounded and runs away", people would think it were sad, but then never give it another thought.

But, by the AP & Reuters implying that video games hold part of the blame (and yes, there are many versions of the article that imply that) everyone says, "wow!  My kids play a lot of video games too!  This same thing could happen to me!"

And now, the story is no longer simply a random terrible act amongst millions of others, it now becomes personal to every parent out there.

Most parents (just ask a non-video game loving parent) will say, "wow, video games really can ruin a family!"  I've heard it said at least a dozen times this week (including from my own dad).  When the truth is, ANYTHING taken in excess can be harmful to you... that's no secret to anyone.   But the idea that video games are to blame even in the smallest degree because a kid runs away is preposterous.  If they thought their kids was spending to much time on his console, they should have regulated the amount of time per day or week he would be allowed to play them.  That's what I do already, and always have done with my kids.  Not because games are bad, but because anything in excess can be a negative thing.

Like I said, the media is trying to vilify video games but looking at what the parents say they aren't. Even the police have said that MS has nothing to do with it and checking XBL leads will more than likely result in nothing.

And as for what MS is doing, they are just being incredibly helpful and generous when they could say fuck off, it's not our problem,