Filed under: Culture, Politics

What does an Obama presidency mean for video games? 1UP asks the question in a lengthy analysis of Obama's relationship to gaming culture.

Obama first entered our scene in December 2007 with comments presented to Common Sense Media on the topic of game violence legislation on his way to being dubbed the most "gamer-friendly" Democratic candidate. But the President-elect is better known for targeting youth voters with a $44.5K in-game ad campaign during the election season. (And apparently, it worked.)

Obama did urge us to "stop playing Game Boy" and put down the Wiimote (see screencap above -- from his Election Day ad), but the sentiments were geared toward encouragement rather than scorn. 66 percent of voters ages 18-29 (you know, gamers) supported Obama yesterday, according to CNN. Forget a puppy, the next US President can show some love back by bringing Wii to the White House.

Yes we can haz gamer prez? originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Politics

Joystiq's Big Off-Topic Election Day Post originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, Politics

As you play your beloved Super Mario game tapes, your Nintendo Box drains energy from earth's dwindling supply. It's a well-known scientific fact that at our current rate of consumption, Earth will be returned to an archaic wasteland within thirty years, when feared energy pirates will travel between the planet's ruined cities, plundering precious fuel for their own contemptible settlements. Luckily, the Environmental Protection Agency has a plan to combat our wasteful ways.

The EPA hopes to include modern home gaming consoles in their Energy Star plan which has been regulating the energy usage of certain home appliances since 1992. The latest draft of the plan addresses the power consumption rates of Wiis, Xbox 360s and PS3s, requiring an auto-off function, a sleep mode, and low-energy network settings in all consoles produced after July 1, 2010. We certainly hope the plan is adopted, lest we be left to our seemingly inevitable, Mad Max-esque fate.

EPA calls for greener consoles starting 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 18 Oct 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Politics

With its Burnout Paradise tour underway, the Obama campaign has moved into other swing games that they feel they have a chance in, including 18 different Xbox Live titles. There are some obvious, classically blue games like Guitar Hero 3 and The Incredible Hulk, as well as more surprising choices, NBA Live 08 and NFL Tour among them. Shockingly, even NASCAR 09 is in play in 2008, and will receive the first Democratic media blitz in that game's history this year. (When asked if they would be moving the campaign into Cabela's Most Dangerous Hunts, the Obama representatives laughed a little bit, then walked away.)

But you may not be able to find the ads just yet. In this election, where a voter lives is, in some ways, almost as important as what games they play. The ads are only targeted in Ohio, Iowa, Indiana, Montana, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Nevada, New Mexico, Florida and Colorado, all states where early voting is accessible and easy.

Obama ads not just in Burnout Paradise originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

Filed under: Culture, Business, Politics

In a bid to avoid the lowest presidential approval rating in 70 years*, President Bush signed the PRO-IP Act into law today. While not quite on par with, say, an ultimate solution to the world economic crisis, the law will create new jobs, er, one new job: The Intellectual Property Czar.

Backed by the RIAA and MPAA, the PRO-IP Act has drawn criticism for its potential for extreme punishment. In its proposed state, the act could grant the government permission to seize all computers and compatible devices from a home if a single, pirated MP3 was discovered on one of the machines. So, about that approval rating ...

For a complete analysis of the PRO-IP Act as it applies to gaming, check out the latest LGJ column!

Bush signs PRO-IP Act into law originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

Filed under: Culture, Politics

var digg_url = 'http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/07/halo-player-used-as-political-smear/'; If you're anything like us, you've been racking your brain and your heart deciding which way to vote in the hotly contested Maricopa County District 1 Supervisor race. Now, thanks to a flyer sent in to us by reader Matt M., we think we finally have our man: Ed Hermes, who, according to the literature, is "a skilled player of popular video game Halo," telling the Arizona State University newspaper "I am addicted to Halo and play almost every night."

If opponent Fulton Brock meant that to somehow belittle Hermes in our eyes, he's doing a crummy job of it: Any man who can drive a Warthog is more than capable of driving Phoenix and the surrounding area to a bright economic future.

'Halo player' used as political smear originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

Filed under: Culture, Politics

With just about a month before the United States picks its next president, GamePolitics has posted a piece on the presidential campaign contributions made by industry big-shots. Would you have guessed that Spore designer Will Wright was a McCain supporter?

Turns out a lot of industry folks listed in the piece are leaning towards Obama, with thousands of dollars in contributions heading to the Democratic nominee. With some major executives contributing only a few thousand dollars to Obama's campaign, it's interesting to note that two of the biggest spenders are Star Wars mogul George Lucas with $33,100, and not far behind him, Harmonix (Rock Band) CEO Alex Rigopulos with $32,900. The ever-updated list can be found at GamePolitics.

Presidential campaign contributions by game industry heavies originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 Oct 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

Filed under: Culture, Microsoft Xbox 360, Politics

Xbox Live 'Rock the Vote' poll results are in originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 22 Sep 2008 23:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

Filed under: Culture, Online, Polls, Politics

This week's winner in the webcomic wrapup doesn't even have a true name: we just made one up. (In retrospect, we wonder if our original name "Popsicle Sunshine" would have fared as well.) Dork Tower's entry is actually a bit unfair, as it dates back to 2001. It's just sad that (a) we didn't originally notice and (b) after 7 years, it is still very relevant.

Second place (technically first since it's more recent) goes to Dueling Analogs, followed by Digital Unrest and Monday Night Crew. Thanks to everyone who voted and be sure to let us know of any (more recent) game-related webcomics you stumble upon this week!

Readers pick best webcomic: "I bought a video game ..." originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Sep 2008 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

Filed under: Culture, Microsoft Xbox 360, Politics

The get-kids-voting people behind Rock the Vote recently spread out beyond the limitations of MTV's core demographic and decided to enlist the Xbox Live community, long known to be an e-bastion of enlightened political discourse. So, being the politically (and mathematically!) astute bloggers we are, we took a look at the live poll results, as presented by MyGamerCard.net.

As of press time, Democratic-nom Barack Obama had a commanding lead over Republican oppollnent John McCain, with 4,623 gamerpics in circulation versus just 2,076 - a nearly insurmountable lead of 2,547 gamerpics. That's fine, but what's the real story here? How the pundits and the pollsters - clouded by the corruption and cynicism of a two-party election system - have ignored the dark horse in this election: Gears of War skull face guy, who right now controls a most impressive 87,626 of The People's votes. Ignore the political machine and vote your conscience!

[Via Cheap Ass Gamer]

Gamerpick: Xbox Live Rock the Vote polled, Obama ahead originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 29 Aug 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

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