Category Archives: Politics

Home Affairs minister Jason Clare has made good on his promise to move quickly on Australia’s proposed R18+ ratings category for games.

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Game director and Rocksteady’s co-founder, Sefton Hill, would like it if the UK government would finally step-up and support the UK games industry, as many of his friends have moved abroad to countries such as Canada which support the industry.

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A bill has been introduced into Oklahoma State Legislature, and if passed, will add an extra 1% tax to videogames rated Teen, Mature and AO. Drafted by District 86 Representative William Fourkiller (D), funds garnered from Bill HB 2696 would fund programs working to cull childhood obesity and bullying, both situations deemed an “emergency” in the Sooner State. If passed by Oklahoma’s House, it will go into effect on July 1. Thanks, GI.biz.

The South Korean Ministry of Education, Science and Technology is currently look at an act that would ban online accounts of minors that spend two hours consecutively or three or more hours in a day on online games, according to Gamasutra. The new policy follows the introduction of a similar bill two years ago in the country, where a curfew would be in effect for under-18s playing online games from 10pm in the evening until 8am the next day. An unnamed Korean games industry rep has said on the new act the government should “discuss it and provide guidelines to instruct us.”

The Family Research Council has taken great umbrage to the fact Star Wars: The Old Republic will eventually allow same-sex relationships in the MMO. So much so, its president, Tony Perkins, lambasted the game on a radio broadcast stating that “in a new Star Wars game, the biggest threat to the empire may be homosexual activists.”

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The ESA has announced the state of California will hand over $950,000 to the trade body in order to reimburse it for legal fees incurred from US Supreme Court case against SCOTUS.

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Newly incumbent minister for home affairs Jason Clare has been quick to pick up Brendan O’Conner’s reins, aiming to secure a vote on Australia’s proposed R18+ games rating in February.

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Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid (NV) has postponed a vote on PIPA due to various issues and protests surrounding the bill, stating there’s “no reason that the legitimate issues raised by many about this bill cannot be resolved.” SOPA has also been postponed for the time being, and the ESA has dropped support of it altogether.

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This week’s Internet blackout protests against the Stop Online Piracy (SOPA) and Protect IP (PIPA) acts preceded a number of capitulations from key US politicians.

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TIGA has issued a report which claims 41% of UK developers laid off between 2009 and 2011 have relocated to overseas jobs.

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Firefall developer Red 5 Studios is skipping E3 2012 booth, and devoting its energies to an anti-SOPA grass roots movement.

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Despite the reluctance of many of its member companies, the ESA apparently spent up to $190,000 in support of the Protect IP Act last year. Kotaku turned up lobbying records of four transactions dispatching lobbyists to discuss a range of matters, including PIPA and SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act). The ESA is a trade organisation which draws fund from member fees and E3, runs the ESRB, and actively champions the video game industry’s cause – but has come under fire for not reflecting its members’ values with regards to the controversial PIPA and SOPA. Both acts have hit obstacles this month.

Thanks, Gamefront.

The Obama administration has responded to a petition against the SOPA and PIPA bills stating: “any effort to combat online piracy must guard against the risk of online censorship of lawful activity and must not inhibit innovation by our dynamic businesses large and small.”

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SOPA author and US Representative Lamar Smith of Texas has removed a controversial component of the bill, which would have required Internet Service Providers to block access to non-US websites accused of copyright and piracy violations.

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Ahead of a US House Committee discussion on SOPA next week, Firefall studio Red 5 and Destructoid will go offline on Monday for a 24 hour period in protest.

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Kuma Reality Games developer Amir Mirzaei Hekmati has been sentenced to death by the Iranian government which has accused him of espionage and working for the CIA.

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38 Studios founder Curt Schilling has said the firm cannot “in good conscience support” the Stop Online Piracy Act as it is currently written.

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Epic Games has stated it does not support the current version of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), a bill drafted by Texas Republican Representative Lamar Smith and 12 co-sponsors.

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US lobby group ESA has issued a statement re-affirming its support of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) bill currently floating around in the US House and Senate, following the removal of EA, Nintendo and Sony from a list of companies which specifically support the move.

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Labour’s cabinet reshuffle has seen former federal minister for home affairs Brendan O’Connor relinquish the portfolio governing Australian classifications in favour of the human services seat. O’Connor has been an outspoken champion of classification reform, demonstrating a genuine understanding of the needs of the games industry and its customers as well as the protection of children from mature content. Under his guidance, the nation has come closer to the introduction of an R18+ ratings category than ever before. He will be replaced by former minister for defence material Jason Clare, whose views on classification reform are as yet unknown.

Thanks, GamePolitics. [image]