Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[64K signature petition delays German govt's game-banning bill]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/28/64k-signature-petition-delays-german-govts-game-banning-bill/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/28/64k-signature-petition-delays-german-govts-game-banning-bill/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/28/64k-signature-petition-delays-german-govts-game-banning-bill/#comments There has been a string of unrest in Germany over violence in video games as of late, which is why the government there is working on a bill to ban violent games from the country. While the man in the Bundestag has plans of censorship, German gamers are fighting back with a petition. And not just any old petition, mind you; the one already submitted contains 64,824 signatures, which means there's enough cause (by German law) for the government to open a public hearing.

In specifics, the government is looking to ban any software "where the main part is to realistically play the killing of people or other cruel or un-human acts of violence against humans or manlike characters." Basically, kiss all those lovely shooters goodbye -- that is, if the delay spurred by the petition won't change the government's mind.

Considering Germany is a place that enjoys the sound of the banhammer falling (examples: coked up Red Bull, genetically modified corn products and even 26 years of its own history have all been outlawed), there's no guarantee the bill will be deterred. In fact, the source Gamezine notes Germany passed the internet censorship bill (which was a similar case that had double the petitioners) earlier this year.

[Via Game Politics]

Joystiq64K signature petition delays German govt's game-banning bill originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Jul 2009 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banbanhammergame-politicsgermanygovernmentpoliticsTue, 28 Jul 2009 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Lost & the Damned DLC OK'd for Singapore despite male nudity]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/22/lost-and-the-damned-dlc-okd-for-singapore-despite-male-nudity/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/22/lost-and-the-damned-dlc-okd-for-singapore-despite-male-nudity/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/22/lost-and-the-damned-dlc-okd-for-singapore-despite-male-nudity/#comments
Digital dong appreciators in Singapore rejoiced today as government officials have OK'd the digital distribution of the Grand Theft Auto IV 360-exclusive expansion, "The Lost & Damned." Regardless of the "controversy" surrounding the expansion's full-frontal male nudity, Ernest Khoo, Singapore's head of video games and media content at the Singapore Media Development Authority, has deemed the DLC safe enough for consumption in the country.

Approaching the nudity issue head on, Mr. Khoo says, "[the scene is] non-sexual and can hence fall within the M18 rating." Expanding on the M18 rating, he explained, "only those 18-years-old and above will be buying the game and its expansion pack." Hopefully, the army of Media Development Authority workers manning individual Xbox 360s in Singapore will be checking IDs.

[Via GamePolitics]

JoystiqLost & the Damned DLC OK'd for Singapore despite male nudity originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 22 Feb 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dlcexpansionfull-frontal-nuditygame-politicsgta-ivgtaivmdamedia-development-authorityMicrosoftnuditysingaporesingapore-media-development-authoritythe-lost-and-damnedXbox-360Sun, 22 Feb 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NY strikes again with another video game bill]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/05/ny-strikes-again-with-another-video-game-bill/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/05/ny-strikes-again-with-another-video-game-bill/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/05/ny-strikes-again-with-another-video-game-bill/#comments New York is quite notorious for its hard-line stance on the war against video games. In this latest episode of 'New York State versus gaming,' Assemblyman Steven Englebright (D) wants to pass a bill which requires retailers to place epilepsy and game-induced seizure warnings "on every video game." Englebright has been trying to push this bill through for the past eight years, according to GamePolitics; which is quite funny, considering that all retail game boxes already contain those very same warnings Mr. Englebright is fighting for. Thanks, New York, for working on yet another redundant law.

But wait, hold the phone. Mr. Englebright's work wasn't all done in vain. There's still the business of games not sold at retail. Expect another eight years and more taxpayer money to go down the drain.

[Via GamePolitics]

JoystiqNY strikes again with another video game bill originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>billsgame-politicsgovernmentlawlegislaturenew-yorkpoliticsThu, 05 Feb 2009 11:28:00 EST<![CDATA[ESA calls out GamePolitics for unfair coverage [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/esa-calls-out-gamepolitics-for-unfair-coverage/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/esa-calls-out-gamepolitics-for-unfair-coverage/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/esa-calls-out-gamepolitics-for-unfair-coverage/#commentsFiled under: ,


Apparently, this morning's story by GamePolitics about the ESA's E3 keynote speaker was the straw that broke the camel's back. The ESA didn't take too kindly to the way GP framed the story, using a "Non-Christians will burn in hell" quote in the headline when Texas governor Rick Perry seemingly made no such statement.

The Senior Director of Communications for the ESA, Dan Hewitt, sent a letter to Joystiq stating, "If the ESA posted a blog and called it a news site, journalists would rightfully balk and it wouldn't pass a smell test. Remarkably, GamePolitics doesn't face the same scrutiny even though it's funded by the ECA and tainted with anti-ESA vitriol. At the end of the day, calling GamePolitics a news site is as laughable as saying there's a Cuban free press."

Hewitt points to GP's recent coverage of the ESA saying that the site isn't a news site, but a membership recruitment tool for the site's parent company, the Entertainment Consumers Association. We've contacted both GamePolitics and the ECA for a comment regarding the ESA's statement. It seems the ESA just isn't catching a break lately.

Update: Two separate statements from GP and the ECA can be found after the break. GP has also amended its headline.

Continue reading ESA calls out GamePolitics for unfair coverage [update]

JoystiqESA calls out GamePolitics for unfair coverage [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingnewsecaesagame-politicsTue, 03 Jun 2008 12:57:00 EST