"For nearly two decades, elected officials have tried to regulate which video games you can buy, rent and play. Every single time they’ve passed a law, the federal courts have struck it down as unconstitutional. But this may change this fall."

How will this affect the gaming market? How will this affect TERA? How will this affect people like us that have already dedicated ourselves to purchase and play TERA?

My personal opinion on the matter is that it is completely ridiculous.

America is supposed to be a free country. Video games hardly make people violent - people make other people violent. An example would be people with disturbed childhoods who never sought help and/or people who have experienced or witnessed severe trauma(s), especially in their childhood or teen life.  Moreover, those who have never been able to voice what they have seen or experienced are more apt to become violent by example or frustration.

Then there are those who are naturally prone to violence despite their upbringing, things they have seen or experienced. It is human nature to be violent. There are simply some people who have no conscience and commit unspeakable acts.

Neither the California nor US Government has the right to limit access to video games; there is already a rating system on video games. Parents should be smart enough to limit their children's access to adult content in video games if it's really such an issue. America, Land of the Lazy? Come on now.

If a law as frivolous as this is passed regulating access to video games, what next? It would be yet a step closer toward becoming a dictatorship or communist country.

To the California & US Government; Focus on something that actually affects the world, instead of frivolous topics, why don't you? There are plenty of issues to focus on that actually matter.

Full article and petition at: http://action.theeca.com/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1781

Runes of Magic publisher Frogster recently announced that it will support same-sex marriages in its upcoming expansion, Chapter III: The Elder Kingdoms. [via VideoGamer.com] The news might seem surprising to many video game fans, considering the MMO industry's awkward past with the LGBT community and previous issues regarding same-sex relationships in-game. As VideoGamer.com mentions in its article, Runes of Magic is developed by Runewalker, a Taiwanese studio. Taiwan's governing body is the Republic of China, which doesn't recognize same-sex marriages...nor does the People's Republic of China, in which case a mainland Chinese development studio probably wouldn't have been able or willing to incorporate similar gameplay mechanics. The Beijing-based Perfect World Entertainment, for example, has received criticism of sexism and discrimination for related reasons (to read PWE's response to this issue, see our Rising Tide Q&A from last year).

The in-game marriage system is a new feature that will be introduced in Runes of Magic's upcoming expansion, which will also provide character bonuses, according to the VideoGamer.com article. "Of course you can only be married with one person at the same time," Frogster's Philipp Senkbeil told the Web site. "It's even possible to have gay couples, so no need to just have a male and female character. Two male characters and two female characters can marry each other." The upcoming MMO feature has drawn the attention of many LGBT video game communities, such as GayGamer.net, which praised Runewalker for "taking a step that many Western developers have been to scared to tackle." Considering that some of the most-successful and seemingly-liberal U.S.-based publishers have "looked the other way" in previous circumstances, many MMO fans might be inclined to agree.

As we roll into a final but still exciting Day Three of E3, we wanted to recap what we brought you from yesterday, Day Two. We returned to our friends at Everquest II for another closer look at Echeos of Faydwer in this video presentation. Some first impressions of Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar direct from the showroom floor. An exclusive video with Tabula Rasa producer Starr Long from within the booth who gave us a fantastic demo and interview. An extensive, detailed look at Burning Crusade, World of Warcraft's new expansion, with Lee Sparks, a producer at Blizzard. A private discussion with the Gods and Heroes' creators, Perpetual president Chris McKibbin and lead game designer Stieg Hedlund. And an in-depth video discussion of EQII's The Fallen Dynasty with associate producer Erik Theisz But there is much more to come .... Return to this page frequently for soon to be published stories such as SOE Launchpad, a Gods & Heroes video preview, a Lord of the Rings Online video preview, an Everquest II: Fallen Dynasty preview, and more from Pirates of the Burning Sea and Warhammer. Click here to get the latest MMO News from E3.

The folks at Mythic were kind enough to send Danalog some screenshots from the upcoming Warhammer Online MMORPG. Since he's off on vacation at the moment, I am posting them for him so you don't have to wait until he gets back. These images are thumbnailed, please click on them to see a larger, much higher resolution image. Enjoy!
A dwarven warrior out enjoying a morning Stroll. Medium | Large

A picturesque waterfall in the marshlands. Medium | Large

A day at the Goblin Footraces. Medium | Large

A large wooden bridge. Medium | Large

The highly anticipated new MMORPG, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes has entered its first, early phase of beta testing. You can learn more about it at the official site. While we don't yet have a site for the game, we do have a forum where you can discuss it at this link, so fee free to post your questions and observations.

Durham, USA — June 3, 2005 – The Director's Cut of Funcom's official E3 trailers for `Age of Conan – Hyborian Adventures', `Anarchy Online – Lost Eden' and `Dreamfall: The Longest Journey' are now available for download. This marks the very first time Funcom releases moving images of the highly anticipated `Dreamfall' and `Anarchy Online – Lost Eden'. E3 2005 marks the fifth year in a row where Funcom wins "Best of E3" awards, showing the company's clear commitment to deliver outstanding games. With `Conan' crushing the online RPG competition in graphics and innovation in game mechanics, and `Dreamfall' heading towards release as the world's most anticipated adventure title, Funcom is proud of the fact that E3 2005 was the best in the company's history so far. Age of Conan – Hyborian Adventures (Online Action RPG, Windows, Q2 2006) "Funcom might just strike gold with Age of Conan, and that's a fact...I can't wait to start crushing my enemies," said Gamespy in their E3 sum-up, and put words on what all RPG fans could see. Despite being shown in a pre-alpha state, `Conan' won "Best Massively Multiplayer Game of Show" at Gamespot while also becoming the "Best MMO of Show" runner-up at IGN. More than 5.5 million gamers visited GameSpot.com during the week of E3, accessing more than 100 million page views, so the importance of the award is evident. http://dl.ageofconan.com/conan/conan_e3_final.wmv Dreamfall: The Longest Journey (Adventure, Windows/X-box, Q4 2005) E3 marked another great step up for `Dreamfall', the world's most anticipated adventure game! Building on the legacy of `The Longest Journey', one of the most acclaimed adventure titles of all time, `Dreamfall' was a one-of-a-kind game at E3. The game received numerous great remarks and award nominations, and was runner-up as "Best Adventure Game of Show" on IGN, Gamespot and the German PC Games magazine. Explore the incredible beauty of `Dreamfall' in this very first trailer from the game, and prepare for a spiritual, fantastic and powerful gaming experience. http://dl.dreamfall.com/tlj2/dreamfall_us.wmv http://dl.dreamfall.com/tlj2/dreamfall_eu.wmv (European version) Anarchy Online – Lost Eden (MMORPG, Windows, this winter) E3 was the first chance to see what's in store for the ultimate sci-fi MMORPG with a focus on the upcoming `Lost Eden' expansion pack and the graphical updates to be rolled out over the coming months. The show feedback further cemented the incredible standing of `Anarchy Online' as the best sci-fi MMORPG on the market. The expansion received an honorable mention as "Best Expansion Pack of Show" on mmorpg.com, indicating a great future for `Anarchy Online' and the many fans of the game. This very first trailer from the expansion shows where the game is heading, and comes highly recommended to sci-fi and MMORPG fans. http://dl.anarchy-online.com/ao/aoe3final.wmv _ _ __ _ _ _ ABOUT FUNCOM - Funcom is an independent developer and publisher of computer and console games with a focus on Action Adventure and subscription based online games. Funcom has provided outstanding entertainment since 1993 and continues to expand its track-record of 24 released games to date. Recent successes include `The Longest Journey' and `Anarchy Online'. For corporate information please visit http://www.funcom.com. For information about Funcom games visit http://www.anarchy-online.com , http://www.dreamfall.com or http://www.ageofconan.com . Funcom is backed by Northzone Ventures, Stelt Holding and Teknoinvest.

Press Release:

MYTHIC ENTERTAINMENT SECURES WORLDWIDE RIGHTS TO CREATE MMORPG BASED ON GAMES WORKSHOP’S WARHAMMER FANTASY WORLD
FAIRFAX,VA MAY 18,2005 Mythic Entertainment, developer and publisher of massively-multiplayer online role-playing games including "Dark Age of Camelot" and the upcoming "Imperator," today announced that they have secured the exclusive worldwide rights to create massively multiplayer online games for PC and console set in the fantasy world of Warhammer, created by Nottingham, UK-based Games Workshop Group PLC. The first game based upon the dark, medieval world of Warhammer will be released on PC in 2007. "I have always been a big fan of Games Workshop and Warhammer and I am thrilled that we are now able to work on one of the world’s greatest and most enduring fantasy gaming brands," said Mark Jacobs, CEO and president of Mythic Entertainment, Inc. "Our goal for this first of what we hope will be many Warhammer-based games is to create the single-greatest RvR-based MMORPG in the industry." "Warhammer fans around the world can be assured that our new partnership with Mythic, a company with fantastic credentials in delivering great online games, will result in a truly compelling online experience," said Andy Jones, CEO of Games Workshop’s Entertainment and Media Division. "We are really looking forward to working closely with people who share our passion both for the world of Warhammer and for making games of the highest quality." Mythic and Games Workshop will be available during E3 in Los Angeles from May 18th through May 20th at booth #5001C in the Concourse Hall. About Warhammer Games Workshop created the Warhammer world more than 23 years ago, as the setting for its wildly successful tabletop fantasy wargame of the same name. Since then the game has been released in 6 editions, had dozens of supplements, and been the basis for tens of thousands of unique model soldier designs, making it one of the most well documented and detailed fantasy settings in existence. The world itself is a dark and forbidding fantasy realm, where Elves, Orcs, Dwarfs, Undead, and many other races clash constantly in mighty battles seeking domination over each other. Meanwhile, the insidious forces of Chaos strive to undermine the basic fabric of society both from within and by the direct invasion of its legions of daemons, beastmen and warped human champions. The Warhammer community stretches across the world, supported by Games Workshop’s 320+ stores, 4000+ independent retailers, and many games clubs, tournaments and events such as the annual Games Days in the UK, USA, Canada, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, and Australia. There is also a thriving web community based around the official website and many thousands of fan sites. About Mythic Entertainment Mythic Entertainment is one of the most successful developers and publishers of massively multiplayer online role-playing games in the world. Credited with 15 online games, including the award winning "Dark Age of Camelot," Mythic’s success is based in proprietary technology, superior game design and exemplary customer service delivered by a talented staff of more than 160 people. "Dark Age of Camelot" is played throughout the world in seven languages. It was launched in Japanese in January 2005, and in April 2005 became the first international MMO localized for Spain. In summer 2006, Mythic Entertainment will introduce "Imperator," a new sci-fi MMORPG. About Games Workshop Games Workshop Group PLC is the world's largest tabletop wargames company. Based in Nottingham, UK, it designs, manufactures and distributes its range of Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 games, model soldiers, novels, collectible card games, and role-playing games through more than 320 of its own Hobby centers, mail order, Internet and more than 4,000 independent retailers in more than 50 countries worldwide. Games Workshop, Warhammer, and all images, races and characters from the Warhammer universe are either a (R), TM and/or (C) Games Workshop Ltd 2000-2005, variably registered in the UK and other countries around the world. All rights reserved.

A note to EverQuest, EverQuest 2, PlanetSide and EverQuest Online Adventures gamers: Sony Online Entertainment is hosting a Las Vegas Fan Faire from June 9 to June 12. Registration closes this Friday (May 20th), so if you would like to sign up, it would be a good idea to get right on it. Details are at Sony's Fan Faire page at: http://events.station.sony.com/fanfaire/

Press Release: Saturday, May 14th – GuildPortal Launches LookingForGuild.com Today, GuildPortal, a web hosting service for guilds and player associations of massively multiplayer online games, announced the launch of LookingForGuild.com, a guild locator and directory for players looking for guilds to join online. While the service does offer tie-ins and additional information on GuildPortal-hosted guilds, it also provides the ability for non-GuildPortal guilds to submit their information to be listed on the site, making it easy for players without guilds to find a home, regardless of where that guild's home on the web is.

Press Release: Next week (May 18-20), the annual gaming tradeshow known as the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) opens at the Los Angeles Convention Center for three days of gaming glitz and madness. The show isn't open to the general public, but that doesn't mean you have to miss out on the excitement. As a big part of our E3 coverage, we'll be bringing to you -- straight from the heart of NCsoft's booth to your web browser -- daily live Internet Radio broadcasts from MMORadio. They will be cranking up the tradeshow festivities with music, exclusive interviews, news and much more. But that's not all - NCsoft wants to give you the chance to win BIG just for listening. For full details, the NCsoft E3 interview schedule, and MMORadio's entire E3 broadcast schedule, look for the "Listen and Win" Web Radio Contest on www.plaync.com.