E.$.A.

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) earlier today announced that it filed a motion to the U.S. Supreme Court for reimbursement of $1.1 million in attorneys’ fees from the State of California.

The motion follows the Supreme Court’s decision in favor of ESA in Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association/Entertainment Software Association. On June 27, 2011, the Court ruled that a 2005 California law regulating the distribution of computer and video games was unconstitutional, and violated protected expression, upholding the decisions of both lower courts. The decision was a landmark victory for the First Amendment rights of video game creators, parents, and consumers.

“We look forward to moving forward and working together to raise awareness about the valuable tools and information available to parents,” said Michael D. Gallagher, CEO of the ESA, the trade association representing U.S. computer and video game publishers. “From the start of this misguided legislation, then-Governor Schwarzenegger and specific California legislators knew that their efforts to censor and restrict expression were, as court after court ruled, unconstitutional and thus a waste of taxpayers’ money, government time, and state resources.”

In the motion to recover its attorneys’ fees, ESA argued that “California persisted in defending a law that Plaintiffs warned the Legislature was unconstitutional before it was passed; that was previously found to be unconstitutional by the district court and a unanimous panel of the Ninth Circuit; and that is similar to at least eight other laws invalidated as unconstitutional prior to the time that California sought certiorari in this case.”

Gallagher stated that the video game industry still welcomes the opportunity to work with legislators in raising awareness about the Entertainment Rating Software Board (ESRB) video game rating system and other tools, like parental controls, that the industry voluntarily provides to parents. That information helps parents make informed choices about the entertainment for their families. The ESRB independently rates computer and video games and was lauded by the Federal Trade Commission as the gold standard of entertainment ratings systems.

The U.S. video game trade association also noted its commitment to partnering with retailers in enforcing the ESRB system.  In a recent study, the FTC found that the vast majority of children (about 87 percent) who tried to buy M-rated games were prevented by retailers from doing so — a figure higher than any other entertainment industry.

Killing Floor

Killing Floor is a cooperative, survival-horror shooter developed and published by Tripwire Interactive.  It runs on the heavily modified Unreal Engine 2.5, and is only playable on PC and Mac.

 It was released May 2009, and was one of the highest-selling games on Steam shortly after its release.  It is currently available on Steam's Summer Deal for $7.50.  This amazing deal comes complete with all the additional content (DLC) offered, including all the character costume packs for significantly reduced prices.

The basis of this game's appeal is in its simplicity.  You can't help but enjoy it, despite its miniscule redundancies and obvious imperfections.  Players find a server, team up, and commence through ten waves of increasingly difficult fights, culminating in a fight with the top specimen, the 'Patriarch'.

On the surface, Killing Floor appears to have much in common with Nazi-Zombies from the Call of Duty series.  The 'zombies' (specimens) can sniff you out - wherever you hide, and it's up to you and your teammates to formulate a survivable strategy.

Players earn money by defeating zombies and surviving waves.  Between each wave, a trader offers some assistance in the form of flamethrowers, shotguns, shields, grenades, and an assortment of automatic rifles.  Players are able to 'trade' their money for more advanced and practical weaponry, in order to even the odds.  Players can also trade equipment, in order to keep the teams' weaker links goal oriented and ready to assist.

Killing Floor has won several awards since its release.  Voodoo Extreme's Reader Choice Awards nominated the game 'Overall Best PC Game of 2009', 'Best PC Shooter of 2009', and 'Best PC Game Expansion of 2009'.

Steam's Summer Sale will not be going on much longer, so I urge game fanatics to take advantage of their exceptional deals.  With some games discounted as much as 80%, Steam is truly setting high standards for competition.  While consoles are breaking the bank and picking the pockets of their devoted customers, the Steam powerhouse is providing more fun at considerably less expense.

Uncharted Bundle

Why spend so much money on pieces of games?  Release titles rarely include the entire game, with DLC becoming more and more common as games continue to contain less and less inaugural gameplay.  This not only affects gamers wallets, but also their affinity towards buying newly released games.

Bundle packs are becoming the more economic way to play old games.  Titles like 'Gears of War', 'Fallout' and 'God of War' are currently released with 'Game of the Year' editions that include all of the combined extra content for a fraction of the price featured upon initial release.  Disenfranchised gamers can abuse this privilege to save some money, and still experience the entirety of awesomeness that developers had originally intended en masse.

Soon enough, Uncharted star Nathan Drake will have his very own bundle pack.  This will include both games; Uncharted 1 and 2, and will also include a PS3 theme and avatar.  Although this release has (so far) only been announced for Europe, the States should see their bundle very soon!

Team Fortress' Uber Update

Team Fortress 2 has become a supremely renowned first-person shooter.  Developed by Valve and released almost 4 years ago, it still has a tremendous following.   This is due, in part, to the plethora of updates and additional content that TF2 has seen since its release.

With an update agenda that is second to none, the cartoon-influenced, Steam-powered multiplayer action is persistently being overhauled with supplementary features like weapons, wardrobes and abilities.  The gameplay has truly changed dramatically, for better or worse, in the past 4 years.

Valve recently announced an Uber update that is described as "the most ambitious update in the history of Team Fortress 2".  Complete with new maps and class packs (including new weapons and attire), this is sure to rebound disenfranchised players and garner a whole new demographic!  Can the popularity of this game hold strong for another four years?

A New Kombatant Approaches!

The Bloodthirsty Skarlet will join Mortal Kombat's colorful cast of killers!

Originating as a coding glitch for Kitana in Mortal Kombat 2, Skarlet is familiar to die-hard fans of the series.   As of June 21, she will be available on the X-Box Live marketplace for 400 Microsoft Points ($5).
 
The magnitude of her moves, which apparently involve even more blood-splattering techniques, are sure to blend seamlessly into the current maelstrom of Midway mayhem.  With Skarlet's exceptionally brutal and blood-spewing move set, it's difficult to tell whose blood you're covered in!  Watch her story!

Gears 3 Special Edition Console

For the past couple of years, Microsoft has made a tradition of correlating highly anticipated release titles with matching accessories to boost hype and sales.  This became particularly common with the Halo series - as controllers, headsets, other accessories, and even consoles themselves would don a plethora of designs and illustrations taken from the game's universe.


This was also seen with the Call of Duty series, and is becoming universal with today's more action-packed shooters.

Microsoft recently announced  a special edition Gears of war 3 console and controller package.  The console itself features a 320 gB hard drive, and will be accompanied with 2 limited edition controllers.  Including a headset, and a copy of Gears of War 3, it will be available September 20 for $399! 

If you are happy with your console, then the controllers are available separately for $59 a piece.

Check out some awesome Gears 3 gameplay!

Zelda turns 25!

Nintendo revealed their concept for Zelda's 25th birthday at E3 this year, and it includes quite a few new adventures for our little green-clad friend, Link.

This year, they will be shipping a new Zelda title for each platform!

This Zelda promotion kicked off June 7,  when Link's Awakening was released for the Gameboy Color.

Nintendo's 3DS will see an enhanced Ocarina of Time.  This rendition will include many additional gameplay modes;  including the Master Quest, boss challenges, and helpful hint movies for the game's more frustrating puzzles.

In September, a new Four Swords title for the DSi will become available for FREE, and will feature the familiar 4-player co-op gameplay. 

Lastly, the Nintendo Wii will find a new Link adventure in Skyward Sword.  The game will utilize the Wii's MotionPlus system, with a revised sword-fighting and targeting design.

Nintendo, and Zelda series fans alike are sure to get their fill of adventures in celebration of 25 years of one of video game's most celebrated and well-known characters.  Nintendo promises that there is still 'more to come'.