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When contacted by Ars today, Amazon confirmed that it is piloting the games in five of its fulfillment centers and provided a few other details. Amazon told us that it has no plans to make the games mandatory and that workers who opt into the games can switch back to non-game work methods any time they want.
Amazon said it is trying to create a more fun and interactive work environment and that workers can play the games in an anonymous mode if they prefer not to show their name to others playing the games or on leaderboards.
Would you like to play a game?
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Amazon Created Video Games to Help Reduce Tedium in Their Warehouses
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The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
(1)
(1)
Max told his friend that he'd just as soon not go hiking in the hills.
Said he, "I'm an anti-climb Max."
[So is that punchline.]
(Score: 3, Touché) by coolgopher on Friday May 24 2019, @12:40AM (1 child)
"After careful consideration, sir, I've come to the conclusion that your [...] system sucks!"
(Score: 2, Funny) by RandomFactor on Friday May 24 2019, @01:02AM
"I don't have to take that, you pig eyed sack of [...]"
В «Правде» нет известий, в «Известиях» нет правды
(Score: 2) by looorg on Friday May 24 2019, @01:06AM (7 children)
So Amazon acknowledges that the work they offer is horrible and dreadful in every imaginable way shape and form and has to be hidden behind game ... Does it come with like achievements to? Congrats you have now packaged 100,000 orders! 5 points ...
... and with simple "8bit"-ish graphics ... how retro of them. Why not just go all the way and say have "Escape from Castle Bezos" where you have to fulfill certain orders just so you get to go home (alive) today.
(Score: 2) by looorg on Friday May 24 2019, @01:09AM
Perhaps it had been more suitable if it had been like Pac Man or Frogger (they can do that, just imagine that they are the frog, and the package should be delivered to the other side of the road and that the cars that went across the screen are all those robots that work in warehouse).
(Score: 2) by takyon on Friday May 24 2019, @01:15AM (4 children)
This could be really great for Amazon. Game-ify the tedious, dangerous workplace. Earn achievements to unlock small cash bonuses or illicit drugs.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by looorg on Friday May 24 2019, @01:17AM
I'm sure they could even make a profit if they streamed it and allowed users to bet ...
(Score: 1) by Ethanol-fueled on Friday May 24 2019, @01:22AM (1 child)
That they paid the money to develop their own game about work rather than just put a fucking x box or ps3 with Counterstrike and Madden says much about how systematically sadistic Amazon's leadership are. And how stupid they are. If they did what I suggested above and had the occasional tournament with cheap prize and wall of fame they could buy all their workforce's loyalty for minimum wage.
(Score: 3, Touché) by RamiK on Friday May 24 2019, @02:28AM
Like in any competitive market/event, even cheap prizes would introduce incentives for sabotage and fixing the results where the workers will cooperate to slow down and take turns on who is going to win.
compiling...
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 24 2019, @02:58AM
Somehow it gives me vision of that guy bicycling for no reason at all in an episode of Black Mirror.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 24 2019, @02:49AM
As a Monster Hunter, Ark, and Star Citizen player, it sounds like progression in that game is way too fast and harms immersion.
(grin)
(Score: 3, Touché) by Gaaark on Friday May 24 2019, @01:31AM
How about a nice game of Battle chess?
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Friday May 24 2019, @01:34AM (3 children)
Ender's Game, anyone? Everyone has to play the game. Except, Bean didn't play. He didn't need, or want, the assholes in his head.
Abortion is the number one killed of children in the United States.
(Score: 1) by Ethanol-fueled on Friday May 24 2019, @02:27AM (2 children)
I never read Enders Game, but since you mention it that way, I already read Catcher in the Rye. Now convince me to read Enders Game.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Friday May 24 2019, @02:46AM
Convince you? Maybe . . .
The Ender's War story didn't end with the end of the war. I am currently re-reading the Shadow stories, about the Battle School grads, on earth, after the war ended. The fact is, Card created quite a large universe with his stories. Even a fast reader can stay immersed in the universe for weeks, if he chooses to.
For bonus points, I suppose one could search out all of Card's religious beliefs from the stories. The dude is a Mormon, and a lot of his writing centers on religion. His "Women of Genesis" books make interesting reading, and turns those women into real human beings. Of course, those women were all Jews, so you won't have the time or the inclination to read about them, right?
Abortion is the number one killed of children in the United States.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 24 2019, @02:51AM
It's basically child abuse porn.
(Score: 2) by black6host on Friday May 24 2019, @02:09AM (3 children)
Heh, one only has to look at all the fallout from Bethesda's mishandling of canvas bags (yes, yes, intentional): https://www.se7ensins.com/articles/why-bethesda-doesnt-deserve-your-money-or-your-respect.22058/ [se7ensins.com] to understand that the folks in picking are going to be claiming that the folks in packing should be nerfed and that both picking and packing aren't happy with the trinkets offered for such hard labor! I expect loot boxes any minute but that's a different story. Amazon doesn't know shit about making games, lol.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Friday May 24 2019, @02:34AM (1 child)
The canvas bag thing was just a small piece of a big disaster.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjyeCdd-dl8 [youtube.com]
As it turns out, Amazon is learning how to make games.
https://www.pcgamesn.com/new-world/new-world-10000-player-wars [pcgamesn.com]
Amazon Web Services MMO.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 24 2019, @03:18AM
Hillarious, and epimote of dumbfuckery. Ruining entire industry with their shitnanigans.
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Friday May 24 2019, @02:00PM
They're creating customized experiences that tie in with their work flow. These games are interesting motivators that can be used to compete with other workers and/or floors. Also, completely optional to their normal, more boring interface.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 24 2019, @03:46PM
I've played that game before.
It's called Sokoban.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 25 2019, @01:01AM
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