In one of the most well-reasoned and least sensationalized articles on government regulation of violent games we've ever seen out of the mainstream press, the Los Angeles Times recently published an editorial pointing out the unnecessary and unconstitutional nature of a recently rebuked California bill which mandated "18+" warning labels be applied to M-rated games, and enforced strict $1,000 penalties for retailers who sold such titles to minors.

The editorial denotes the flawed logic which went into the bipartisan regulation, and aptly places the onus for keeping adult-centric titles out of youngsters' hands on their parental units, who "don't need permission from a legislator or judge to keep an eye on what their children are doing." We can't help but agree -- besides, with the Golden State currently staring down the barrel of a $42 billion deficit, we're not convinced that the taxpayers of California can afford to keep making such charitable donations to the ESA.

If you've ever wondered what the Entertainment Consumers Association actually does, here's your answer -- in an attempt to combat a proposed tax on digitally distributed content and games in a number of states, the ECA is mobilizing its troops in an "action campaign" against these taxes. Specifically, the group will be rallying its members in Washington, Mississippi and New York to protest DLC tax bills that are currently working their way through their respective state legislatures.

In an email to ECA members residing in Washington state, the organization's redundantly named president, Hal Halpin, pointed out the unconsidered negative effects of such a tax, saying it will "suppress consumption, which will cause layoffs at effected businesses, including the video game industry, which employs many Washington residents." We can't wait to see what protest tactics the ECA employs in Microsoft's home state -- folk music? Cosplay? We're betting on rampant property destruction -- after all, it's not a Washington protest until you bust up a few Starbucks.

Following a deadly shooting spree in Portland, Oregon last Saturday, January 24, the Oregonian newspaper noted that alleged shooter Salvador Ayala was a "video game fan" and enjoyed games such as Left 4 Dead and Resistance: Fall of Man. The Portland Mercury now reports that local police are "not pursuing a link between videogames and the shooting."

Detective Mark Slater, who noted that a copy of Grand Theft Auto III was found in Ayala's apartment, said, "There were a lot of videogames in the apartment," adding that the games were "of a wide variety of the kind you might find in any 24-year-old's apartment."

While no motive has yet been found, it is now known that Ayala left his roommate a note on the day of the shooting. The note contained Ayala's bank information, social security number, and instructions to the roommate urging him to sell Ayala's Playstation 3 and car and "keep the money." The note closed, "Good luck in this shitty world." The Mercury states that Ayala's friends and roommate now describe him as being "depressed."

[Via Game Politics]

According to the Oregonian, a man who allegedly shot nine people outside a Portland, Oregon nightclub last Saturday was a player of first-person shooters. Erik Salvador Ayala (pictured) allegedly shot nine people outside of a nightclub called The Zone, killing two teenage girls and wounding seven other people before turning the gun on himself.

Six of the victims were from outside of the United States and were part of a Rotary Club exchange program, while the remaining three were American. Ayala remains in critical condition as of late Sunday evening. A motive for the shooting has yet to be established, with no apparent link existing between Ayala and the victims. A neighbor claimed that he didn't own a gun.

The Oregonian article describes Ayala as "a quiet man with an interest in computers and video games, not guns or nightclubs," noting that he played both Resistance: Fall of Man and Left 4 Dead. No link has been cited between the games and the shooting.

[Via GamePolitics]

Oklahoma offers a surprisingly accommodating atmosphere for media producers -- the state offers tax incentives for many creators of TV shows, films and commercials, provided they do said production in-state. Now, Sen. Anthony Sykes (R) is attempting to offer the same sweet deal to creators of video games, but with one small caveat -- the incentives would only apply to developers of games that garner a Teen rating or lower from the ESRB.

It's a policy that's not exactly equal to somewhat similar restrictions placed on the other types incentive-earning media -- for instance, to be eligible, films and TV shows cannot contain child pornography or obscenity, meaning an R rated film or TV-MA show could ostensibly earn the incentive, while a video game adaptation of said film/show likely would not. It's not clear whether the bill will pick up enough momentum to get passed, though a similar bill was successfully adopted in neighboring state Texas.

As we watch the stirring coverage on all the networks of this momentous day in our nation's history, we can't help but think: Isn't there some way we could be experiencing some of this in a video game, shielding us from any sort of actual connection to the events or our fellow man?

Developer Eversim and publisher IGS have you covered with Commander-in-Chief, a game that lets you live the adventure of balancing the international geo-political landscape. And when you read that one of the key selling points is "current data on 400 key factors provided by 50 international organizations including the United Nations, G7, NATO, NAFTA, OPEC," we're sure that you, like us, won't be able to get your wallet out fast enough.

We'll be the first ones to admit when video games cross the line in terms of containing content not suitable for kids -- GTA IV, for instance, contains a cornucopia of foul language and violence that youngsters probably shouldn't be privy to. In that respect, we can understand the justification behind a bill that would ban the sale of violent games to minors -- though we would strongly disagree with such a measure.

However, this latest piece of video game legislation is beyond all comprehension -- Illinois legislators (who attempted to pass a violent game ban in 2005 until it was -- of course -- found unconstitutional by a federal judge) recently passed a bill banning the advertisement, promotion or marketing of Alcopop beverages in children-centric video games (as well as theater performances and concerts). That means no more depictions of Boone's Farm and Smirnoff Ice in all T-rated and under titles -- assuming there are any such depictions to begin with, which we highly doubt.

Even if there's some unknown genre of kids' games that are just rife with Zima product placements, it's unlikely that there is a substantial enough state interest to justify the passing of such a regulation. Oh, screw it. We're not going to try to apply reason to an unreasonable government action. We want youngsters to stay away from Mike's Hard just as much as the next lot, but legislation banning its endorsement in a medium whose regulatory body already prohibits such endorsements is a complete waste of everyone's time.

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.

The hardest thing about picking a presidential candidate is that you can't test them first. You can't see how they'd actually handle real presidential duties, like attempting to balance the federal budget, representing the citizenry abroad and punching out Venezuelan troops before dropping grenades in their tanks. Thankfully, you'll get the chance to see how presidential candidate Barack Obama and VP nominee Sarah Palin will stack up as they'll soon be added as DLC to Mercenaries 2. You can see the video right after the break.

Why no John McCain, you ask? Man, you don't need a video game to help you imagine what John McCain would be like as a war hero! McCain doesn't call blowing up an attacking helicopter with a rocket launcher an adventure ... he calls it "Tuesday."

[Via GP]

How much did it cost 2008 US Presidential Candidate Barack Obama to put ads inside of Burnout Paradise and other titles? According to a Federal Election Commission filing (via Gamespot), Obama's campaign sent $44,465.78 to Massive Incorporated to run in-game advertisements, from October 6 to November 3, in 18 separate titles. The real winner of these in-game ads, of course, was Tim the Paradise City Street Sweeper.

Comparatively, the campaign has spent a estimated total of $205 million on TV ads, about $4 to $5 million of which was for last night's 30-minute infomercial on CBS, NBC, MSNBC, Fox, BET, TV One and Univision. Fun statistic: The amount spent on TV ads was 455,555% higher than in-game advertisement. According to previous statements, Massive had approached the McCain campaign about doing a similar advertising deal, but they had passed on it.

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.

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.

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!

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.