Let's hear it for gaming in NZ
Sorry for the lateness of this edition - my son had school zone swimming sports this morning so I thought I'd take the day off and offer some support.
I was just reading earlier today that Venezuelan law makers have just passed a law that means that if you're prosecuted for selling violent video games (or toys) you face a hefty fine and potentially three to five years in jail.
This from Kotaku: "Basically, the law says that those who 'import, manufacture, sell, rent, or distribute violent toys or video games' - games with 'information or images that promote or incite violence and the use of weapons' - can land them in prison for up to five years. Those guilty of promoting such games carry a fine 'between 2000 and 4000 tax units'."
That seems a little tough, doesn't it? And I might be wrong but I'm assuming that anyone that advertises a violent video game - ie publishing companies, ad agencies, PR firms - faces the tax unit fines. It sounds like a government that's lost touch with reality and is really trying to show the little people who is boss.
So, today, let's come up with some reasons why it's good to be a gamer in New Zealand. I'll start: I won't get sent to jail for three years for selling a copy of Assassin's Creed 2 to someone else. Your turn.
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I won't be sent to jail for renting assassin's creed 2.
apart from what you mentioned I don't know if we're in a great position as gamers, not with Australia as our neighbors and their pathetic no R18 for video games.
Despite almost the entire worlds misconception that we are a little “backwards” and behind the times, we at least, (unlike Australia) have a censorship system which allows adult gamers to play adult games! … anyone for Grand Theft Auto 3.5?! …
My Video shop won't go to jail for renting me fall out 3.
The law in Venezuala sounds suspciously like the law in New Zealand.
Except here, rather than facing up to five years in prison, anyone importing a video game that encourages the infliction of extreme violence or cruelty (e.g. Postal 2) intending to distribute it, faces 10 years in prison.
Anyone showing a game like Postal 2 to someone under 18 years of age also can get 10 years.
Anyone downloading it for themselves from overseas can get 5 years (downloading counts as "importing").
Even letting your little brother watch you play a legal game like GTA4 can se you in prison for three months.
Let's hear it for gaming in NZ?
Lag, lag on Telecom Xtra, later release dates for games in NZ compared to the rest of the world, prices for games in NZ...arrh grumpy day today must..... think..... happy..... thoughts....no brain exploding
Actually Gerard, you would get in a lot of trouble for selling a COPY of Assassin's Creed 2 to someone.
We have PS3 Play TV....wait a minute.... We have SkyTV on Xbox.....wait a minute...... We have Netflix.....wait a minute..... We have excellent broadband speeds for online gaming....wait a minute.... We have cheap broadband with good data plans....wait a minute.....
I forget the point I was tryng to make....
I hope your son had fun at his swimming sports this morning, Gerard.
My primary reason for why it is great to be a gamer in New Zealand is that I can play adult oriented content in the manner intended by the game developers, without having to deal with censorship or outright bans. Thankfully our government has not gone the same route as other nations (looking at you here, Australia), which fail to acknowledge that as a 38 y/o I am mature enough to handle adult themes in games (whilst hypocritically making the same acknowledgement for other forms of entertainment).
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Because we used to get M-Rated games the Australia didn't. Until VG companies got lazy...
Because we were in the region that called Genesis the Mega Drive. Far more awesome I think.