Microsoft is to release Xbox 360 Family Timer, a tool which allows parents to limit the amount of time kids spend on video games. The program will enable daily or weekly limits on the amount of gaming and entertainment time spent using Microsoft's console.

"As a leader in interactive entertainment, it's Microsoft's responsibility to provide parents with tools they can use to manage their children's video gaming and online experiences, and we have made that a priority from the very start," Microsoft's Robbie Bach said in a statement.

Xbox 360 Family Timer affects anyone playing on the console who doesn't log in with the parental control password. The new software doesn't allow parents to set a window of time for their kids to play during, is just a plain daily/weekly timer.

PTA CEO Warlene Gary noted that "as times change and technology advances, the role of the parent stays the same in raising a safe, healthy, and successful child. PTA is proud to partner with Microsoft to provide parents with more resources that keep them involved in their children's lives."

Based on a similar feature in the Windows Vista operating system, the Xbox 360 Family Timer displays a special warning when a child nears his maximum playtime, urging the player to save the game soon.

Microsoft also announced the family PACT, a contract to help families set rules on media use, the degree of parental involvement, specific content children are allowed to play and watch and the time they are allowed to spend using interactive media. At the Wednesday announcement, backed by the Parent Teacher Association and Super Bowl champion Jerry Rice, Microsoft said it supports a more balanced approach to interactive media use by children.

The Redmond company unveiled research showing 62 percent of parents expressing they would welcome a tool to control their kids' gaming time. Apparently, 45 percent of parents find that enforcing rules around media consumption "creates tension" in the home.