Brazil Bans Everquest; Counterstrike - Welcome to 1999!

korodullin

So, in a truly bizarre move, Brazil ordered a ban on Everquest (the original, as far as I can tell) and Counter-Strike (also the original, not Source?) in 2007, but is now being enforced.

Brazil this week imposed a ban on popular role-playing computer games "Counter-Strike" and "EverQuest," claiming they incited violence and were "harmful to consumers' health."

The federal prohibition on the sale of the games was being applied across the country, the official consumer protection agency in the central state of Goias said on its website Thursday.

What's interesting is that as far as the article says, the ban was only on the sale of the games. What about playing them? Is that banned too? Is the restriction on sales just for brick and mortar shops, or does it apply to online sales as well? I mean, the original EQ has been no-cost to obtain for ages. Just download a trial. Does this also apply to EQ2 and CS:S, or what? So much clarification needed.

The ban was ordered in October 2007 by a Brazilian federal court, but was not immediately implemented.

The judge, Carlos Alberto Simoes, ruled that the games encouraged "the subversion of public order, were an attack against the democratic state and the law and against public security.

"... an attack against the democratic state and the law ..."? Now I'm just baffled. Do Brazilians typically play online games at net cafes, or in their own homes? If it's the latter, that's some fairly Orwellian stuff.

Any Brazilians out there who can clarify any of this? Is there anything to clarify? What's the deal here?

The_Lightbringer

Not to derail your thread, but I think its interesting to note that just recently, Turkey banned youtube because of allegations they had videos which insulted their nation's founder.

A deeply troubling trend.

korodullin

Well, that's Turkey. They've always been a little weird like that.

MrDelish

I don't think much of anyone in Brazil pays for Counter-Strike.

Heck, they have magazines in normal stores that have the pirated 1.6.

korodullin

I wasn't aware that CS cost anything outside of buying the original Half-Life, which is Cheap as Free™ already anyway. I suppose you could buy CS retail though.

The_Lightbringer

From what I've seen and heard, CS and DOTA make up 80% of brazil's online multiplayer segments.

RockinX

korodullin wrote: »

I wasn't aware that CS cost anything outside of buying the original Half-Life, which is Cheap as Free™ already anyway. I suppose you could buy CS retail though.

In Latin American countries, you can find pirated software and music pretty much in every corner.

A game in LA will cost way more money than it does in developed countries, so piracy is the only way to play most of the time. That's why they're banning these versions, because those are the ones that sell the most here, but I imagine the law also applies to newer versions.

I'm not from Brazil, but I live pretty much close to it, and I have a Brazilian friend, who has confirmed to me that real games are worth more than they should because of taxes.

I don't buy pirated games, I have a collection of real games, but that's because I buy my stuff online. It takes about a month for me to receive it, but it's better than paying 200 dollars for a new Wii game.

korodullin

Well if you have a Brazilian friend, what's the deal here? What sparked this sudden legislature? Is it really enforceable? Does it even make a difference?

I'm just pretty intrigued here.

Couscous

RockinX wrote: »

korodullin wrote: »

I wasn't aware that CS cost anything outside of buying the original Half-Life, which is Cheap as Freeâ„¢ already anyway. I suppose you could buy CS retail though.

In Latin American countries, you can find pirated software and music pretty much in every corner.

A game in LA will cost way more money than it does in developed countries, so piracy is the only way to play most of the time. That's why they're banning these versions, because those are the ones that sell the most here, but I imagine the law also applies to newer versions.

I'm not from Brazil, but I live pretty much close to it, and I have a Brazilian friend, who has confirmed to me that real games are worth more than they should because of taxes.

Consoles are also extremely expensive. Wikipedia says that the Wii costs the equivalent of 1,110 dollars.

MrDelish

I read this and even though I understand portuguese I can't really pass over what the main judge said. It's something to the effect of (warning: jargon): "the games stimulate subversion (?) to social order (??), and are against the democratic state and public security, necessitating its removal from the market."

Uh, right. Even being able to fluently speak the language, I just could not grasp what he was really trying to say.

Bibble

Wow, what the fuck?

MrDelish

Also, they banned the sales of these games but not the use thereof.

So, nothing will happen. I don't think many people play Everquest down there, and anyone who has a computer probably has Counter Strike already.

Seriously, everybody has a copy of this game sitting around somewhere. No LAN house is without it, and there are a ton of LAN houses in any decent sized town/city.

Sueve

titmouse wrote: »

RockinX wrote: »

korodullin wrote: »

I wasn't aware that CS cost anything outside of buying the original Half-Life, which is Cheap as Freeâ„¢ already anyway. I suppose you could buy CS retail though.

In Latin American countries, you can find pirated software and music pretty much in every corner.

A game in LA will cost way more money than it does in developed countries, so piracy is the only way to play most of the time. That's why they're banning these versions, because those are the ones that sell the most here, but I imagine the law also applies to newer versions.

I'm not from Brazil, but I live pretty much close to it, and I have a Brazilian friend, who has confirmed to me that real games are worth more than they should because of taxes.

Consoles are also extremely expensive. Wikipedia says that the Wii costs the equivalent of 1,110 dollars.

The real question is, is selling a Wii really worth 250 dollars? No. It costs that much because of who makes it. With reasonable labor laws in the countries that make the systems, they would cost much much more, its just the west gets to have the cheap goods without the cheap labor.

LewieP

Gee, I sure hope no one there gets caught pirating music with napster, or downloading games from suprnova.

Retarded_Turkey

LewieP wrote: »

Gee, I sure hope no one there gets caught pirating music with napster, or downloading games from suprnova.

Wha...? Oh....oh. I get it8-)

Sueve

Retarded_Turkey wrote: »

LewieP wrote: »

Gee, I sure hope no one there gets caught pirating music with napster, or downloading games from suprnova.

Wha...? Oh....oh. I get it8-)

my exact thoughts.

Couscous

Sueve wrote: »

titmouse wrote: »

RockinX wrote: »

korodullin wrote: »

I wasn't aware that CS cost anything outside of buying the original Half-Life, which is Cheap as Freeâ„¢ already anyway. I suppose you could buy CS retail though.

In Latin American countries, you can find pirated software and music pretty much in every corner.

A game in LA will cost way more money than it does in developed countries, so piracy is the only way to play most of the time. That's why they're banning these versions, because those are the ones that sell the most here, but I imagine the law also applies to newer versions.

I'm not from Brazil, but I live pretty much close to it, and I have a Brazilian friend, who has confirmed to me that real games are worth more than they should because of taxes.

Consoles are also extremely expensive. Wikipedia says that the Wii costs the equivalent of 1,110 dollars.

The real question is, is selling a Wii really worth 250 dollars? No. It costs that much because of who makes it. With reasonable labor laws in the countries that make the systems, they would cost much much more, its just the west gets to have the cheap goods without the cheap labor.

Ummm, no. All of the consoles are produced in cheap ass places. It would cost about 270 dollars without the insane taxes in Brazil.

Sueve

titmouse wrote: »

Sueve wrote: »

titmouse wrote: »

RockinX wrote: »

korodullin wrote: »

I wasn't aware that CS cost anything outside of buying the original Half-Life, which is Cheap as Freeâ„¢ already anyway. I suppose you could buy CS retail though.

In Latin American countries, you can find pirated software and music pretty much in every corner.

A game in LA will cost way more money than it does in developed countries, so piracy is the only way to play most of the time. That's why they're banning these versions, because those are the ones that sell the most here, but I imagine the law also applies to newer versions.

I'm not from Brazil, but I live pretty much close to it, and I have a Brazilian friend, who has confirmed to me that real games are worth more than they should because of taxes.

Consoles are also extremely expensive. Wikipedia says that the Wii costs the equivalent of 1,110 dollars.

The real question is, is selling a Wii really worth 250 dollars? No. It costs that much because of who makes it. With reasonable labor laws in the countries that make the systems, they would cost much much more, its just the west gets to have the cheap goods without the cheap labor.

Ummm, no. All of the consoles are produced in cheap ass places. It would cost about 270 dollars without the insane taxes in Brazil.

Yeah, I was just wondering how much they would cost if they wern't produced in "cheap ass places"...

Vash108

Doesn't Germany have pretty hefty requirements on their games as well?

Metalbourne

Ha! And everyone says the United States is a shitty place to live in!

Deviant Hands

I knew Germany was fucking crazy with video games when they made Ultima Online remove the ability for players to cook dead player body parts into "people jerky" and eat them.

BlueDestiny

Deviant Hands wrote: »

I knew Germany was fucking crazy with video games when they made Ultima Online remove the ability for players to cook dead player body parts into "people jerky" and eat them.

Perhaps they feared an e-Wendigo attack?