2010 Game Business Law Summit registration opens

Registration for 2010 Game::Business::Law Summit is now via game-business-law.com for those interested in this legally focused game business conference hosted by SMU Dedman School of Law, The Guildhall at SMU, and The Center for American and International Law. Taking place January 27-28, 2010, at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX., 2010 Game::Business::Law Summit promises to bring top game industry leaders, developers, publishers, lawyers and members of the venture capital and financial industry from around the world to discuss current business trends and legal issues in the games industry.

The 2009 Game::Business::Law Summit, organizers also announced its initial slate of notable speakers:

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EA signs APB distribution deal

Electronic Arts will be the distributor of record for Realtime World’s upcoming gang themed MMO, All Points Bulletin, the company announced at its E3 press conference. EA will handle distribution and marketing in North America and Europe, while Realtime Worlds will handle the game when it launches. The game will be released in early 2010.

In case you didn’t know, Realtime Worlds was founded by David Jones, creator of Lemmings, Grand Theft Auto 1 & 2 and Crackdown. Realtime Worlds’ latest project takes the universal theme of crime and punishment as players choose sides as either a law enforcement agent or a gang member. This is all mixed into a persistent, open world multiplayer setting in a modern, crime-ridden city.

APB is set in an open-world urban environment where fame, fortune and a fair amount of violence awaits players. Some players will achieve this by feeding on the city, its people and its businesses as one of its many criminals. Some will live by a higher code and do everything in their power to bring justice to those players who are on the wrong side of the law. Besides the law of the street or the law of the land, players will have access to a customization system that lets them personalize their identity, looks, clothing, vehicles and even music.

Find out more about APB at www.apb.com.

Texas Targets Sex Offenders’ Gaming Identities

The Texas State Senate is proposing a bill that would force sex offenders in the state to reveal their online aliases to law enforcement - including those related to video game systems like the Xbox Live Gamertags and Facebook names, etc. Basically any screen name used online would have to be disclosed to law enforcement and possibly social networking sites and video game console makers. This extra information would not be disclosed to the public.

The additional information would not be made public but would be available to law enforcement and social-networking sites, and presumably, video game companies. This gives companies the ability reject people from joining based on their inclusion on the list. The bill, introduced by Sen. Florence Shapiro, is headed to a vote by the Texas House, and should it pass, the governor’s desk.

The bill was introduced by Sen. Florence Shapiro, and is already headed for a vote in the Texas House of Representatives.

Source

Utah Attorney General: Bring It On, Thompson!

Snap, snap! It’s already been brought! No this is not the beginning of a cheer-off between former lawyer turned unemployed activist Jack Thompson and currently employed Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff - if only, right? Speaking to Game Politics (better known as JTNN), The AG of Utah brushes off some recent Thompson threats to “proceed” if his office doesn’t “take action against major retailers like Best Buy, Target and Wal-mart for alleged sales of Grand Theft Auto IV to minors.”

Here’s the full measure of Mark Shurtleff had to say (the most important part to us, anyway):

.. I’m not concerned about his threats of impeachments or lawsuits or anything else. I just won reelection by 70% of the vote and he himself is facing his own troubles out there [in Florida]. So, whatever, bring it on, Jack. I’m really not going to give it much thought, frankly.”

And there we are.. but with all due respect to the Utah AG, you’re not doing a very good job of ignoring him.

The Rundown: Jan. 28, 2009

Today on The Rundown a brand new Boom Blox game is revealed, Ubisoft reveals new Prince or Persia DLC, YS: Book I & II is delayed and a NY politician introduces a bill that hopes will put video games in a lock box - much like Al Gore promised to do with Social Security. Read it all after the jump.

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ECA Takes on Baca Bill

A bill currently being pushed by Rep. Joe Baca (D-CA) proposing health warning-style labels like those found on cigarettes and alcohol is now being opposed by the Entertainment Consumers Association. The bill, which is based on a non-existent link between violent behavior and video games (a link that has yet to be established by any studies that I know of) proposes that the federal government label games with health warnings. What these labels would say is anyone’s guess.

This is certainly not the first time such warning labels have been proposed: in the 90’s in the wake of the Columbine school shootings, many politicians, disturbed by the brutality of the crime and the alleged link to video games like Doom, called for a similar labeling of games and movies. That bill went nowhere, and this one most certainly will go about as far.

Why the lack of concern? Because politicians not keeping their eyes on the prize will look pretty foolish.. While Baca “plays games” with oddball bills others know that there are serious matters before this country like unemployment, record foreclosures and a mortgage crisis that continues to spiral out of control.

For its part, the ECA is doing what it usually does in these matters: mobilizing its members and encouraging others to join in and contact their representatives to voice their disdain. If you’d like to get involved, visit the ECA web site.

Jack Thompson Disbarred

It’s official: anti-game Florida-based attorney Jack Thompson is an attorney no more in the Sunshine State, after the Supreme Court handed down the final decision on his disbarment case. And this disbarment isn’t for five years, ten years or even twenty years - it’s for life.

I could write about how Jack Thompson filed an emergency motion last week prior to this judgment being handed down, or that Thompson calls this decision retribution, but I’m not going to bother. To be honest, writing a story with his name in the headline is a waste of your time and mine. Here is a taste from a press release Thompson issued today after the jump:

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