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.
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Posted 03/20/10 at 10:32pm
Aliasalpha: Ding dong the witch is dead eh? Maybe we'll finally be treated as adults here and women can have small tits again!
Aliasalpha: Ding dong the witch is dead eh? Maybe we'll finally be treated as adults here and women can have small tits again!
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:28pm
JDKJ: Survey says no opinion either way. But approval is high among wombats.
JDKJ: Survey says no opinion either way. But approval is high among wombats.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:25pm
BearDogg-X: JDKJ: What does the wallabies and crocodiles think of Skippy?
BearDogg-X: JDKJ: What does the wallabies and crocodiles think of Skippy?
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:24pm
Andrew Eisen: Beardogg-X - Not staunchly, no. However, only one AG has gone on record as supporting an R18+ rating. The rest either stated no position or declined to comment.
Andrew Eisen: Beardogg-X - Not staunchly, no. However, only one AG has gone on record as supporting an R18+ rating. The rest either stated no position or declined to comment.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:23pm
JDKJ: Of 437 koala bears surveyed, 420 disagree with choice of Skippy for interim AG.
JDKJ: Of 437 koala bears surveyed, 420 disagree with choice of Skippy for interim AG.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:21pm
BearDogg-X: With Atkinson stepping down, the question now becomes was there any other AG besides him that was against R18+? His stepping down does make R18+ more likely to be approved.
BearDogg-X: With Atkinson stepping down, the question now becomes was there any other AG besides him that was against R18+? His stepping down does make R18+ more likely to be approved.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:18pm
Andrew Eisen: Well, Adelaide readers seem pleased with Atkinson's decision. 420 out of 437.
Andrew Eisen: Well, Adelaide readers seem pleased with Atkinson's decision. 420 out of 437.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:15pm
JDKJ: BREAKING: Vacant Aussie AG post to be filled by Skippy, the Bush Kangaroo.
JDKJ: BREAKING: Vacant Aussie AG post to be filled by Skippy, the Bush Kangaroo.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:12pm
Andrew Eisen: Flamespeak - Gamecube and Xbox came out in late 2001 with contollers pretty similar to the Dual Shock. You never know thoug. This Fall may be when the standard controller changes from the Dual Shock to a motion wand. *shudder*
Andrew Eisen: Flamespeak - Gamecube and Xbox came out in late 2001 with contollers pretty similar to the Dual Shock. You never know thoug. This Fall may be when the standard controller changes from the Dual Shock to a motion wand. *shudder*
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:09pm
Flamespeak: at a quicker rate these days.
Flamespeak: at a quicker rate these days.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:09pm
Flamespeak: I believe that was launched in the first part of 1998. 2 years seems kind of fast too, but then again the world seems to move
Flamespeak: I believe that was launched in the first part of 1998. 2 years seems kind of fast too, but then again the world seems to move
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:05pm
Andrew Eisen: Flamespeak - Not when you consider Sony's been using the same controller since the PS1.
Andrew Eisen: Flamespeak - Not when you consider Sony's been using the same controller since the PS1.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:03pm
BearDogg-X: Andrew Eisen: I meant that it won't take as many people to change their votes next election. Besides that, it's become a moot point now that he's stepping down as AG as soon as the election's over.
BearDogg-X: Andrew Eisen: I meant that it won't take as many people to change their votes next election. Besides that, it's become a moot point now that he's stepping down as AG as soon as the election's over.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:02pm
Flamespeak: Seems kind of early considering the PS2 didn't launch until well into 2000.
Flamespeak: Seems kind of early considering the PS2 didn't launch until well into 2000.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:01pm
Andrew Eisen: Fleamespeak - I'd say since around the turn of the century.
Andrew Eisen: Fleamespeak - I'd say since around the turn of the century.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:01pm
BearDogg-X: BREAKING NEWS: Atkinson will step down as South Australia Attorney-General; will remain in Parliament
BearDogg-X: BREAKING NEWS: Atkinson will step down as South Australia Attorney-General; will remain in Parliament
Posted 03/20/10 at 09:59pm
Andrew Eisen: BearDogg-X - Not sure what your point about Atkinson having only 8500 votes is, seeing as that's around 65% (of the total votes counted at the time).
Andrew Eisen: BearDogg-X - Not sure what your point about Atkinson having only 8500 votes is, seeing as that's around 65% (of the total votes counted at the time).
Posted 03/20/10 at 09:57pm
Flamespeak: I remember when the NES controller held that honor and the stand alone one button joystick before that.
Flamespeak: I remember when the NES controller held that honor and the stand alone one button joystick before that.
Posted 03/20/10 at 09:56pm
Flamespeak: artistic rendering of things associated with gaming? Even GP has a rough version of one in their logo.
Flamespeak: artistic rendering of things associated with gaming? Even GP has a rough version of one in their logo.
Posted 03/20/10 at 09:56pm
Flamespeak: Just out of curiosity, when did the PS2 controller become the 'standard' for video game controller representation in most
Flamespeak: Just out of curiosity, when did the PS2 controller become the 'standard' for video game controller representation in most
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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.
I'm all for freedom of ttnet vitamin speech and allowing rent a car game makers to put whatever they want in games, but there's one thing about this app that has me scratching my head. Correct me if I'm wrong, but from araç kiralama the previous article araba kiralama on this I gathered that players can use Google maps in-game to find the other (real-life?) dealers in their area. If this is the case, has travesti anyone considered what's stopping someone from using this app to actually move drugs between hands for reals?
Thanks good job;
Btw, I think Atari and Midway will drop out too, but mostly travesti because these guys have done nothing travesti or little and need to start saving costs. and dizi izle
YES.
Now I don't have to get off my ass for the important shit anymore!
Whats next, ordering pizza from Xbox live?
Wait... I think that sounds like a good idea.
But I think voting should MAKE you get off your ass, and see outside or a second while you go vote. I mean, your picking the president of the United States of America for God's Sake... least you can do is drive down there and punch out a card.
www.digiturkbasvuru.org digiturk
Thanks good job;
Btw, I think Atari and Midway will drop out too, but mostly digiturk because these guys have done nothing digiturk başvuru or little and need to halı yıkama start saving costs. and ankara halı yıkama
YES.
Now I don't have to get off my ass for the important shit anymore!
Whats next, ordering pizza from izmir nakliyat Xbox live? izmir evden eve nakliyat
Wait... I think that sounds like a good idea.
But I think voting should MAKE you get off your ass, sürücü kursu and see outside or a second while you go vote. I mean, your picking the president of the United States sürücü kursları of America for God's Sake... least you can do is drive down there and punch out a card.
I mean, your picking the president of the United States of America for God's Sake... least you can do is drive down there ankara nakliyat and punch out a card. ankara evden eve nakliyat ve nakliyat firmaları