Officially Banned, But God of War 2 Available on Saudi Black Market
Officially Banned, But God of War 2 Available on Saudi Black Market
August 10, 2008
Kotaku reports that PlayStation 2 favorite God of War 2, officially banned by Saudi authorities, is available for purchase on the black market.
In fact, a Saudi reader even describes the process to Kotaku in great detail. It seems that a local mall peddles GoW2 discs concealed inside shrinkwrapped boxes for other games. In the instance described, GoW2 was covered up by box art showing Winning Eleven 7, a several years-old soccer sim. (see pic)
GP: It's nice to see that Saudi gamers aren't totally limited in their choices. And we hope that the store clerk still has possession of his thumbs now that this info is public.
A PUBLICATION OF THE ECA
SUBSCRIBE
LOGINGamePolitics ShoutBox
Posted 12/01/08 at 10:50pm
d.vel.oper: @sql: Messaged. Though I do so enjoy geeking up the shoutbox.
d.vel.oper: @sql: Messaged. Though I do so enjoy geeking up the shoutbox.
Posted 12/01/08 at 10:49pm
PHX Corp: No, not at all
PHX Corp: No, not at all
Posted 12/01/08 at 10:49pm
sqlrob: @PHX: Is that one of the signs of the apocalypse?
sqlrob: @PHX: Is that one of the signs of the apocalypse?
Posted 12/01/08 at 10:44pm
PHX Corp: Bill o'reilly finally advocated commonsense concerning violent Video Games (He said that parents need to watch out what their children play)
PHX Corp: Bill o'reilly finally advocated commonsense concerning violent Video Games (He said that parents need to watch out what their children play)
Posted 12/01/08 at 10:43pm
sqlrob: @d.vel.oper: Do you have any networking experience? Private message me, this nick on LiveJournal so we can talk in more detail
sqlrob: @d.vel.oper: Do you have any networking experience? Private message me, this nick on LiveJournal so we can talk in more detail
Posted 12/01/08 at 10:42pm
d.vel.oper: Might have to wait until the New Year, finances, etc.
d.vel.oper: Might have to wait until the New Year, finances, etc.
Posted 12/01/08 at 10:42pm
d.vel.oper: I'm in Central Florida, but since the job sounds fun, I wouldn't be against relocation.
d.vel.oper: I'm in Central Florida, but since the job sounds fun, I wouldn't be against relocation.
Posted 12/01/08 at 10:39pm
sqlrob: @@d.vel.oper: Where are you? We're in Austin
sqlrob: @@d.vel.oper: Where are you? We're in Austin
Posted 12/01/08 at 10:37pm
d.vel.oper: @sqlrob: Always looking, always hooking :P I didn't finish college, and haven't worked on any big projects. But I love hooking.
d.vel.oper: @sqlrob: Always looking, always hooking :P I didn't finish college, and haven't worked on any big projects. But I love hooking.
Posted 12/01/08 at 10:35pm
sqlrob: @d.vel.oper: You looking for a job? Where I work thef first thought for fixing something is hooking.
sqlrob: @d.vel.oper: You looking for a job? Where I work thef first thought for fixing something is hooking.
Posted 12/01/08 at 10:35pm
d.vel.oper: So you can write JS scripts that use the Steam API, kinda like plugins and such.
d.vel.oper: So you can write JS scripts that use the Steam API, kinda like plugins and such.
Posted 12/01/08 at 10:34pm
sqlrob: @d.vel.oper: I don't trust squat at ring 0. If it can't install as non-privileged user, I don't want it (games)
sqlrob: @d.vel.oper: I don't trust squat at ring 0. If it can't install as non-privileged user, I don't want it (games)
Posted 12/01/08 at 10:34pm
d.vel.oper: ...basically, a Steam extender.
d.vel.oper: ...basically, a Steam extender.
Posted 12/01/08 at 10:34pm
d.vel.oper: I'm working on mucking about with Steam right now. Writing a multi-hook with a JavaScript (Google V8) scripting engine...
d.vel.oper: I'm working on mucking about with Steam right now. Writing a multi-hook with a JavaScript (Google V8) scripting engine...
Posted 12/01/08 at 10:33pm
d.vel.oper: Usually via my own C++ code, and ASM stubs.
d.vel.oper: Usually via my own C++ code, and ASM stubs.
Posted 12/01/08 at 10:32pm
d.vel.oper: So I do alot of RE, and run-time code modification.
d.vel.oper: So I do alot of RE, and run-time code modification.
Posted 12/01/08 at 10:32pm
d.vel.oper: @sqlrob: I mainly subvert game cheat protections, which are basically rootkits themselves.
d.vel.oper: @sqlrob: I mainly subvert game cheat protections, which are basically rootkits themselves.
Posted 12/01/08 at 10:14pm
sqlrob: I've written POC malware that AV wouldn't have a chance against, never mind the deals copy protection have made with them.
sqlrob: I've written POC malware that AV wouldn't have a chance against, never mind the deals copy protection have made with them.
Posted 12/01/08 at 10:09pm
sqlrob: @d.vel.oper: Most of what I did was user space, a little kernel.. Lots of RE, both of Windows and malware
sqlrob: @d.vel.oper: Most of what I did was user space, a little kernel.. Lots of RE, both of Windows and malware
Posted 12/01/08 at 09:51pm
Michael Chandra: @sqlrob: Except for that many of the old and new games I like will be spread around so much that 6 consoles is more expensive.
Michael Chandra: @sqlrob: Except for that many of the old and new games I like will be spread around so much that 6 consoles is more expensive.
Copyright © 2007 ECA. All rights reserved.
Game Politics and Game Politics logo are trademarks of the ECA.
Game Politics and Game Politics logo are trademarks of the ECA.
Comments
That is genious. :D
Hey, that's a clever trick. Let's hope the Saudi government is none the wiser now that Kotaku has revealed this info.
But I can only imagine the black market deals... buy two copies of God of War 2, and get your choice of an AK47 or an RPG at half-off this Sunday!
Except I'm fairly certain that a Kalashnikov wouldn't need to be on the black market there... Maybe the RPG-7, but not the Kalashnikov.
Careful, I think I hear the PC police coming
And no one notices that Jacky Boy is just like them banning things in the name of God.
The reason they banned the game in Saudi Arabia is, well... the Boobs. But no one expects boobs in a 6 year old Football game, noo the boobs would be too pixelatted.
Nice to see gamers are still finding ways to get by, even in a theocratic state controled by Islamic fascists.
Viva la Resistance and all that jazz.
In Saudi Arabia do female gamers have to have a man play co-op to be able to play XBL?
(they can't go outside without a male escort)
In some country in the Middle East, a man divorced his wife for being alone in a room with another man: the tv news reporter
Most likely saudi arabia. They are by far the most repressive of women since the Taliban has come out of power in Afghanistan. Egypt is a close second though, honor killings are still all the rage there.
Just wondering if twatface Thompson tried to get God of War banned because of the tits then cause that would count him as gay.
Not news really. Banning something can never work 100%, and can only make the product more attractive to people. A ban will always result in a lucrative black market, and protects nobody.
well, bans CAN discourage people from seeking out the product if the penalty is stiff enough, but otherwise what you say is true (and, really, how stiff a penalty can you possibly have for owning a 2-3 year old game with a 30-second-long nudity sequence?)
(and, really, how stiff a penalty can you possibly have for owning a 2-3 year old game with a 30-second-long nudity sequence?)
death.
Exactly what would happen if a certain soon to be ex-lawyer's wet dreams came true. Prohibition anyone?
Ugh don't mention that twatface but yeah I'll feel sorry for you guys in the US...
This is what we'd have to do in the US if most of the anti game politicians had their way.
Exactly. Outlawing something won't eliminate it, just make it go underground. It happened with prohibition, it will happen with this
Err I'm not so sure about that.
See alcohol is kinda easy to make and the demand for it is a lot higher than video games. I don't think whole groups of programmers will go underground for months and years to deliver a product.
The only way it could work is if you smuggle it from a country where it is legal, which was also done in prohibition.
Funny thing is that according to the history channel when we banned alcohol Canada altered it's own ban on alcohol so that you could produce it only if you were going to export it (like say to U.S. smugglers).
Actually it would be pretty easy for programmers to release PC games, It'd be easy for them to distribute underground indy games. May not be big budget games like are out now, but games would get released.
And I will save enough money and kill off the jerk that started this nonsense... "points to Jack Thompson"
Don't say that he'll take it as a threat (or at least tell the police he felt threatened).
That is unless jack thompson's decides not to be a jerk.
I personally don't care what the prick thinks
Sides I would be too broke to even go there and security is a right bastard atm, sides if he leaves the States to go after me then I can outsmart him (like it's hard)
Ya rly. Besides, JT has nothing to do with this, this is just typical religious zealot BS. Like how the Taliban allowed no games of any kind (even golf).
Sneaky as usual. This reminds me of the recent EGM interview with Kenji Eno. He would sometimes repackage the game in a way that made it through the censors.
It was done with one of his controversial games, D. There were some cannibalistic scenes in it that would normally be censored out. However, he intentionally missed the deadline to submit the master copy of the game for review, so that he can submit it himself by hand.
He turned in a clean copy which was approved, then he had to go bring it to the US to send to 3DO (the company of the console to be released on), where he made a switcheroo with the clean and uncut discs during the flight. The uncut copy was submitted to 3DO and it was put into production.
And in the less blackmarket friendly countries get the games and distribute themmore easily, so what have we laerned? banning dose not work.
I is fuzzy brained mew =^^=
http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/
(in need of a bad overhaul)
Fuck Saudi Gamers. If they're too stupid or lazy to change their country's draconian ideals about freedom of speech, or leave, then fuck em. Let them stay stuck in the dark ages.
You do know that Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy, right? It's not like the people have much choice of what passes as laws.
And if some Saudis do wish for a revolution, it's not stupidity that's keeping them from overthrowing the government. It's fear of being punished by the government (to the point of death).
first
it's not easy to change a law in any country....especily if the law is quoted from a religon...
second
WoW....you really are stupid....i mean you suck even in writing....and the writing is the easiest way to expres your self with out making a fool of your self cuz you don't need to think fast what are you gonna say next like in real lifeConversation...you can take your time and write a smart thing even if you're as stupider then a rock...
that mean you are stupider then a guy that he's stupider then a rock....
wow...Congratulations you took the stupidity to a new level...achivment unlocked....
very nice sites.good.
Basically, the way things are going. Will be ankara nakliyat nice too bee ankara evden eve nakliyat bu sekildeki yerle evden eve nakliyat yapmaları icin evden eve nakliyat sizlerde bu tip çalışma yapmak isterseniz ankara nakliyat başvurabilirsniz. Saç ekimi olması gereken lazer epilasyon ve bububn yanısıra merkezde burun estetiği olmak yanıbasında saç ekimi olması gereken sizlerde saç ekimi saç ekimi merkezleri ankara evden eve yapmakla beraber.Tüp bebek merkezleri olmakla beraber ...
very nice sites.good.very nice sites.good.