schwarzenegger
Latest
Spitzer wins GamePolitics' biggest political hypocrite poll
GamePolitics had a pretty sweet idea this week when it polled readers on who they thought the biggest political hypocrite is when it comes to the games industry. Was it Boston's Mayor Menino, who's seeking to pass a "games as porn" bill while trying to woo developers to the city; or perhaps California's Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger who... well, look at the man's career! Nope, the winner, by a wide margin, was New York's disgraced former governor Eliot Spitzer.Spitzer wins the poll for actions like attacking Grand Theft Auto and making sensationalist statements like, "Children can even simulate having sex with a prostitute." Meanwhile, the governor was doing more than simulating when he played the role of Client 9 to a high-priced prostitution service. It's still as delicious to write now as it was a month ago.
Gov. Schwarzenegger distances self from Conan games
While he might be a big shot politician these days, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will always be associated with his breakthrough movie role as Conan the Barbarian. So it's not horribly unfair for the ABC7 Sacramento news team to ask the Governor's office how his public opposition to video game violence gels with THQ's new, extremely gory Conan video game. "The Conan character existed far before the governor portrayed him in the movies, and it still exists in different forms of entertainment," said Aaron McLear, the governor's press secretary. "The governor has no association with that game."Fair enough, but we're a little disappointed the ABC7 reporter didn't go the extra step and ask Schwarzenegger how he felt about the violence in the Conan movie -- the one he was associated with. Surely some children were exposed to the movie's wonton brutality and turned into broadsword wielding murderers, right? So why the double standard? And why no Kindergarten Cop video game? Inquiring minds want to know![Via GamePolitics]
ESA wants Schwarzenegger to pay for legal fees
California Governator Arnold Schwarzenegger made good on his promise today to file an appeal over a judge's ruling that a recently-proposed violent video games law was unconstitutional. In apparent retaliation, the Entertainment Software Association has filed a motion for California to recoup $324,840 in legal fees for its previous, successful challenge against the law.In a statement, the ESA said that if the motion is granted, the industry will have been awarded a total of $1.9 million in fee and expenses for "defending its First Amendment rights" in this case and eight others. The trade association has a pretty good batting average so far, but does it have the firepower to defeat a T-101 exo skeleton?[Update: Although we like the thought of a robotic insectoid turtle monster, we have to provide canonical accuracy. The T-101 skeleton was on the inside of the body. Fixed.]
Video Game Voters Network starts Stop Schwarzenegger Campaign
You have to give it to the Video Game Voters Network: They've got guts. The organization is attempting to do what T-1000, Sinbad, a kindergarten class, and yes, The Devil himself could not: Stop Arnold Schwarzenegger. As you may already know, the governor of California (does anyone else still get the feeling we're living in Bizarro World?) is moving forward on an appeal of a judge's ruling that proposed AB 1179, which would legally ban minors from buying "violent video games," is unconstitutional.The VGVN is trying to preempt the action, asking Californians to send this letter or one of their own creation to Schwarzenegger as they implore him to drop the bill and instead focus on education. "But Joystiq," we hear you ask, "if it's already been ruled unconstitutional, why does he continue to fight? What could Schwarzenegger possibly have against the Constitution?" Oh dear, sweet reader. We should think it would be obvious.
California game law won't be back
The California game law which would have restricted anyone under the age of 18 from buying or renting "violent video games" has been effectively terminated. The bill, signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger back in 2005, which was created by politician Leland Yee, had a preliminary injunction put on it while the ESA fought the bill in the courts. Today a judge made the injunction permanent. The bill follows in the long list of game laws found unconstitutional at this point. Yet, that still doesn't stop more states from attempting to recycle the tired legislation. According to Bo Andersen, president of the Entertainment Merchants Association, "It was inevitable that the federal district court would find the California video game restriction law unconstitutional, as eight similar laws around the country have been overturned in the past six years." Ready kids, here comes the fun part -- how much is California going to have to pay the ESA back for fighting the law? Politicians need to learn that when they push through unconstitutional laws, it's the taxpayer who pay -- literally.
