Raupp is looking to "curb the manufacture, distribution, importation, distribution, trading and custody, storage [of] the video games that affect the customs [and] traditions of the people, their worship, creeds, religions and symbols".

A senate education commission has already approved the bill, meaning it's on its way now for a vote in Brazil's Committee on Constitution and Justice. If passed, anyone caught violating the law could face 1-3 years in the slammer.

Criar ou distribuir jogos ofensivos pode virar crime no Brasil [UOL, via GamePolitics]

It's priced at R$799, which works out to be around USD$461. So, yes, it's expensive to buy video games in Brazil. Our man Pedro tells us that with a nine year-old console only just launching, there obviously isn't an official PS3 presence, though he says Sony do sell some older PS3 games. For R$199 (USD$115).

Ever wanted to know why piracy was rife in South America, those prices might get you in the right direction.

Sony traz PlayStation e jogos oficialmente para o Brasil. Não comemore [Gizmodo BR]

The network, reports tipster Bruno, is known for copycatting.

Nintendo issues the annual report to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative as part of the Special 301 process, which asks for input from the public to underscore areas of concern. So where is piracy rampant this year? For the most part, the list contains the usual suspects. Brazil, China, Korea, Mexico, and Paraguay all return to the list this year, perhaps indicating that the government didn't do enough in those areas last year, instead focusing on less important things, like electing a new president, fighting an ongoing war, and dealing with the failing economy. Priorities, people!

So what has changed? Hong Kong, present on the list last year, has been removed completely, so apparently everything is okay there now. Good job! In its place? Spain. I freaking knew it. They've been way too quiet in Spain lately.

Check out Nintendo's country-by-country report below.

PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA: China continues to be the hub of production for counterfeit Nintendo video game products. The number of online shopping sites in China selling infringing Nintendo products is increasing, and help is needed by the government to curtail the growth of these illegal marketplaces. These products are sold both inside China and to the world, including our key market in the United States. Chinese customs officials must stop shipments of game copiers and other infringing products out of China, and China should work in the coming year to eliminate barriers to its enforcement laws.

REPUBLIC OF KOREA: Internet piracy in Korea continues to increase, as does the availability of devices that get around product security and allow for the play of illegal Nintendo software. A massive customs raid of 10 premises that resulted in the seizure of more than 75,000 game copiers at the beginning of 2009 is a positive sign the government is serious about enforcement. Nintendo is pleased with Korea's consistent customs seizures, and courts are now starting to hold distributors of circumvention devices, such as game copiers, accountable. The Korea-U.S. free trade agreement is important to all intellectual property rights holders.

BRAZIL: Federal anti-piracy actions are not reducing piracy in Brazil, and local enforcement efforts are weak. Efforts to prosecute for piracy are virtually nonexistent. Customs and border control agents failed to seize a single shipment of Nintendo video game products in Brazil in 2008. Internet piracy is increasing with no legal infrastructure in place to respond to the threat it poses to rights holders. High tariffs and taxes also constitute market barriers for legitimate video game products.

MEXICO: Anti-piracy actions by the Mexican government in 2008 were wholly inadequate. The Mexican government must recognize the seriousness of the piracy problem and start using existing enforcement tools. Mexico's participation in negotiating the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement is encouraging, but enforcement efforts need to move forward now. The willingness of Mexican customs and Mexican postal service workers to be trained by trademark owners was a positive sign in 2008.

SPAIN: The availability of game-copying devices in Spain is alarming. Internet sites offering game-copying devices and illegal Nintendo software are widespread and must be addressed. Nintendo asks that the Spanish government implement laws protecting the creative copyright industry and enact laws against Internet piracy. Nintendo considers education a priority in its fight against piracy in the European Union. Customs authorities play an important role in enforcing intellectual property rights, and Nintendo is seeing positive signs in this area. Nintendo is pleased about recent steps taken by the Spanish National Police against distributors of game copiers.

PARAGUAY: Corruption continues to hamper anti-piracy efforts. Nintendo's anti-piracy actions in Paraguay show that illegal goods are imported and also locally produced. Border controls are key to decreasing piracy, and the revised criminal code will increase penalties against those distributing circumvention devices in Paraguay.

The Unique Selling Point of games downloaded over-the-air is an attempt to combat Brazil's thriving market in pirated software and the console is being priced to suit a market where huge import costs make legitimate copies of games a tough sell.

Incidentally, Urban Dictionary defines 'Zeebo' as "A mad, often confused, lonely and possibly misunderstood ape from the hill-like village of Menzieshill." Just, you know, FYI.

Tectoy Zeebo Gaming System Uses Free 3G Connection to Distribute Games [Gizmodo]

Estamos Pensando [We Are Thinking] [wall jump explained]

Master System 3 (131 jogos) [Tectoy via Insert Credit]

According to the AFP report on the matter, the prohibition on selling CS and EQ was actually passed in October of 2007, but was only recently enforced by PROCON, the national consumer protection agency. Good work, Brazil. Glad all of your problems are sorted out now that the video game police are tackling the tough issues!

Members of the Kotaku Brazilian Connection wrote in to let us know about the ban. Their letters are after the jump and provide some insight into the local video game market.

From Pinguin:

Since 01/17, Counter Strike and Everquest are banned in Brazil. The decision came from a federal judge, based in the Consumer Rights, saying that it puts in danger the life of buyers. You can see the full decision in this site. (in Brazilian portuguese)

The counter strike was banned because, in experts opinion, teachs war strategies.
Everquest was banned because of their quests. The Brazilian judge, claims that, some quests ask for the user do good things and bad things, leading the user to pscicological problems.

In Brazil, those games were rated to 18+, by the Justice. In the past, before those rates exist, games like Carmagedon, Grand Theft Auto and Postal were banned too.

But, we still can play Postal 2, Manhunt (the complete version) and all the other games. Everquest isn't even [sold] in Brazil!

From Romulo:

Since 17/01/2008 the games "Counter-Strike" and "EverQuest" are been confiscated in the Brazilian state of Goiás by the PROCON, an organism created to defend consumer rights. The decision is extended trough all brazilian territory, the games were considered "[improper] for consume" and "nocive to the consumer health" offending some articles of the brazilian "consumer defense and protection code", a law that is usually used to protection the consumer against big companies.

Here in Brazil a single judge can make a decision that is valid in the whole country, this is the case, but other states are not confiscating the game as they think there may be something wrong with such a decision. The judge also classify CounterStrike and Everquest as being "nefast".

Acording to procon and the judge, Counter-Strike is described as "a game where drug deales sequestram and take to a morro thre UN representatives. Police invades the place and is received with bullets", the text also affirms, without showing names ou researches, that "in the vision of specialists that game teaches war techniches". Thats not counter strike´s but user generated content, CS_rio is a very popular map and played a lot in Brazil.

The reason to justify the ban, "violent games ou that bring violece are capable of forming agressive individuals, its evident is strong power of influence, reforcing agressive atitude on some individuals and social groups.", they go even farther when justifying everquest ban, [everquest] "takes the player to total nonsense and heavy psicologycal conflicts, because the quests he receives may be good or bad."

EA Brazil released a note claiming the content cited is not from counter strike but user generated, and say it´s waiting for a judicial notification to take legal action.

From Hank:

This is kotaku user HANK-SP, from Brazil, reporting that the brazilian state of Goias has banned the games Counter-Strike and the RPG EverQuest. The decision, taken by a court in Goias, is extented to all Brazil. The federal police IS already taking away copies from these games, altough EverQuest is not officially released in Brazil. Procon, brazilian governmental foundation for consumer defense, argued, on its website, that Counter-Strike is a game where "Rio de Janeiro drug dealers kidnapp and take to a slum three UN representants. The police invades the place and is welcomed with bullets. (...) In the vision of experts the game teaches war techniques". As for EverQuest, Procon states that it "takes the gamer to complete moral conflict and 'heavy' psychological conflicts; for the tasks that are given to them could be bad or good. (...) Violent videogames that use violence are capable of forming agressive individuals, making it evident that is strong its influence on psyquism, reinforcing aggressive attitude against certain individuals and social groups". The web site also states that anyone who sees these games being sold, that they should contact Procon for the arrest of the games. All this information has come from UOL, Brazil's biggest web portal, owned by Brazil's biggest newspaper "Folha de Sao Paulo". http://jogos.uol.com.br/pc/ultnot/2008/01/18/ult182u7954.jhtm In another news, UOL reports that EA has already answered that Counter-Strike doesn't have any Rio de Janeiro, any slums, any funk soundtrack, neither UN comissioners. http://jogos.uol.com.br/pc/ultnot/2008/01/18/ult182u7956.jhtm

Thanks for taking the time to write in, guys. Keep us informed of any developments, if you have the time.

Brazil bans popular video games seen to incite violence [AFP/Google]

Marcelo Vega from Brazilian site Xbox Today attended the Forza 2 pre-launch party and has the pics to prove it! He writes:

Just a quick recap: the press was invited to the pre lauch party of Forza Motorsport 2 at Granja Viana´s International Circuit (for Karts). After the press event, we were given the chance to participate on 2 tournaments: one on a real track and another on the 360 (Forza 2, of course). Both winners received a Forza 2 themed Trophy (and I almost won the Forza 2 tournament, with a memorable second place, losing only the last race).

As you can see in the pictures, there was a Stock Car there as well, as Microsoft sponsors Team Officer, where Duda Pamplona (a Brazilian Stock Car Champion) is the racer. It sure looks cools with the 360 logo on the front. Duda drove the Kart that can be seen in another picture, that also has the 360 logo on it (and it looks great).

Chicken and egg, Second Life once again makes it possible for both to come first. An art show is now going on in SL where a Rio-based artist name Lois Lancaster is showing his expressionist paintings at the KODE Gallery in Second Life. That's the chicken part. The egg is that in real life, he is a digital illustrator, so does that make his art digital in the real world, and art "regular" in Second Life? Or does it make the exhibition itself a piece of his art?

I need Advil. Kim Phu

Brazilian Art in SL as 3pointD Holidays in Rio [3pointD]

Kotaku reader Marcelo turned us on to this Reuters piece, detailing the upcoming Brazilian launch of Microsoft's Xbox 360. What I thought was going to be a run of the mill launch in a territory that no one cares about... oops, I mean is largely ignored... turned out to be an eye-opening bit of news.

Microsoft will be the first manufacturer to sell direct to the market in Brazil, where importers reign supreme. But this privelege will come at a price: 2999 reias, which currently exchanges at $1400 US. That's a lot of reias! Tough to swallow, as importers will bring a 360 to you for close to half that price.

The premium console package will be bundled with a few games, Project Gotham Racing 3, Perfect Dark Zero and Kameo: Elements of Power, which makes the steel-booted kick in the wallet a little easier (games retail for close to $75).

The real lesson to be learned here, is that we must be thankful for the low, low prices the God of Consoles has provided for us this generation. No more whining, Americans! Michael McWhertor

Microsoft bets on fast Xbox growth in Brazil

I type this from my bathtub, where I am currently transmitting raw text directly from my sinuses into a copper receptor dish situated atop my viewing screen in the other room. The water is tepid and I am clammy with soap scum and the patina from my plate-and-rivets bath ducky.

Squeak.

This is apparently a Japanese sculpture that apparently is actually functional. Says BoingBoing commentor Adam:

It's not a 'sculpture' — it's a working computer. In his notes, the creator resists comparisons to Gilliam and Cronenberg, saying "if you look carefully, you'll see it's totally different."

Now I know what to do with that hideous brick of pain and disappointment that was my first-gen TiBook after a year. Eliza Gauger

Steampunk Laptop [BoingBoing, via GayGamer]

Brazil Price and Date [AMN]

Rabid fanboyism or silly viral campaign? Kotaku reader Konrad happened upon this graffiti toad in Porto Alegre, Brazil. He was so surprised that he had to snap a pic and send it our way. Photos of small children banging their heads on the wall, trying to get that tricky 1Up were withheld. Brian Ashcraft