Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/BBFC defends against recent publisher claimshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/30/bbfc-defends-against-recent-publisher-claims/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/30/bbfc-defends-against-recent-publisher-claims/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/30/bbfc-defends-against-recent-publisher-claims/#commentsFiled under: ,


The British Board of Film Classification's director, David Cooke, defended the organization's cost and efficiency today following recent remarks by publishers. Gamespot reports Cooke claims that the BBFC has an average turnaround of eight days in rating games and that its classifications are already cheaper than the industry-backed PEGI system.

Cooke goes on to repeat that the BBFC is fully capable of handling the extra workload required if the Byron Review regulations are implemented. He believes the games industry has nothing to fear from the BBFC's "more robust" and "fully independent" decisions.

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]]>bbfcenglandpegiukAlexander Sliwinski2008-06-30T21:00:00+00:00Hacker puts BBC's iPlayer on PS3; official version coming "in due course"http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/16/hacker-puts-bbcs-iplayer-on-ps3-official-version-coming-in-du/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/16/hacker-puts-bbcs-iplayer-on-ps3-official-version-coming-in-du/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/16/hacker-puts-bbcs-iplayer-on-ps3-official-version-coming-in-du/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Not willing to wait for the BBC to get its act together and release a PS3-compatible version of it's iPlayer streaming video web site, an enterprising hacker has pieced together his own version and put it out for the world to share. PS3iplayer.com works by making the PS3's web browser pretend it's the Wii's Opera browser, tricking the BBC web-site to serve up the official version designed for Nintendo's system. Compatibility is reportedly a little spotty, but the site does seem to show how easy it would be to port the web site over to the PS3's built-in web browser, despite vague complaints of Sony's controlling imposition.

For his part, the BBC's head of digital media technology, Anthony Rose, writes in a blog post that the hack is impressive but not necessarily "the best possible iPlayer proposition for that console." Rose assured readers that his team is looking into creating an official version of the player for the PS3 "in due course." Like when someone on the digital media team gets a free lunch hour, perhaps?

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]]>BBCBritainEnglandiPlayerstreamingUKvideoweb browserWebBrowserKyle Orland2008-04-16T05:00:00+00:00British paper paying for game violence storieshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/02/british-paper-paying-for-game-violence-stories/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/02/british-paper-paying-for-game-violence-stories/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/02/british-paper-paying-for-game-violence-stories/#commentsFiled under: ,

Good journalism is almost always based on real shoe-leather reporting -- working the phones, hitting the streets and talking to people to find out what's really going on out there. Or, alternatively, you could just offer to pay people for a story that fits your preconceived notions of what would be "juicy."

That seems to be the idea behind this StarNow posting which bluntly asks, "Did computer games make you turn to a life of crime?" According to the posting, a national British paper will pay "hundreds of pounds" for the right tale of game-inspired crime. The site doesn't mention which newspaper is searching for the stories, and the free listing could well be a prank (we are dangerously close to April 1), but the whole thing seems entirely plausible to us -- checkbook journalism is pretty common among the English tabloids, as are sensationalist takes on our favorite hobby.

While other similar postings on StarNow insist submitted stories be "true" or "real," the video game violence offer simply promises that "if it's something we like, we'll call you straight back." We're almost tempted to encourage our British readers to write in with the most ludicrously false stories they can come up with, but that plans runs the risk of having a ridiculous fiction actually running as the truth in a major British newspaper. Decisions, decisions ...

[Thanks Randy]

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]]>britaincheckbookenglandjournalismtabloidviolencewritingKyle Orland2008-04-02T10:00:00+00:00Controversy: UK immigrant detainees play Wii while waitinghttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/05/controversy-uk-immigrant-detainees-play-wii-while-waiting/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/05/controversy-uk-immigrant-detainees-play-wii-while-waiting/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/05/controversy-uk-immigrant-detainees-play-wii-while-waiting/#commentsFiled under: ,


According to a report in the UK Telegraph, detainees at Colnbrook Immigration Removal Center in Berkshire are being given Nintendo Wiis while awaiting deportation for "offenses including rape and murder." There is also a claim that if something goes wrong with the console the staff will go to the nearest Argos to pick up a replacement -- wow, they've got Wiis just lying about for replacement purposes there?

The whole report really comes off as a sensationalist hack job. There are numerous quotes of outrage over the amenities the detainees have, but at the end of the day the prisoners are still locked up and not out in society. Government officials say the story's allegations of plasma screens in cells aren't true, and that there is one plasma in the common room with small televisions in each cell. If the Telegraph really wanted to up the scare factor it should have claimed the prisoners were all playing Manhunt 2 on their Wiis and "practicing." Just ignore that Manhunt 2 is still banned in the UK though, it gets in the way of the sensationalism.

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]]>conservativeenglandimmigrantsprisonukwiiAlexander Sliwinski2008-02-05T12:26:00+00:00An American Tourist's Abbreviated Guide to London Gaminghttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/an-american-tourists-abbreviated-guide-to-london-gaming/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/an-american-tourists-abbreviated-guide-to-london-gaming/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/an-american-tourists-abbreviated-guide-to-london-gaming/#commentsFiled under: , ,


In America, Thanksgiving is a time of family, turkey, and football. In England, Thanksgiving is, well, just another day (although there was football). Unfortunately, I happened to be in the latter country with my wife and her family for the week surrounding the holiday, which means I didn't get a chance to revel in the Rock Band release or gawk at the Black Friday madness. I did, however, get an extremely cursory glance at the state of gaming and gaming culture as I toured the country's capital, London. Check out the below gallery for a glance at that glance, and be sure to read the captions to figure out what's going on. And, if you happen to be from England, I apologize in advance for what I'm sure is my total misunderstanding of everything I saw.

Above: A totally awesome Real Puncher game at the Namco Station arcade. The game is apparently the sequel to Sonic Blast Man, which was a childhood arcade favorite of mine.

Gallery: An American Tourist's Abbreviated Guide to London Gaming

Namco Station

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]]>arcadeenglandgaminglondontouristKyle Orland2007-11-30T08:30:00+00:00Katamari creator to keynote UK's GameCityhttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/23/katamari-creator-to-keynote-uks-gamecity/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/23/katamari-creator-to-keynote-uks-gamecity/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/23/katamari-creator-to-keynote-uks-gamecity/#commentsFiled under:

Katamari Damacy creator Keita Takahashi will give a keynote address at this year's GameCity festival in Nottingham, England. According to GI.biz, Takahashi will also be showing off his upcoming title Nobi Nobi Boy.

Takahashi's keynote will take place Saturday, October 27. Festival participants include Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, Freestyle Games, Travellers Tales, Free Radical Design, Mode 7 and Frontier; more details are expected shortly. The second annual GameCity festival will be held October 24 through 28 at Nottingham Trent University.

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]]>englandfestivalgamecitykatamarikatamaridamacykeitatakahashinobinobiboynottinghamukRoss Miller2007-07-23T16:55:00+00:00ELSPA: Manhunt ban is good. Us: WTF?http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/19/elspa-manhunt-ban-is-good-us-wtf/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/19/elspa-manhunt-ban-is-good-us-wtf/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/19/elspa-manhunt-ban-is-good-us-wtf/#commentsFiled under: ,

ELSPA Director General Paul Jackson has issued a statement praising the BBFC's recent decision to deny classification for Rockstar's Manhunt 2, effectively banning the game from sale in Great Britain. Jackson said the decision "demonstrates that we have a games ratings system in the UK that is effective" and emphasized that the arrangement "works and works well."

Frankly, we're a bit shocked that an organization whose stated mission is to "protect, promote and provide for the interests of all its members" would support state-sponsored censorship of one of its member's products. The point of ratings, at least as we see it, is to inform the public about the content of a game before they buy it, so they're not surprised by any objectionable materials contained within. The whole idea is that informed consumers can make the best choices for themselves and their families. The BBFC's decision goes against this ideal by effectively telling British adults they're not mature enough to decide whether or not they can handle this game. How is that an "effective" system?

Jackson's statement does not address BBFC Director David Cooke's unsupported assertion that the game's availability would "involve a range of unjustifiable harm risks, to both adults and minors ... [that] would be unacceptable to the public." Does ELSPA really agree that the mere availability of a game to adults can damage a society so badly that its distribution must be stopped? If so, is that a message ELSPA's member organizations are willing to get behind as well?

In his statement, Jackson stresses that games "appeal to all kinds of people across the country, young and old, male and female." What about the people Manhunt 2 appeals to? Apparently, they're just out of luck, as far as ELSPA's concerned.

[Via GameStooge]

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]]>banBBFCbritishclassificationELSPAenglandeuropegreat britainGreatBritainmanhiuntratingsrockstartake twoTakeTwoviolenceKyle Orland2007-06-19T11:30:00+00:00Today in Joystiq: May 29, 2007http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/29/today-in-joystiq-may-29-2007/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/29/today-in-joystiq-may-29-2007/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/29/today-in-joystiq-may-29-2007/#comments A gigantic statue of American McGee's interpretation of the Cheshire Cat? He's known to disappear from time to time, but Simon Crubellier managed to snap this shot in Soho, London several years after the release of Alice. We used to have one guarding Joystiq HQ, but one day he vanished and never returned. Check out the highlights for today:

Joystiquery
Readers pick best webcomic: my pokemans, let me show you them!
Today's best crossover video: Fighters and shoot-'em-ups

News
Keeping up with the Smash Bros: Final Smash
Everybody hurts, everybody cries, SingStar 90s tracklist
John Woo directing Ninja Gold film in conjunction with Warren Spector's game
Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror infiltrates PS2 from PSP
GameTap officially getting Grimm
Dirty Dancing, we never felt like this before
New Worms content on Xbox Live tomorrow
This Wednesday: Mad Tracks races onto XBLA
Chinese government raids company, attempts to seize funds
Halo 3 beta officially gets 2v2, unofficially VIP and pistol
Leisure Suit Larry gets mobile love
Dene Carter interview: no nudity in Fable 2
Ubisoft defends Splinter Cell series changes
Surprise ruined: Fallout 3 countdown is for teaser trailer
TGS 2007 show theme announced
Objection! Capcom registers 'Apollo Justice'
New details on Unreal Tournament 3
Croft's Anniversary gains Steam

Rumors & Speculation
PlayStation Network coming to PSP, hints PS3 update
Ubisoft president 'still considering' EA acquisition

Culture & Community
Sexy64 is first all-male gaming league
Lost Garden's new prototype challenge: CuteGod
Escape the ghetto ... Czech style
Gamer shot while saving robbery victim
The most impressive Mario cake ... EVER
Game therapy at Walter Reed Medical Center
Make your N64 look brand new again

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]]>alicealice in wonderlandAliceInWonderlandamerican mcgeeAmericanMcgeecheshire catCheshireCatdaily recapDailyRecapenglandeuropelondonsohoukunited kingomUnitedKingomRoss Miller2007-05-29T23:59:00+00:00Euro retailer Game buys Gamestation for $150 millionhttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/02/game-group-buys-gamestation-for-150-million/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/02/game-group-buys-gamestation-for-150-million/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/02/game-group-buys-gamestation-for-150-million/#commentsFiled under: ,

The European game retail space just got a little less competitive. American movie rental giant Blockbuster announced today that it is selling its British Gamestation subsidiary to European mega-retailer Game Group PLC for $150 million (approx. £74 million). The move will increase Game's British footprint by over 200 stores and leave the chain as the largest games retailer in Europe by a sizable margin.

The consolidation is reminiscent of the merger between Gamestop and EBGames a few years back that created a virtual monopoly on U.S. game retailers. There had been some speculation that GameStop would scoop up GameStation next, getting a larger toehold in the British market in the process, but that now seems to be a missed opportunity. "Instead of gaining traction in the market through an acquisition of Gamestation, GameStop allowed its key rival in the UK, Game Group, to create a greater barrier to entry in that market," analyst Michael Pachter said. "We are not optimistic that GameStop will be able to grow a grass roots presence in the UK for at least three years."

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]]>blockbusterBritishEBgamesElectronics BoutiqueElectronicsBoutiqueEnglandgamegame groupGameGroupGameStationgamestopUKKyle Orland2007-05-02T11:59:00+00:00Awards to recognize best in game mediahttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/06/awards-to-recognize-best-in-game-media/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/06/awards-to-recognize-best-in-game-media/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/06/awards-to-recognize-best-in-game-media/#commentsFiled under:

Most people with minimal literacy skills know good writing when they see it. But some people, tragically, are unable to distinguish the good from the bad in games writing. For those tragically handicapped people, help is on the way in the form of Britain's Games Media Awards.

Sponsored by Intent Media (publishers of British trade mag MCV), the just-announced awards will be given out Oct. 11 in London's Soho Revue Bar (not exactly the Kodak Theatre, but you gotta start somewhere). A dozen awards will be presented for everything from print publications to podcasts with winners "voted by the industry itself" according to the press release. We can only hope this means the journalism industry and not the larger game industry as a whole. We can see the potential blackmail now: "Oh, look who gave my latest game a bad review. I guess I know who I won't be voting for at the GMAs this year."

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]]>awardsbritishenglandeuropejournalismjournalistjournoswritingKyle Orland2007-04-06T10:58:00+00:00Today in Joystiq: April 4, 2007http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/04/today-in-joystiq-april-4-2007/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/04/today-in-joystiq-april-4-2007/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/04/today-in-joystiq-april-4-2007/#commentsFiled under:

The picture worth a thousand giggles (thanks, Coneee). A note about yesterday's picture: you've asked for a wallpaper with an anvil and a walrus. We ask why, but then we promise to try and get you that wallpaper-sized image tomorrow. Check out the highlights for today:

Joystiquery
Today's throwbackiest video: Atari Pole Position commercial from the 80s

News
Brits ban 'old' Xbox 360 commercial
Defender of the Crown is back, and ready for more jousting
Shooting, fighting, androgyny: Senko no Ronde coming stateside
NiGHTS to have weather effects
School of Rock: free Guitar Hero strategy guide
Resident Evil 4 on Wii official, Umbrella Chronicles an on-rails shooter
Microsoft defends 120GB Xbox HDD price
Area 51 being renovated at Hollywood's Paramount Pictures
Virtual Feds scope out 'Second Life' casinos
Square-Enix unveils yoga lessons and gardening for the DS
Game addiction on the rise, but 'stable' genes should prevent violent outbursts
No Metroid Prime 3 until after June
Kojima interview reveals MGS4 tidbits
Rod Humble spills his thoughts on 'The Marriage'
Red Octane responds to Xbox Guitar Hero II guitar issues
XBLA Sensible World of Soccer coming in ... GOOOOOAAAAALLLL!
Schizophrenic man kills, says GTA told him to do it
Hospital Tycoon hoping to keep you in stitches this spring
Game store clerks risk all, speak out ... anonymously
Buy Tony Hawk's board-burdened GH guitar, help starving musicians
Chart-Track: 82% drop in UK PS3 sales 'doesn't mean anything'
Sony preps the PSP for an assault on the teen market
Forza 2 demo a reality, says Microsoft
Jack Thompson's further Florida Bar issues

Rumors & Speculation
Is Bug Bash a game or something else entirely?

Culture & Community
Castlevania themes played on massive pipe organ
Laws in translation: Playable, English Wright demo
Should politics look more like games?
Another lucky Stacker video: guy wins an Xbox 360
Battlestar Galactica open source project is frackin' sweet

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]]>daily recapDailyRecapenglandeuropesonyukunited kingdomUnitedKingdomRoss Miller2007-04-04T23:59:00+00:00Schizophrenic man kills, says GTA told him to do ithttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/04/schizophrenic-man-kills-says-gta-told-him-to-do-it/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/04/schizophrenic-man-kills-says-gta-told-him-to-do-it/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/04/schizophrenic-man-kills-says-gta-told-him-to-do-it/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Ezekiel Maxwell, a 17-year-old paranoid schizophrenic on "skunk cannabis," stabbed a woman to death because the "gangster voices" from Grand Theft Auto told him to do it. Although this incident is just being reported now as part of Britain's supposed "skunk cannabis" epidemic, the murder actually occurred last September.

Maxwell believed he was Carl Johnson from GTA: San Andreas when he committed the murder and believed the game was telling him to "stab a woman for seven days, it had to be a black Afro-Caribbean woman." The voices took over his thoughts and "made him do things." According to reports he was playing GTA and smoking skunk cannabis for months to the exclusion of everything else before the killing. Maxwell has since been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Yesterday he was detained indefinitely under the Mental Health Act after pleading guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

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]]>britaincrazyenglandmanslaughtermaxwellmurderparanoidschizophrenicskunk cannabisAlexander Sliwinski2007-04-04T17:24:00+00:00Brits ban 'old' Xbox 360 commercialhttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/04/brits-ban-old-xbox-360-commercial/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/04/brits-ban-old-xbox-360-commercial/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/04/brits-ban-old-xbox-360-commercial/#commentsFiled under: , ,


The same Xbox 360 commercial we posted last November improbably showing the release date for Halo 3 has been banned in England. The Advertising Standards Agency says the advertisement "could be seen to condone dangerous driving," despite the prominent text stating "Dramatisation. Professional stunt. Do not attempt." Apparently ad agency McCann Erickson worked closely with the ASA and were given clearance to run the ad after 9 PM. The ASA decided to ban the ad anyway stating it "reinforced the sense that the events were real, rather than fantasy, and were therefore capable of being copied." Sorry England, looks like you're just going to have to watch the ad over, and over, and over again here on Joystiq ... what a shame.

The Reuters story doesn't say how long the advertisement was in circulation, but like we said, it's been on our radar since last November. If it's been in rotation in England since that time, bless the ASA, they just gave that little commercial a second life through controversy. This isn't the first time we've seen this sort of odd behavior. Boston's transit authority banned ads for M rated games after a minor Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories controversy. The thing was that nobody raised a fuss a year prior when Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories ads were all over the same system.

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]]>asabannedbritaincommericalenglandhot coffeeHotCoffeemccann ericksonukxboxAlexander Sliwinski2007-04-04T01:00:00+00:00PlayStation 3 barred from UK prisonshttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/31/playstation-3-barred-from-uk-prisons/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/31/playstation-3-barred-from-uk-prisons/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/31/playstation-3-barred-from-uk-prisons/#commentsFiled under: ,

British prison just got a whole lot more hostile as prisoners are barred from having PS3s. Home Secretary John Reid banned the console because it can "send and receive radio signals." Of course, Britain loves the PS3 more than any other console, so it makes sense to only ban the PS3 and not the Wii, DS or PSP, which also have Wi-Fi. Spending a little extra the Xbox 360 can add the capability as well.

It's so sad when felons have things snatched from them. We now wait to see if other consoles who use "radio signals" will also be banned from British prisons or if it's all just PlayStation hate. It must be nice to have a prison system where an issue like this comes up. In an American prison someone would file the Sixaxis into a shiv and motion control that into a fellow prisoner's soft parts.

[via PS3 Fanboy]

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]]>bannedbarredbritainenglandplaystation 3Playstation3prisonps3Alexander Sliwinski2007-03-31T17:00:00+00:00Perplex City: Receda Cube unearthed, Season 2 plannedhttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/08/perplex-city-receda-cube-unearthed-season-2-planned/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/08/perplex-city-receda-cube-unearthed-season-2-planned/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/08/perplex-city-receda-cube-unearthed-season-2-planned/#commentsFiled under: ,

found: the cube
Amateur archaeologist Andy Darley has discovered the Receda Cube, ending the first season of alternate reality game Perplex City and earning a hefty $200,000 reward (before taxes). Darley was joined by more than 50,000 other registered players, spread throughout 92 countries, on the two-year hunt. The cube was unearthed in Wakerley Great Wood, England, about 110 miles north of London.

Perplex City's first season was "played" using a deck of cards (collectible in packs) that featured various types of puzzles, from simple trivia to optical illusions; to an answer masked with heat-sensitive ink. Solutions often pointed players to further clues posted on websites, written in books, recorded in voicemails, and held by real-world individuals. Creator Mind Candy has confirmed that plans for a second season are underway.

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]]>Alternate Reality GameAlternateRealityGameARGEnglandLondonMind CandyMindCandyPerplex CityPerplexCityReceda CubeRecedaCubeUKJames Ransom-Wiley2007-02-08T20:25:00+00:00HMV bundles PSP with PS3 pre-ordershttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/05/hmv-bundles-psp-with-ps3-pre-orders/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/05/hmv-bundles-psp-with-ps3-pre-orders/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/05/hmv-bundles-psp-with-ps3-pre-orders/#commentsFiled under: , ,

GamesIndustry.biz is reporting consumers who want to pre-order a PS3 from British retailer HMV Online will have to buy a £250 PSP bundle at the same time. The offer, e-mailed to registered HMV customers, is open to the first 5,000 customers willing to pay £675 (a whopping $1328) for the bundle, which also includes two PSP games and a 4GB memory stick.

Forced bundles for new systems are of course nothing new, but this is the first one we've seen that forces you to pick up a whole 'nother system just to get the latest hardware. The bundle won't actually save you any money over buying all the parts separately, but it does ensure that HMV will "ship your PlayStation 3 to you from our warehouse as soon as we receive consoles from Sony."

But what about potential PS3 buyers who already have a PSP? As a Sony spokesman told GI.biz, "consumers are free to shop around to find a package that best suits their own needs, and offers the greatest value for money." That'll teach you to be an early adopter!

[Via PS3Fanboy]

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]]>BritainbundleEnglandEuropeHMVlaunchPS3pspKyle Orland2007-02-05T14:25:00+00:00$2.1 million in Xbox 360s stolenhttp://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/24/2-1-million-in-xbox-360s-stolen/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/24/2-1-million-in-xbox-360s-stolen/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/24/2-1-million-in-xbox-360s-stolen/#commentsFiled under: ,

If only all British crime were as goofy as a Guy Ritchie movie. Over in Britain, due to the fact they don't have PS3s to shoot each other over yet, criminals have gone for the next best thing and are hijacking trucks containing Xbox 360s. So far two trucks carrying the consoles have been hit in less then a week. Both trucks hijacked were from the same firm, Hellman Worldwide Logistics, making it sound like either the hijackers liked how easy it was stealing from them the first time around, or it was an inside job.

Staffordshire police are asking for help, "We are appealing for information from anyone who is offered these games in suspicious circumstances, such as in a pub, at a car boot sale or off the back of a lorry."

We'd love to help the Staffordshire police except that we don't think the thieves will be advertising in a magazine, selling them to people who have boots on their cars -- that's already expensive enough to get off as is, right? -- or selling them off anyone named Lorry's back. What strange ways British thieves fence goods. (Rimshot)

[via Engadget]

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]]>englandrobberyxbox 360Xbox360Alexander Sliwinski2006-11-24T22:55:00+00:00Bully discussion draw laughs in British parliamenthttp://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/19/bully-discussion-draw-laughs-in-british-parliament/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/19/bully-discussion-draw-laughs-in-british-parliament/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/19/bully-discussion-draw-laughs-in-british-parliament/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Amid discussion of issues such as the Iraq war and postal service reform on the British parliamentary floor, MP Keith Vaz (Leicester, East) found time yesterday to question prime minister Tony Blair about the the violence found in Bully (known in Britain as Canis Canem Edit). Vaz expressed concerns about scenes of "teachers being head-butted and the aggressive use of baseball bats" and asked the prime minister to convene a meeting with industry stakeholders to discuss the game.

In answering the concerns, Blair mentioned he had not yet seen the game, an admission that drew a sustained, ten-second bout of chuckling from the parliamentary audience (Oh those wacky Brits). Blair went on to say he appreciated Vaz's concerns and that "the video games industry, or at least a substantial section of it, has made significant advances over the past few years," in addressing such issues.

This is not the first time Vaz has raised concerns over Bully. Back in December 2005, the MP called for the game to be banned after reading a preview on Rockstar's web site. Vaz has also pushed for legislation requiring larger rating labels and direct government regulation of the industry.

(Via MCV)

Watch - Video of the exchange (jump to time index 46:38)
Read - Transcript of the exchange

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]]>BlairBritainEnglandKeith VazKeithVazParliamentTony BlairTonyBlairVazKyle Orland2006-10-19T13:20:00+00:00Sell your soul to pre-order a British PS3http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/16/sell-your-soul-to-pre-order-a-british-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/16/sell-your-soul-to-pre-order-a-british-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/16/sell-your-soul-to-pre-order-a-british-ps3/#commentsFiled under: ,

U.K. online retailer Play.com has made the PS3 available for pre-order in a bundle with three games, pushing the price up to £549.99 which, for a game console, is very near the "I'd have to sell my soul to get one" boundary. The real cheek is that the company doesn't guarantee that they'll be able to ship the console to you before Christmas "due to an expected European shortage of the PS3." On top of that, the three game bundle of Formula One '06, Warhawk and Singstar "may be changed, subject to availability."

We realize that these kind of bundles and disclaimers are the norm with console pre-orders, but if you convert this figure to dollars ($1,019.73) and compare it to similar deals for the Xbox 360 that we previously considered outrageous ($1,200 got you an Xbox 360 with 11 games and several accessories not too long ago), you get a good perspective on the difficult situation that Sony has put itself into by setting such a high sticker price. If the first pre-order bundle in the UK comes in at over half a grand, what can we expect from retailers in the weeks before the launch? I really don't want to be forced to sell my little sister's soul too.

[Via T3]

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]]>BritainBuyEnglandnext-genOnlineorderPlay.comPlaystation 3Playstation3pre-orderPricePS3PS3 pricePs3PriceU.K.UKConrad Quilty-Harper2006-06-16T08:00:00+00:00UK sales charts, May 28-June 3: Double top for Hitmanhttp://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/07/uk-sales-charts-may-28-june-3-double-top-for-hitman/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/07/uk-sales-charts-may-28-june-3-double-top-for-hitman/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/07/uk-sales-charts-may-28-june-3-double-top-for-hitman/#commentsFiled under:

This week's UK charts look suspiciously similar to last week's, despite the impending World Cup. Since we English can't walk down a street without seeing at least five St George's Crosses, perhaps all those who would buy football games are already playing them. Noticeable changes this week are merely the slight ascension of The Sims 2 and the new arrival of Half-Life 2: Episode One at number eight.

1. Hitman: Blood Money
2. FIFA World Cup Germany 2006
3. Tomb Raider: Legend
4. Pro Evolution Soccer 5
5. X-Men: The Official Game
6. Animal Crossing: Wild World
7. The Sims 2
8. Half-Life 2: Episode One
9. Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis
10. Championship Manager 2006

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]]>chartsenglandfootballhalf-life 2Half-life2hitmansalesukuk chartsuk salesUkChartsUkSalesJennie Lees2006-06-07T07:59:00+00:00