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[Venezuelan president says PlayStation is 'poison,' leads children down 'road to hell']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/18/venezuelan-president-says-playstation-is-poison-leads-childre/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/18/venezuelan-president-says-playstation-is-poison-leads-childre/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/18/venezuelan-president-says-playstation-is-poison-leads-childre/#comments Venezuela's extreme leftist president Hugo Chavez recently took aim at the PlayStation and non-indigenous toys in his weekly radio-TV show, Alo Presidente. According to the AFP, Chavez stated, "Those games they call 'PlayStation' are poison. Some games teach you to kill." El Presidente had previously knocked Nintendo for promoting "selfishness, individualism and violence." He believes video games reinforce capitalism which, of course, is "the road to hell."

Chavez would like to see Venezuela making "educational games" instead of Super Murder Simulator VI and "little indigenous dolls" in place of Barbie. Venezuela's (sometimes paranoid) government outlawed violent games last October in an effort to curb the country's extremely high violent crime rate.

JoystiqVenezuelan president says PlayStation is 'poison,' leads children down 'road to hell' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chavezhugo-chavezvenezuelaMon, 18 Jan 2010 16:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Venezuela could completely ban the sale of violent video games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/26/venezuela-could-completely-ban-the-sale-of-violent-video-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/26/venezuela-could-completely-ban-the-sale-of-violent-video-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/26/venezuela-could-completely-ban-the-sale-of-violent-video-games/#comments
If a bill currently being reviewed by Venezuela's parliament is formally approved by the nation's president, then gamers living in the country may have (legally) purchased their last M-rated title. The "Bill for the Prohibition of Video Games and Toy Weapons" aims to completely ban the sale of violent video games (and, as you may have guessed, toy weapons) in the country. It was approved by the National Assembly yesterday, and now must be approved in one more debate and signed by the president to become a law.

The bill was written out of concern for the negative effect violent video games and toys are having on the nation's youth (sigh), but was also created to prevent the use of toy weapons in real crimes. We'd scoff at this, too -- but we just watched a harrowing cinematic example of this type of criminal activity. It must be stopped!

JoystiqVenezuela could completely ban the sale of violent video games originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banbillgovernmentlawmatureparliamentpoliticstoy-weaponsvenezuelaviolenceWed, 26 Aug 2009 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[U2's Bono called upon to battle Mercenaries]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/22/u2s-bono-called-upon-to-battle-mercenaries/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/22/u2s-bono-called-upon-to-battle-mercenaries/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/22/u2s-bono-called-upon-to-battle-mercenaries/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

More Venezuela versus Pandemic news now, with the attack on Mercenaries 2: Venezuela World in Flames now bolstered by the attempted enlistment of Bono -- charitable human rights rescuer and lead singer for rock group U2. In a pair of open letters addressed to religious leaders and the bland-o-rama band frontman, Venezuelan Solidarity humbly asks Bono to use his "considerable influence" to halt development on the game and perhaps invest in a company that doesn't detract "from [his] image as a human rights defender." Does Bono know how to dismantle an anti-static BD-ROM?

The political group's concerns arise from the fact that the "extremely realistic" game allows players to shoot and otherwise demolish people and constructions within the recognizable borders of Venezuela. Their paranoid plea frantically plucks nebulous studies ("research demonstrates that playing violent video games increases the likelihood of aggressive behavior"), bizarre gamer hostility ("the game inevitably will provoke increased tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela) and unfounded fiction fear ("celebration of violence in much of our media, music and video games is poisoning our children") from the air, shortly before rolling everything into a moist ball and splattering it across Bono's front door.

In other news, both Sony's David Jaffe and Cory Barlog have been asked to stop their rampage against Greece's tourism industry. "We're not all half-naked barbarians and bloodthirsty minotaurs, you know!"

[Via Gamesindustry.biz]

JoystiqU2's Bono called upon to battle Mercenaries originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Mar 2007 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BonoMercenaries 2Mercenaries2PandemicPS2PS3U2VenezuelaXbox-360Thu, 22 Mar 2007 11:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Venezuelan lawmakers wary of Mercenaries 2, suspect US government agenda]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/26/venezuelan-lawmakers-wary-of-mercenaries-2-suspect-us-governmen/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/26/venezuelan-lawmakers-wary-of-mercenaries-2-suspect-us-governmen/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/26/venezuelan-lawmakers-wary-of-mercenaries-2-suspect-us-governmen/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Mercenaries 2According to a recent Associated Press report, Venezuelan lawmakers are concerned that the US government has influenced the development of Pandemic's Mercenaries 2: World in Flames, which is set in the South American country and features missions based on real-world events. Lawmakers fear that the game supports an agenda that seeks to invade Venezuela and overthrow President Hugo Chávez.

"[Mercenaries 2] sends a message to Americans: You have a danger next door, here in Latin America, and action must be taken," says lawmaker Gabriela Ramirez, "It's a justification for an imperialist aggression."

Pandemic, creators of Full Spectrum Warrior, which is based on a simulation commissioned by the US Army, defended its decision to set the game in Venezuela, stating, "Although a conflict doesn't necessarily have to be happening, it's realistic enough to believe that it could eventually happen."

While claims of a US government led conspiracy rank really high on the 'paranoia meter,' there's no denying that Mercenaries 2 echoes politically charged sentiments that have been around in video games for decades. Remember Rush'n Attack?

JoystiqVenezuelan lawmakers wary of Mercenaries 2, suspect US government agenda originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 May 2006 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Hugo ChavezHugoChavezMercenaries 2: World in FlamesMercenaries2:WorldInFlamesPandemicPS3VenezuelaFri, 26 May 2006 16:55:00 EST