Sure, it’s a publicity stunt . . . but it’s a good one . . . it’s also an example of how experiential trance techniques can be utilized to enhance gaming experiences. See the full article . . . Buena Vista Hypnotises OXM in Groundbreaking PR Project – Xbox . . .
In a video game magazine first, Buena Vista Games successfully hypnotised the Deputy Editor of the Official Xbox Magazine, Mark Robins, and age-regressed him to ten years old in a groundbreaking project that saw Mark review the Xbox release of Disney and Walden Media Presents The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe through the eyes of the game’s intended market. Taking place in Future’s London offices and lasting around 45 minutes, the hypnosis session was undertaken by Mark Howe, a professional and seasoned hypnotist, and will appear as part of a four-page feature in the April issue of The Official Xbox Magazine, on-sale 16th March. Video footage of the hypnosis session will also appear on the Official Xbox Magazine’s covermount disk. “The idea of hypnotising someone into believing they’re a ten year old to review a game was so unique that I simply had to get involved, even if it was just to see how it would turn out,” commented Mark Robins, Official Xbox Magazine Deputy Editor. “Luckily I’ve come out the other end mentally unscathed and I even had my fear of flying cured to boot. I’m amazed it worked so well: I can’t usually remember what I was up to last week, let alone twenty years ago.” “The Chronicles of Narnia is a computer and video game aimed at 8-12 year old boys and girls and finding anyone in that age bracket that has both the journalism experience and gaming skill to articulate a full and fair review has been impossible, until now,” commented Mark Ward, on behalf of Buena Vista Games. “I had to promise that we wouldn’t plant any other suggestions while Mark was ‘under’ and I’ve stood by my word. That said, he’s been clucking like a chicken ever since.” Developed by UK-based Traveller’s Tales, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is out now in the UK for PS2, PC, DS and GBA and will be published by Buena Vista Games for Xbox and GameCube on 31st March 2006.
Normally, one would not use a true regression for this sort of experiential process. So, the suggestions used were most likely of the “as if” type used by stage hypnotists and others who wish to engender a childlike curiousity and enthusiasm without mucking things up with actual ten-year old experience which could interfere with the joyful optimism of the experiential trance session. While I don’t know the exact details of the session content, it seems more likely it was an experiential hypnosis session with suggestions of taking on the qualities of a ten-year-old rather than a true regression to a specific time or place or event which would have it’s own inherent baggage.
Experiential trance is the sort of focused trance or hypnosis where suggestions are taken as real right now. Hypnotic regression is one example of an experiential trance technique although another powerful experiential trance technique that is useful for video gaming is the suggestion that what you see in the game screen is happening in real time and experienced as if it is real . . . right now . . . with appropriate positive rider suggestions in place, that is (such as safety eject keys so the trance partner can leave the experience and dis-associate from it if it gets a bit too intense, for instance, while playing Quake and the monsters appear just a bit too real for comfort or a military shooter when things start getting a bit too hairy or other situations which one can’t completely plan for so generic eject triggers under the control of the player are very valuable.
We don’t get the edition of the Official X-Box Magazine here so if an eagle eyed reader overseas can snag one for me and mail it this way, I would be very grateful.
For more on Experiential Trance, see the archives.
If you are in these parts . . . these parts being Taipei . . . and would like to learn more about Experiential Trance or Experiential Hypnosis via live sessions or would like to setup a group session, party event, or performance, other event, or more, see my webpages and feel to contact me to schedule a session for recrational uses, therapy, or even sports or other skill improvement (it is wonderful for sports and physical skills of any type and the like).
All the best,
Brian
