taomaster99

Life banned by end of 2008 in Brazil. Experts and officials claim life may force people to "do good things and bad things, leading the user to pscicological problems."

Bando

Sideshowbob

Silly gamers, war strategies are for soldiers.

syr

Count_Elmdor

After notification if there is still CS on the place, a fine of 5k reais (near 2,5k US dollars) per day is aplied and if it persists the lan house may be Interdicted.

They are also notificating brazilian CS internet servers.

I think I should also say that this is not a political decision, in Brazil judges are like minor gods, for years governement try to reform judicial power, because it just makes no sense.

Like Judge Dread, a Judge in Brazil is above the law, if what he tell is not inconstitutional, he may do whatever he wants, and by that i mean everything.

A judge here can tell the police to arrest someone at his will, he can also tell the police to release anyone at his will, and even if what he says is very wrong most people will obey just because he is a judge and he can do anything he want.

I think this is the case eith CS, it´s clear what he is doing is power abuse but no one can do anything about it unless other judge says he can´t do this.

One more thing, judges here are not elected nor have anything with politics, they get their power because they had the best grades in very hard tests, anyone with something like a "legislation major" (there are no major or minor concept here) can take the tests and many people work hard for that.

But there is aways old people who don´t understand anything and became a judge for some misterious reasons a long time ago (sometimes it is corruption, but we don´t hear about that anymore, sometimes the guy were just lucky), they are still judges and still have this much power, and all we can do is to be sorry and pray for another one to fight againt it.

We are like little mortals watching and praying for the big judge gods to let us play some CS, or whaterever crazy decision they make.

I think this will really help brazilian games market, wich today is composed of near 80% of piracy.

romulobr

crazyscreenwriter

[warchildpost.blogspot.com]

WaRchiLd

I doubt they are making a big fuss. Have you seen the women who live there? Seriously games would be the last thing on my mind if i lived there.

Kerrell

Anyway, link to the original story: [www.procon.go.gov.br]

Write to Goiás' Procon: consulta@procon.go.gov.br

Federal judge who took the decision:

Dr. Carlos Alberto Simões de Tomaz
Phone: +55 31 2129-6755
Fax: +55 31 2129-6751

Write to the federal dept he works for: 17vara@mg.trf1.gov.br

CavemanBrazilian

Dellyrio

Sabre_Justice: Okay, no more long name.

shadow_judge

AMonkey

Spiderbait

Infradead

Zunnoab

This doesn't even make sense. It's clear the people who made this decision don't know anything about the matter, since they chose two very specific games and the rest was ... forgotten?

Fucking ignorant dim-witted judges.

GG government, now there will be even more piracy.

belger0g

Pantsman

Sideshowbob

And since I saw the "only in" tag before on stuff about various countries, it's ok.

Ludwig

TOCATL

Sideshowbob

kalim4c

DanteODiabo

Sideshowbob

Sideshowbob

Sideshowbob

DanteODiabo

Sideshowbob

OT79

Sideshowbob

Sideshowbob

Sideshowbob

DanteODiabo

xiphos

I'm a Brazilian not currently living in Brazil, since the work I do (game design) is pretty much inexistent there. That's sad, since we have a lot of creative and intelligent people, but stuff like this smears our image.

They always say it's not censorship; it's to protect the people. Our free speech is similar to the one in Germany (and some other countries), where you can't promote Nazism for instance, or openly encourage racism (KKK would never fly here), drugs, violence, etc. Although that's what people see every day on TV.... In the end I don't feel they are protecting me... just themselves from guilty.

And sadly some judges pull stunts like this often... so they get their name on the press and people remember them. It may seem strange to Americans that one judge can do it nationally, but you know, that's what a Country means.. unity. Not like a bunch of independent states doing whatever they want (Not having national control over Death Penalty, always bothered me about American law).

For me, in theory, the Brazilian law works. The problem is that it stays at that... theory.

guibom

There was a non-famous theater writer from brazil back from the 60's that had a play called "The enemy of the people".. in it he discussed about the military dictators (During it!) and politicians, etc etc .. all that is being criticized above and much more, in a very well informed level.

But the character was always stumbling on the issue that those weren't really the cause of the problem, who was the enemy of the people?

In the end of the play, he would scream at the audience: "The enemy of the people IS the people.".. some understood .. most got mad at him LOL

If criticizing the government actually solved anything, brazil would rule the world because ALL our humor is based on beating the shit out of our politicians and as you can see above, making huge ass lectures on all what is wrong.

But when it comes to making things, not necessarily political things but hard working, investing, thinking on the future of the country, that is what brazilian people DON'T do .. it's not their problem, it's the governement problem.

Ludwig

CorredorX

Our people gripe and make a lot of noise, but we're the only country in the world that has no concept of banned music, literature, movies or video games. Sure people will try to put a choke hold on them, zealots may condemn them, schools and private organizations may ban them. But you can't stop any old 18 years or above Joe from not getting it.

It's a real shame for Brazilian gamers and that's a real messed up way to lose it. It's like your neighbor selling your violent games cause they don't want their kids to play them. OK, bad analogy, but either way this sucks.

Absent Blue

ROFL!

EnigmaNemesis

Frank

crazyscreenwriter

rdj

Mini-Boss

nullterm

Back when I was young I wasn't allowed to play videogames or watch TV because such activities would lead to intrinsic tendencies and anti-social behavior, it's amazing that todays young people think that playing terrorists and other anti-social characters is okay in any way, thank god at least brazil and maybe germany don't have their moral heads up their non-moral areas.

Chirphin

Virgil Tibbs

SchoolBusDriver

Brazil: People at their most beautiful. Humanity at its ugliest.

The Amazing Exploding-Man

But fuck this country, Brazil is fucked up and I´m ashamed to be brazilian now.

But anyway, even if they ban, there are still a lot of ways to get the games here. Because this is Brazil guys...

lucasreis

finder39

No it doesn't... it teaches squad tactics. Strategy would be learnt best from Medieval Total War, and Company of Heroes.

BTFzor_Freestyle

Brazil should be utopic like every other country the same size it is .. like .. flying cars and everyone is immortal .. there are no guns ..

Above post, a good reason to hate brazil, uninformed "politicized wannabe" people ranting for the sake of ranting, it's like living with an army of John Stewarts and Michael Moores without anything to do but whine.

Ludwig

Sideshowbob

Most Lanhouses I know (they are huge in brazil, since lots of kids don't have the money to buy a computer good enough for gaming) have pirated copies of Counter Strike.

Now, even those who are trying to stabilish a legitimate business have the perfect excuse to use pirated games.

But hay, everything to make that f*cking judge feel better about himself.

According to his half assed theory, 80% of the games available today would have to be prohibited.
I mean, Counter Strike has weapons... but EverQuest? If EverQuest was banned, all other MMOs would probably also have to be banned, because they are also about tactics.

But of course, that judge probably don't even know that. Counter Strike.. he probably saw his kid playing once, and decided that was it.

And if you asked him about Manhunt 2, Postal and other real polemic games, I'd bet he wouldn't know about that, because it would be surprizing enough if he had the brains to turn a computer on and distinguish the difference between the right and left mouse buttons.

Bokusatsu_Tenshi

Flanker

Sideshowbob

runandgun

Meanwhile, corruption goes rampant, education is on it's lowest ever, and law serves for nothing but punish those in need, and let the real criminals roam free.

This is not prejudice people, I am brazilian and live in Brazil, unfortunately.

Democracy has been serving for one purpose only here in this country: To maintain corruption and/or stupid politicians who can't do a damn thing to really make education and several other essencial services right.

Oh, and let me remind commenters that this is the exact same country that produced the movies City of God and the more recent Elite Troop (Tropa de Elite). Both are movies based on real life stories about the violence that we have to face every f*cking day because the government doesn't know how to deal with it.

And the irony? I just saw this news piece today saying that for this years carnival, the children's costume that's selling the most is the ones based on the latter movie I just quoted.

If something, Counter Strike and EverQuest (I for one know several people who plays it, though they really are not a majority) keeps some kids away from the streets, maybe even avoiding them getting into violence, drug mobs and stuff like that.

But this is not really surprizing. The number of stupid laws we have getting close to get passed here is absurd.

Stuff like that are bound to happen... given how stupid judges, politics and lots of other people we have in power.

I mean it. We have cases of city mayors being analfabets, convicted criminals, suspects of murder, rape, and other stuff.

Our president is not the brightest, and I don't give a damn about shitheads that might acuse me of being "elitist", I f*cking hate Lula's (our president) guts.

He conquered the people using propaganda and manipulating the people by saying "he's one of them", just because he was born poor.

Well, not he's a millionaire, spends the whole year on trips, using his influence to make his son and family rich, cheating the people saying he's not a criminal while everyone around him is already involved on corruption crimes.

But well, I gone far far away from the main issue. But here are some other pearls of Brazilian justice:
Not long ago a decision on one single case made brazilian servers block YouTube COMPLETELY.

The issue was solved days later, but the fact that it happened is there to prove how stupid judges are. They don't even know what they are doing. They have no sense of dimention on how many people will be affected by their decisions.

One thing will shurely happen due to this one: Huge losses for Valve and the producers of EverQuest. Because piracy runs free here. So the people who would buy the game, will simply download it... or just buy at your local pirated games store (you can find one everywhere here).

Shames me to live in such a country. And if it wasn't for friends and family, I would leave Brazil with no second thought.

Bokusatsu_Tenshi

GG Brazil....GG.

Cell9song

Sideshowbob

given the fact that regulating any non-hazardous entertainment is just about impossible for those that truly want it. This is a joke, Move on

huginn

dijuremo

Oyn

gustavopr

Another one is in China which I hope will yield a lot after the Olympics. A good tip if you can invest some.

MY next thing I look to invest in is water resources, but there don't seem to be any good ones on the open stockmarket. I am looking to find something off the market pertaining water resources.

As for Solar panels etc. It is not plausible I think here in my country, but it might be worth looking into investing in solar panel research I suppose.

Irenicus-the one and only

Ashkihyena

J-Fro

Mavwick

J-Fro

TOCATL

@DanteODiabo:Nice :) I hope it rings true, and ofc benefit the nation of Brazil as well.

Irenicus-the one and only

[en.wikipedia.org]

Ludwig

Toprem

Erwin

We certainly have free speech according to the constituiton just like any other country but, we have lots of retarded people, specially in the government and the judiciary power. It'll be just a matter of time until this absurd law is revogued.

Oh, and for the people who doesn't know: Doom, Duke 3D and Mortal Kombat are already banned here. But NOBODY remembers that they're banned. :P

Btw, sorry about my broken english.

Lider

How did I disrespect a whole nation with that comment?

The nation disrespected its own people. Thanks.

EnigmaNemesis

DanteODiabo

Garro

that movie is creating some oscar buzz already.
movies really do write themselves.

globones

-----

"Kotaku Brazilian Connection"? Eu quero fazer parte disso também!

Shunma

Draconis

garr85

Instead Videogames are getting banned? Seriously, wtf!?

Klappstuhl

Erwin

Brazil, why dont you pursue your many real criminals instead of the fictional ones.

globones

Ashurahori

Now something completly off-topic, I own a lot of stockbonds etc in Brazil and I heard that Brazil may have discovered a great source of Oil off the coast or something, anyone know if this is true? And if it is a great find? I love to know :)

Irenicus-the one and only

Soldrak

Way to disrespect a whole nation :3

Brazil's president was elected regardless of not having the vote of the 20% "richest" population..

If there's anything wrong with the brazilian politics it's the people "pessimistic" point of view towards it and not lack of democracy or how the system works.

Regarding the subject, we have 3 powers, one created this and some other will rule it out, just like in any democractic nation.

Ludwig

Look, the judge decision is completely unconstitutional. My brother is a federal prosecutor (but can't mess with this part of the law) and I can assure you that only takes a not-so-dumb judge or prosecutor to read this news and take some action.

There are dumb judges everywhere in the world, Brazil is not an exception. I'm just glad we don't have ministers bitching about lesbian alien sex in Mass Effect.

:)

desacocheio

comedy

TOCATL

After a successful raid on a Counter Strike den, PROCON is hit with a crisis of conscience: why is he striking down 12 year olds? Why is he restricting consumer choice when he is an arm of consumer advocacy? As he learned during the brief altercation, these children had gleaned nothing of military tactics from Counter Strike. His superiors, not these children, were becoming a threat to democracy.

I'd watch it.

Linvega

master.of.the.bus

This is just politics .. NO measure will ever be taken to enforce this, they have bigger issues to deal with .. this is just to win votes from neurotical mothers. Same as what has been happening in many states of USA, Germany and others..

Ludwig

MoutinhoWaters

Such ridiculous. People from Brazil should feel stupid at this moment.
The country famous by the abusive taxes and corrupt politicians and carnival.
I think games such as educational games will be banned too soon, because they will teach how to think and that is dangerous for such government that STEAL money from POOR people to put on ASS, or better, inside underwear.

While this Brazil has killing numbers like countries on civil war.... Thanks Brazilian government to be so S T U P I D!

master.of.the.bus

[fotos.sapo.pt]

Sadly, you would have to be portuguese to "get it"... ^_^

Shiryu

jfreela

@seiryuu: @tocatl: Thanks for the info :)

Irenicus-the one and only

Of course silly, guns don't kill people, virtual game guns do!

EnigmaNemesis

4dSwissCheese

J-Fro

DanteODiabo

[www.reuters.com]

But from Brazil, who claims to have "democracy", it is sad!

EnigmaNemesis

TOCATL

blackadvent

-EDGE-

Seiryuu

Ne´fast
1. Wicked

[www.thefreedictionary.com]

EnigmaNemesis

Ok CS I can see but evercrack?

Witzbold

Oh wait!

EnigmaNemesis

Michael McWhertor

jkl567

Viva La Resistance!

EnigmaNemesis

kw4k

theboyfrombrasil

Krondonian

The next thing we will hear is that they banned Pokemon because it encourages cock fighting and that they banned Viva Pinata because it encourages unethical treatment of pinatas.

Lstormy10

WTG Brazil!.

In all honesty tho, this is obscene, disturbing, disappointing and well, it boggles the mind to think that a judiciary would ban stuff like this, or that a society would put up with it.

Wonder what should be blamed for it!.

Seiryuu

Nevertheless, as a pledge of my solidarity to my Brazilian gamers, I shall tonight play World of Warcraft and COD4, both spiritual successors to the newly banned games. We shall not be broken!

baberg

Federal courts aye? I thought Brazil had a constitution, I guess not...

PS: What does "Nefast" mean?

Irenicus-the one and only

LOL!

This is just sick.

EnigmaNemesis

all those politiciens ... they got nothing to do

don't tell me that geeks sitting in front of a computer playing video games is really dangerous

Waza

off topic: broken english hurts my brain >_<

kw4k

These guys aren't advocates, they're censors.

CyberSkull

Mr.SithNinja

Pr1vate_D0nut

Krondonian

Cutting carrots in the kitchen teaches me how to use knives... BAN!

DigitalHero

TOCATL

I can think of a few games in the past year or two that'd make that judge eat a bullet.

Moonshadow101

Fyren

Azures

Ashkihyena

DigitalHero