According to GamePolitics.com, Venezuela has approved a law that bans the import, production, or sale of video games in the country, with threee to five years incarceration if violated.

!Viva la Revolutión!

 Austrailia isn't far behind from what I understand.

Yay@political agendas!

Hopefully US isn't firing up their mass drivers at the video game industry... especially after what happened in Texas the 5th.

I just know... somewhere in the states, a congressman is plotting to use that incident to ban "murder simulator" violent video games....

'gamepolitics.com' They must have been really excited Venezuela doing this just to provide them news..

Another commie country at it again! LOL

Give me Games or give me death!!!!

(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH fires plunger at Chavez's nut sack)

Im gonna call bs on this one.  If the only cite is gamepolitics.com who then cites a russian news agency then thats less than zero credibility.

Originally posted by svann

Im gonna call bs on this one.  If the only cite is gamepolitics.com who then cites a russian news agency then thats less than zero credibility.

A little more digging and you will find that Yahoo cites AFP, which most definately is a trustworthy source. The story appears legit, Venezuela is actually proposing to ban video games (and toy guns, but that's of a subordinated issue on this site).

Edit: My Spanish is note exactly good, if someone could find the original article on the AFP site...

Originally posted by svann

Im gonna call bs on this one.  If the only cite is gamepolitics.com who then cites a russian news agency then thats less than zero credibility.

Gets my vote as well... anything political that goes through more than 1 source seems to collect more propoganda than anything else. If you look a little into it and think critically you find that the country is setting up a system like the U.S. one (espr rating? or however the acronym goes) however, unlike the U.S. system this bureau has the ability to completely ban games... this is what the outcry is all about. However, doesn't the U.S. version also have this, hell doesn't almost ANY country have something like this? I know a few games have been banned in europe or at least not allowed release until they were 'modified'

so again inflammatory propoganda and knee jerk panic.... check.

possibility for abuse by gov't anyway.... check

difference from most other countries.... dunno but doubt it

Some random civilian with a sniper should headshot Hugo Chavez already.

Chavez has certainly been working on this for a while. I guess videogames (specially online) are kind of scary for a regime which has consistently sought to control most media outlets, even in neighbour ally Bolivia where Venezuela has acquired a controlling interest in some newspapers. Ironically a country which recently completed a $1 Bilion gun deal with Russia has also banned toy guns...

We Latin Americans continue to struggle against dictatorship.

Originally posted by Interesting

Some random civilian with a sniper should headshot Hugo Chavez already.

Call of Duty: 5?

 Looks like my dreams of smuggling video games to poor video game deprived people in Dark Star One can finally come true...

I guess Chavez bought WoW gold, got caught, got banned... and this is his reaction to being banned from gaming.  LOL

The Venezuelans are getting it hard in the MMO industry. I have great players in my legion in Aion from the country and the goverment  actually limits how much money you can spend online (even paypal) per year. I think it's like 500 bucks. I could be wrong, but it's very silly. To contuine to play most mmo's they have to get their game cards from the black market.

Originally posted by Rikimaru_X

The Venezuelans are getting it hard in the MMO industry. I have great players in my legion in Aion from the country and the goverment  actually limits how much money you can spend online (even paypal) per year. I think it's like 500 bucks. I could be wrong, but it's very silly. To contuine to play most mmo's they have to get their game cards from the black market.

I wonder if the illegal trade of internet confections is a lucrative business in Venezuela.

I'm sure it would be if that is you are allowed to sell things from the online (or outside) world to the public there.

 Shoot Chavez? Why? Because he wont sell US cheap oil?

This news is BS, proposal is on the table but also US congress discussed changing French Fries to Freedom Fries so same kind of cr4p.

First get rid of despots in your own country before you go exporting democracy to other countries.

Originally posted by Rikimaru_X

I'm sure it would be if that is you are allowed to sell things from the online (or outside) world to the public there.

I think that would fall in under the ban on imports.

Also, read one brave gamer's defiant blog which explores and explains the situation pretty well.

Also found a link to the proposed legal text.

Originally posted by Spiider

 Shoot Chavez? Why? Because he wont sell US cheap oil?

This news is BS, proposal is on the table but also US congress discussed changing French Fries to Freedom Fries so same kind of cr4p.

First get rid of despots in your own country before you go exporting democracy to other countries.

Hey! Leave me out of this. I didn't do anything [yet]. >.> <.<

Originally posted by Spiider

 Shoot Chavez? Why? Because he wont sell US cheap oil?

This news is BS, proposal is on the table but also US congress discussed changing French Fries to Freedom Fries so same kind of cr4p.

First get rid of despots in your own country before you go exporting democracy to other countries.

Because he's a tin pot dictator that's why. God knows we've put enough of those idiots in power it's time to take a few out. It's called taking out the trash.

Originally posted by zymurgeist

Originally posted by Spiider

 Shoot Chavez? Why? Because he wont sell US cheap oil?

This news is BS, proposal is on the table but also US congress discussed changing French Fries to Freedom Fries so same kind of cr4p.

First get rid of despots in your own country before you go exporting democracy to other countries.

 

Because he's a tin pot dictator that's why. God knows we've put enough of those idiots in power it's time to take a few out. It's called taking out the trash.

Not to defend Chavez, but many people had the same feelings towards Bush... One should be careful not to fall into the trap of cultural relativism. 

Originally posted by Aercus

Originally posted by zymurgeist

Originally posted by Spiider

 Shoot Chavez? Why? Because he wont sell US cheap oil?

This news is BS, proposal is on the table but also US congress discussed changing French Fries to Freedom Fries so same kind of cr4p.

First get rid of despots in your own country before you go exporting democracy to other countries.

 

Because he's a tin pot dictator that's why. God knows we've put enough of those idiots in power it's time to take a few out. It's called taking out the trash.

 

Not to defend Chavez, but many people had the same feelings towards Bush... One should be careful not to fall into the trap of cultural relativism. 

He never said that he voted nor supported bush, but yea, bush was kinda dumb, just like this stuff! Ay like how i tied that in? Heh.

Anyway, I'll have to see more news sites I've actually heard of posting this, until then lets hope for the sake of gamers that this doesnt happen.  I mean, it only takes one person yelling to cause an avalanche of course.

I guess a home made game that glorifies the revolution but has ten times as much violence as a normal game would be allowed? ,)

If this news is true it's just a try to control their own citizens. Authorities may never know for sure if people are playing or plotting for a counter-revolution on such a platform.

Originally posted by zymurgeist

Because he's a tin pot dictator that's why. God knows we've put enough of those idiots in power it's time to take a few out. It's called taking out the trash.

Care to share with us what country you are from? Based on the "we put plenty of ruthless idiots in power" remark my guess is US. Who gave you the right to put anyone in power or take power from anyone? 

You don't sound like Ben Franklin to me, you sound more like king George. 

Originally posted by Aercus

Originally posted by zymurgeist

Originally posted by Spiider

 Shoot Chavez? Why? Because he wont sell US cheap oil?

This news is BS, proposal is on the table but also US congress discussed changing French Fries to Freedom Fries so same kind of cr4p.

First get rid of despots in your own country before you go exporting democracy to other countries.

 

Because he's a tin pot dictator that's why. God knows we've put enough of those idiots in power it's time to take a few out. It's called taking out the trash.

 

Not to defend Chavez, but many people had the same feelings towards Bush... One should be careful not to fall into the trap of cultural relativism. 

Not that i would like to defend Chavez (nor incite anyone to shoot him) but cultural relativism doesnt apply here. Latin Americans share in the same European culture that people in the English speaking world (Australia, Canada, the US, etc.) possess in common with those raised in continental Europe. Yes, some of us live in countries were the majority still mantains a proud native American heritage, but that doesn't take away from our European traditions. You can measure leaders like Lula, Calderon or Kirchner by the same standards you would use on Berlusconi, Merkel or Zapatero. Chavez and Bush can be measured in the same standard (both failed poorly as leaders of western liberal democracies) without any cultural bias.

in the united states of america we study the movement from britain to this continent for almost a whole month,so we dont really care about that garbage,thus your little barb is wasted in that most of the ppl in this country dont even know who king george is

nor do we care

just about every country has been founded by murderers and rapists,so whats to be proud of ? :)

1>i hope the news is true

2>i hope the ban applies to online games as well,would be nice to have fewer cheaters and less : 

jajajajajajaja ,lol , and cries of hack in my games  as 'hack' is often the only english word they know

for those of you who are NOT complete cheating jerkwad pieces of human trash,i feel your pain as i love games myself.

ive encountered far more cheaters than legit players,thus i have very little pity for you

next stop global ip bans on the south pacific, turkey, and all middle eastern countries ! a man can dream cant he ? :)

*they should have game servers in their own regions and languages anyway for reduced lag and communication issues*