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NY game retail bills pass; retailers could face felony charges
Two bills from the New York state legislature -- one backed by Republicans in the Senate and one by Democrats in the Assembly -- have been passed. Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno (R) and Governor Eliot Spitzer have both made comments leaning toward an agreement being made between the two houses, but no further details are known.The Assembly measure, A08696, has some strong words for game retailers who sell games with "depraved violence and indecent images," defined as "rape, dismemberment, physical torture, mutilation or evisceration of a human being." Those caught selling such games to minors will be charged with a class E felony and could be sentenced for up to four years in prison. GamePolitics reports that "it is believed this is the bill favored by [Spitzer]." The Entertainment Merchants Association have already condemned the Assembly bill, and we expect the industry-led lawsuit against the legislation be inevitable. The current session ends June 21, so both houses will have to act pretty quickly to reach a compromise.[Via Law of the Game]
Japan gets a Gyakuten Saiban 4 calendar and we don't? OBJECTION!
Capcom put this gorgeous "school calendar" (it starts at April) up for sale in their Japanese store today, and we're dying over here. Look at that cover! That is better than most posters, there. There's Ema Skye, and Phoenix Wright, and the whole group is surrounded by new guy Odoroki Housuke's bracelet thing.And there's six pages of official art inside. This is too much. We don't really have anything clever to say about it. Look at it. It's a thing we want, a lot, and probably won't be able to purchase.Oh, man, we feel so inadequate. How can we be Phoenix Wright fans if we can't look at some Gyakuten Saiban characters when we want to see what day it is? We're going to have to look into placing an order for this thing. 1,260 yen turns out to be ... $10.45.Oh, and while you're at the e-Capcom store, check out these other just-out-of-reach Gyakuten goods!Sample calendar page after the break. You could resize it and make a very blurry, artifacty wallpaper out of it!
Ema Skye returning for Gyakuten Saiban 4
Ema Skye, the science-obsessed, Luminol-toting teen sidekick from Case 5 of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (Gyakuten Saiban: Yomigaeru Gyakuten) is making a return appearance in the new DS sequel, pink goggles and all. Her new character art portrays her as a little more grown-up, so maybe she'll be less annoying. Even if not, we really started to feel sympathetic to Phoenix's junior-detective friend in that case (Don't know what we're talking about? PLAY THE GAME!).Speaking of return appearances, you know who else will be returning when this comes out? Us. Our frothing demand for this game increases. You might as well call us "Phoenix Wright Fanboy." Click past the post break to scientifically investigate a few screenshots.
Lousiana judge blocks JT-penned bill
The recently-signed Louisiana violent games bill has been temporarily blocked by a federal judge in Baton Rouge, pending a hearing on June 30th. The bill gained notoriety among gaming circles due to its author: famed anti-game activist Jack Thompson. The law, recently signed by Louisiana governor Kathleen Blanco, would have taken effect immediately.The Entertainment Software Association has already mounted a lawsuit to strike this new law from the records. So far, their track record is flawless, so we are betting the same will be said here.
