Why did Frogster censor its MMO TERA when it seemed like no one was calling for them to do so? We don't know, but Andrew Eisen explores the whole affair in his latest video, and channels perhaps the creepiest person I have ever seen on a YouTube video. You'll know it when you see it.. 

We also discuss the issue in the latest episode of the podcast just for fun...

As always, you can check out all of Andrew's videos on his YouTube channel.

In Episode 4 of the Super Podcast Action Committee, Andrew Eisen and E. Zachary Knight talk about censorship in the European version of Frogster's MMO TERA (check out Andrew's latest YouTube video for some context on the discussion), and the controversy over game cloning - this time involving an iOS game from Ustwo called Papa Quash that copied the mechanics from the popular PlayStation Move title from Die Gute Fabrik - J.S. Joust. 

What do Diablo III, Torchlight II, and Rhode Island have in common? All three get the full attention of the Super PAC this week. In this week's show Andrew and James wonder where Zachary is, talk about the horrors of connecting to Battle.net during the Diablo III launch, and why "always connected" gameplay is for the birds.

Last week FortressCraft creator Adam Sawkins had some colorful words for Minecraft creator Notch and his community after a denial-of-service (DDoS) attack on his game's website took it offline. It also happened to be the day that Minecraft launched on Xbox Live Arcade. Hmmm. He called the police too. 

This week on the podcast we talk with Ben Sawyer, Project Director for Games for Health. Ben gives us a preview of what the event will offer next month and even talks a little bit about the impact of gamification on our privacy.

Andrew Eisen and E. Zachary Knight delve into the fine print of Microsoft's recently announced $99 Xbox 360 and detail why it's not really a good deal for anyone. They also discuss the sorry state of the big three console makers.

Episode #1 of the Super Podcast Action Committee takes on the thorny issue of used games. Why do some developers and publishers hate them so much and why do they think it would be "awesome" if the next generation of home consoles from Sony and Microsoft blocked used games altogether? We try to figure it all out... Hosts Andrew Eisen and E.

Andrew Eisen's latest video is a sequel of sorts to his popular "Nintendo: Why Won't You Let Me Give You My Money?" video,  though this time we find him shirtless, with a kitten, and on a beach.

I will also go out on a limb here and call it the funniest video he's ever made. Enjoy! 

Even though we missed the shenanigans of covering April Fool’s Day this year (it fell on Sunday and it’s rare that companies issue press statements and stories on the weekend - unless there is a trade show or fan event going on somewhere), we liked Andrew Eisen's video so much that we thought we should share it with you.

Andrew shows you what happens when you think you have the most diabolical April Fool’s Day joke ever.

Check out the video to your left, it's vintage Andrew Eisen - and by vintage, I mean completely insane...

Admittedly, I sometimes don't understand Andrew Eisen. Case and point, his latest video. Today is Presidents Day and he decides to release a video about the Monkey Watch game in Rhythm Heaven Fever. Let's just forget all the good works of our first and 16th presidents, and instead concern ourselves with the proper beat to keep in a mini-game about monkeys! 

Since we really love Andrew Eisen and because it's Valentine’s Day, we want to share the love for his brand new video, "How to Drop 15 Pounds, Right Now!" We'll leave the description to Andrew, stolen wholesale from his YouTube channel:

"My Valentine's Day video was going to be nothing short of epic. It had it all: special effects, music, sex, laughs, tears, dancing elephants.

But that didn't work out.

So you get this instead."
 

Andrew Eisen goes out of his way to pay as little money as possible for the latest Humble Bundle promotion in his latest video.

Andrew Eisen gives us a visual representation of how gamers felt when they heard the news that the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) was supporting the Stop Online Piracy Act. Is this the thanks gamers get from the trade group representing the video game industry after all of their hard work in Brown v. EMA?

We'll let you judge for yourselves. This is probably the best video Andrew has ever made, in my humble opinion. Watch it to you left and be sure to stop by Andrew's YouTube Channel to subscribe.

In his latest video, Andrew Eisen responds to a Ken Levine interview on OXM where the lead developer of BioShock Infinite seems baffled as to why fans seem so interested in the assets of Elizabeth - and we're not talking about her eyes here.

You can check out the video to your left or visit Andrew’s YouTube channel..

Andrew Eisen noticed something a little peculiar while playing through Telltale Games' Jurassic Park. Andrew makes an astute observation on the different reactions from a father and a daughter when dinosaurs kill them in Telltale Games' newest title.

We won't spoil it for you - watch the video. The audio and video are pretty awful, but you'll get Andrew's point after watching it.

You can watch all of Andrew's other videos here.

Wait what? The new Professor Layton game from Nintendo does not include the bonus game London Life if you live in Europe. Wait, what? Yes apparently European gamers don't get the bonus content. Our own Andrew Eisen gives us an impression of a European gamer buying the new Layton game to show you the irony of the situation...

Andrew Eisen's YouTube Channel has hit a wonderful 1,000 subscribers, so to celebrate he uses all the suggestions his subscribers sent in for a special MadLib. Unfortunately all of the suggestions for this MadLib were "penis." IF you find that word offensive I don't recommend watching the latest video.

If that word is a regular part of your vocabulary, then watch Andrew's latest and revel in it. And by it, I mean penis.

Congratulations to Andrew for his latest milestone!

In Andrew Eisen's latest video he actually may go bonkers as he contemplates another Legend of Zelda game offering "more than one hundred hours of gameplay." He illustrates the point with Wind Waker. On a personal note, a hundred hours is a drop in the bucket when you are playing Disgaea 4..

If you think that the cease and desist letter Bethesda sent Minecraft developer Mojang over plans to use the word "Scrolls" in its next game is ridiculous, then Andrew Eisen's latest video will make a lot of sense. After all, if one company can go after another for "Scrolls" then they can go after anyone for any other seemingly innocuous or common word. Take the word "the," for example...

In the latest video from our own Andrew Eisen he talks in-depth about the Mega Man conspiracy theory making the rounds. Some believe that Capcom cancelled Mega Man Legends 3 for the 3DS and Mega Man Universe, and omitted the Blue Bomber from the Marvel vs. Capcom 3 roster because Mega Man co-creator Keiji Inafune left the company late last year. You may recall that Inafune made several derogatory statements about the Japanese video game industry prior to his departure, which reflected poorly on him and his employer too.

While everyone else is ranting and raving about Diablo III and having to be "always connected" to Battle.net to play it - even in single player - our very own Andrew Eisen takes a different approach with the following heartfelt letter.

If Blizzard listens, this could be the best Christmas ever! Check out his heartwarming plea to Blizzard to your left or visit YouTube.

Our very own Andrew Eisen is the all-star guest on Episode 014 of the Negative World Podcast (Legend of the Sentient Quesadillas), where he talks about the 3DS price drop, Nintendo's general financial situation, and why people like to play the opposite gender in games that offer the option.

The only complaint I have is with the description of the show and how it describes Andrew as the "Nintendo why won't you take my money?" guy. Around here he's the "why did you ban me from GP?" guy...

Our favorite moderator and all around GamePolitics storm trooper Andrew Eisen offers an interesting rant on Nintendo not releasing games in North America, why it sucks, and why Nintendo and other companies that continue to ignore the global marketplace are losing copious amounts of cash (the rant is appropriately titled "Nintendo: Why Won't You Let Me Give You My Money?").

He even throws in a bit about Brown v. EMA in there to make it slightly relevant.. As a fan of EarthBound (Mother series in Japan) I fully endorse this message. I want Ness now. For some background information on Andrew's rant, you can check out his blog at IGN.

We hope Andrew will do more of these.

An episode of The People's Court litigates a case involving Wii copyright infringement, piracy, and mod chips. But the case isn't really about all that - it's about a guy that wants a couple of hundred bucks over a modding deal gone sour. The judge, the plaintiff and the defendant never grasp the fact that something very illegal is going on here. Luckily for Nintendo, everyone's name is splashed on the screen for more dramatic litigation down the road - should they find out. We have a feeling they probably will..

And frankly, these two guys get what they deserve for going on a nationally syndicated show to fight each other over both committing multiple DMCA violations. Watch the video, be amazed at the stupidity. Thanks to Andrew Eisen's nameless friend who passed this hilarious video along.

Tuesday afternoon, Jack Thompson sent me his press release announcing that he was suing Facebook “for posting “Jack Thompson Groups” that call for his death and physical harm.”

Thompson sent three faxes to Facebook’s CEO demanding the immediate removal of the offending groups but after five weeks had received no response and the groups remained where they were.

I asked Thompson if he had tried simply clicking on the Report Group link (found at the bottom of every Facebook group) or emailing abuse@facebook.com.  According to the Facebook Safety page, complaints submitted via these methods will be addressed within 24 hours and those who email will receive a response within 72 hours detailing what actions, if any, were taken.

He responded by calling me a “total moron.”

So, I browsed Facebook and found about 80 Jack Thompson groups.  Most were of the “I Hate Jack Thompson” or “Jack Thompson is a Douche” variety but I did find three that condoned violence towards the man.  I picked a group called “I will pay $50 to anyone who punches Jack Thompson in the face” and clicked the Report Group link.  Unsurprisingly, the group was removed less than a day later. (Old link to the now deleted group)

Incidentally, this particular group turned out to be the first of four cited in Thompson’s complaint. 

So, you’re welcome, Thompson. 

Glad I could help.
 
-Reporting from San Diego, GamePolitics Senior Correspondent Andrew Eisen...

We often hear publishers bemoan the fact that they don’t see any revenue from used game sales. But is that really true?

In a recent interview with IGN, Game Crazy’s Director of Used Games Marc Mondhaschen says that publishers are reaping benefits from game trade-ins, albeit indirectly:

We did a study not too long ago for a very large vendor who we managed to figure out for them 20 percent of their sales inside the first 28 days were paid for with trade dollars. So you got 20 points of their sales that wouldn't happen unless we had a trade business going. And that's specialty retail. Game specialty retail is maybe a third of the channel, 35 percent of the channel. So you got 10 percent of your sales that wouldn't happen unless somebody was out there trading games with your customers.

And if you didn't have specialty retail it would be pretty hard to sell innovation into the channel at all. I mean, Wal-Mart doesn't really buy Katamari Damacy. So, in order to innovate, in order to grow innovation in the business you need a specialty games retailer that actually knows something about videogames. And in order to have them, they need the margins through used games...

Mondhaschen explains that while publishers don’t typically see any money from used game sales, they do benefit in other ways:

When The Lost and Damned came out we started selling a whole lot more Grand Theft Auto 4, both on the new side and on the used side. Which, then, sort of funds people's ability to go play L&D again...

-Reporting from San Diego, GamePolitics Senior Correspondent Andrew Eisen...

Are you addicted to video games?

If so, MTV wants to hear from you. The network has put out a casting call for an episode of its documentary series, True Life:

Have video games totally taken over your life? Is your game play increasingly getting out of control? Have your friends or family confronted you about your gaming habit? How about your marriage or personal relationships – are they being affected?

 

Is it difficult to balance work and gaming time? Do you sometimes skip doing homework or household responsibilities to play? Have you played video games as a way of escaping your problems? Has your game playing habit become so encompassing that you may need to go to rehab to kick it?

Does this sound like you?  God, we hope not but if it does, send your info MTV’s way and maybe we’ll see you on the tube. That is, if you can bear to pull yourself away from Ghostbusters: The Video Game for a few minutes.

Via: Siliconera

-Reporting from San Diego, GamePolitics Correspondent Andrew Eisen...

Used game sales are an understandably sore point with publishers but to claim that the purchase of second hand titles are not in the best interest of the consumer is absurd and borderline insulting.

That’s why it’s refreshing to see such a measured response from Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata during a recent financial briefing Q&A:

If [used game sales] were illegal acts like piracies, we could criticize them. But, however hard we may express our concern about the secondhand market, as long as they are not illegal, it does not do us any good. With video games, because people do not see much deterioration in the quality when they purchase as secondhand, it may give publishers a hard time if the used product market grows.

On the other hand, this is one of the changes in the social circumstance, and it is our job as publishers to think of how to cope with the changes. When you ask me how we will cope with this issue specifically, our answer is that Nintendo must continuously craft ideas so that our consumers will feel like owning the purchased products or think about how to motivate the customers to purchase new products instead of used ones.

On a related note, according to Gamasutra, Gamestop reports that while console and new software sales are down 2.8%, sales of used software are up a whopping 31.9%.

-Reporting from San Diego, GamePolitics Correspondent and gaming snob Andrew Eisen only purchases factory sealed titles...