Microsoft’s Xbox 360, the second-place console in the next gen race, looks to one-up its competitors by introducing new parental controls.

Microsoft is priming to drop a new bomb on Nintendo and Sony, in the shape of new parental controls.  Microsoft is hoping to paint itself as the more "family-friendly" console, which follows its plans to release the Microsoft Xbox 360 arcade addition for the holiday season.

Microsoft traditionally has drawn largely upon an audience of "hardcore gamers," relying heavily on fare such as first person shooters, survival horror and other carnage and action driven gameplay.

Microsoft wants to win back the parents to its console and it is giving them new functionality called "Family Timer," which was rolled out on Wednesday and should soon be appearing on the Family Settings screen of Xbox 360s worldwide.

The timer, already featured in Windows Vista, allows parents to set daily or weekly limits as to the number of hours their offspring can play.  Uponr eaching the said limit the little buggers will be greeted by a glaring blackscreen as the console will turn off and not allow gameplay for the rest of the week.

Microsoft stated that in its research it found that 90 percent of parents placed restrictions on their children's gaming.

"The campaign is designed to educate parents on the tools and resources available that can help them manage their family's media use," explained Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division." The main program was a 20-city bus tour where we visited with parents and showed them how to use the controls on the Xbox 360 and Windows Vista, and with kids showing them that there are fun games for all ages."

The Xbox 360 also features previously available controls which disallow gameplay based on the game rating, adjustable by the console-owner parent.

Microsoft hopes that its new features will help it win over the hearts of parents worldwide.  Some feel such measures are wrong -- for one thing it will likely significantly hurt the U.S.'s future in the world of competitive gaming.  However, Microsoft hopes that parents agree with it that a young mind is a terrible thing to waste... even on an Xbox 360 (well,for more than a set weekly time limit at least).

The Xbox 360 has lost the worldwide and U.S. console leads to Nintendo.  It has also been plagued with hardware problems, including the "red ring of death,"which has led to Gamestop and EB Games recently dumping its Replacement Plan.  Still, Microsoft can take comfort inits strong software sales and its victory over Nintendo in September sales thanks to Halo 3.