P-O-X

Lore & Background

P-O-X was introduced through a viral marketing scheme. Hasbro asked kids in Chicago schools, playgrounds, skate parks and video arcades who they thought the 'coolest kid' was, until they found kids who felt they were 'the coolest' themselves, and distributed free copies of the game to them. The game performed strongly enough in the Chicago market to convince executives of the major toy retailer Toys R' Us to come on board for a national launch, slated for September 23, 2001, planned to coincide with the start of the Christmas shopping season. Originally, a second phase of the launch had been planned for 9 additional cities in the United States beyond Chicago, but the launch schedule was pushed forward due to the strong support from Hasbro and Toys R' Us executives.

In a case of unfortunate timing, the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and subsequent 2001 anthrax attacks raised considerable doubts in the Toys R' Us executive team about the viability of launching a game that prominently featured Earth being attacked by malicious forces that took the form of bug-like viruses that 'infected' their targets. After some focus groups with parents indicated that they were uncomfortable with their children playing a game that featured viruses and 'infection', the game was pulled from the market.

There are three different versions of the game, each released as a differently colored console: the red Spino, green Cycro, and blue Plasmo. Gameplay requires players to either use the wireless function to battle those around them, or use the single-player Arena. Arena gameplay consists of traveling around a sort of maze and fighting different P-O-X along the way. At the end of every mazelike level was a container with a new body part in it, and guarding that is the boss, called an Overspore. Upon victory against the Overspore, the player gains possession of the body part. However, the Overspore has as much HP for each body part as the player's infector has in its 'healthiest' body part, making the battle difficult. Each level was named for the body part it contained at its end.

Reader's Guide

P-O-X's significance lies in its unusual marketing and abrupt cancellation. The viral marketing campaign, which targeted self-identified 'coolest' kids in Chicago, successfully generated enough local demand to secure a national launch with Toys R' Us. However, the game's theme of Earth being attacked by bug-like viruses that 'infect' targets became untenable after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the 2001 anthrax attacks. Focus groups with parents revealed discomfort with the virus and infection themes, leading Toys R' Us to pull the game from the market. This made P-O-X a rare example of a product whose content was directly impacted by real-world events, resulting in its limited release and subsequent obscurity. The three color variants—red Spino, green Cycro, and blue Plasmo—represent the only known versions of the console. The game's single-player Arena mode, with its maze-like levels and Overspore bosses guarding body parts, offered a structured progression system, while the wireless multiplayer allowed battles within a 30-foot range. P-O-X remains a footnote in gaming history, a product of its time that was unable to overcome the cultural shift following September 2001.

Did You Know?

• P-O-X was introduced through a viral marketing scheme where Hasbro distributed free copies to self-identified 'coolest' kids in Chicago.
• The game was pulled from the market after focus groups indicated parents were uncomfortable with its virus and infection themes following the 9/11 attacks and anthrax attacks.
• There are three versions of the console: red Spino, green Cycro, and blue Plasmo.
• The single-player Arena mode features maze-like levels with a boss called an Overspore guarding a new body part.