[SOPA] Lamar Smith announces DNS blocking has been removed from SOPA

[SOPA] Lamar Smith announces DNS blocking has been removed from SOPA

If SOPA passes, that is going to suck. But now, it'll suck just a little bit less with the removal of the originally planned DNS blocking. This doesn't fix everything that is wrong with the bill, as it is still possible (and easy) enough under the bill for anyone to request the cutoff of revenue sources for a site but it is no longer possible to obtain a court order to block all access to that website from within the US.

Yeah, like I said... it still sucks, but that minor victory for the continuation of our freedom to visit a website that might be struck in such a way is worth celebrating when a bill like this threatens so much.

A statement on Lamar Smith's website reads as follows, "After consultation with industry groups across the country, I feel we should remove Domain Name System blocking from the Stop Online Piracy Act so that the Committee can further examine the issues surrounding this provision. We will continue to look for ways to ensure that foreign websites cannot sell and distribute illegal content to U.S. consumers."

It is unlikely that this change as occured as a result of the public outcry that has been taking place recently, but that doesn't mean you should give up. Keep on writing / talking to / contacting your congresspeople and hopefully more changes will follow.

Written by: Kyran Morrison

RE: [SOPA] Lamar Smith announces DNS blocking has been removed from SOPA
The best part of SOPA is that the one of the biggest sites it sets out to stop (Pirate Bay) is actually exempt from it due to it being under a ".org" domain name.

The web should be free. It's impossible to censor it and any attempt to do so is pointless and expensive.

Companies should be putting this money towards improving their services so that people don't want to pirate. If there was a DRM-free, High Quality, video download service which costed _at most_ the same price as the equivalent physical media (By rights it should be much cheaper considering that it costs next to nothing to deliver a digital copy) and was available globally instead of restricted to regions, piracy would drop significantly. This was demonstrated recently when the american comedian Louis C. K. wanted to sell a video of one of his live shows, instead of going down the normal channels, he put the avi up on his site for sale at $5. No DRM, No Regions, High Quality, Reasonable Price. Hell, I'd have probably paid more if he'd asked for it. But his experiment was a success, within a week he'd sold over $1m.

Music piracy dropped when DRM was dropped.
PC Game piracy dropped when Steam got DRM right.

Why is it taking the video industry so long to catch on? Why are the 1-play film rentals on my phone half the price of the actual DVD?

tl;dr - SOPA is a 'solution' concocted by a bunch of people who know nothing about the problem and will do more harm than good.

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Zero Punctuation – Super Mario Land 3D (NSFW)

Zero Punctuation – Super Mario Land 3D (NSFW – Language)

[The Escapist - Zero punctuation]

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NintendoFuse GBA Ambassador Competition

 SPECIAL THANK TO FORUM USER UTSI FOR DESIGNING THIS LOGO AND GIVING US PERMISSION TO USE IT FOR THE PURPOSES OF OUR COMPETITION!!!

In case you don’t follow our forums, NintendoFuse is hosting a followup to the original Ambassador Competition that featured the NES games.  This new contest will feature the newly released GBA games!  This new contest will start next Tuesday January 24th.  Here is a direct link to the forum topic:

http://forums.wiinintendo.net/viewtopic.php?f=164&t=10058.

You could win the following prizes!

Welcome to part 2 of 2 of the NintendoFuse Ambassador Game Competition!

Not wanting to exclude the remaining Ambassador games, combining with the fact that NintendoFuse was pleased with the original competition, here is part 2! Previously, all 10 NES titles were in the first competition, part 2 will consist of all 10 GBA games! NintendoFuse is happy to host another competition for all you Ambassadors.

Since there are now 10 GBA games available for all of you Ambassadors, we have decided to follow the same format as the previous competition, 5 weeks of 2 games a week. Every Tuesday morning, we will inform you of which games are eligible for the competition that week. We have decided to change to a middle of the week deadline so that those busy over the weekends will still have a chance to submit scores.

Unfortunately we do not have the quantity of prizes that were offered during the first tournament, but we do have 3 brand new GRAND prizes to offer.

Qualifications
At the end of the contest, we, the staff here at NintendoFuse will select the 3 Grand Prize Winners. You can be eligible to win one of our GRAND prizes by simply playing the games each week and posting the best score*, or fastest time*!

*Best score/fastest times determined by qualifying participates within the competition.

To qualify, you must be within the top 3 ranking (First, Second, or Third place) at the end of the week for either or both games. All you have to do is simply play the games each week and post/submit scores all throughout the week. You can continually post updated scores, and only the best one will count per participant per game. So remember, if you see someone has a better score than you, get back on the game and go for higher! There are 2 requirements to be a participant within the NintendoFuse Ambassador Competition Part 2:

1. Register/Login to the NintendoFuse Forums
2. Post your best score, fastest time via picture or video in each week’s competition thread.

Submission Guidelines
-Entries must be in the form of either a video or a picture.
–All photo entries must clearly show your 3DS unit, the score/results screen, and we must be able to clearly see the score/time. Please make sure you include a slip of paper with your screen name on it in the photo. See below for a good example.
–All video entries must clearly show part of the 3DS unit, and at some point the requirements needed for the game.

Grand Prizes
The way this will work for the grand prizes is through a random drawing. In order to be entered into the drawing, you must place in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place each week of the contest. For whomever places in 1st place, you will receive 3 entries into our grand prize drawing. Second place receives 2 entries, and Third place receives 1 entry.

1st Place = 3 entries

2nd Place = 2 entries

3rd Place = 1 entry

The better you do, the greater your chances of winning a grand prize. Please note, 1 Grand Prize per person.

Disclaimer: NintendoFuse reserves the right to change the functionality of this competition at their discretion without any prior warning. Entering this competition means that you accept the terms and conditions of said competition.

Stay tuned for additional information. Check back on Tuesday January 24, 2012 to find out what games you will be competing in first!

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[Multi] Weekly Sales Charts, Dec. 11-17: Vita Hits Japan

GlueGun18
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Reputation: 69 [Multi] Weekly Sales Charts, Dec. 11-17: Vita Hits Japan

WORLDWIDE HARDWARE
Nintendo 3DS - 1,490,572 (12,492,038)
Xbox 360 - 1,164,416 (62,628,832)
Nintendo Wii - 1,025,293 (93,387,912)
PlayStation 3 - 916,724 (59,140,921)
Nintendo DS - 364,800 (150,630,929)
Sony PSP - 322,714 (72,365,057)
PlayStation Vita - 322,488 (322,488)WORLDWIDE SOFTWARE TOP 20
1) Just Dance 3 (Wii) - 1,122,592 (4,847,222)
2) Mario Kart 7 (3DS) - 857,724 (2,973,597)
3) Super Mario 3D Land (3DS) - 847,416 (3,655,093)
4) Kinect Adventures! (X360) - 772,957 (13,938,802)
5) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (X360) - 729,642 (10,589,179)
6) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (PS3) - 674,729 (8,401,814)
7) Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Wii) - 638,998 (1,412,358)
8) The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (X360) - 560,912 (4,111,445)
9) Final Fantasy XIII-2 (PS3) - 538,774 (538,774)
10) Mario Kart Wii (Wii) - 486,826 (30,645,466)
11) New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii) - 346,847 (23,572,598)
12) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (3DS) - 345,612 (2,530,263)
13) Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (PS3) - 339,921 (2,778,547)
14) The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (PS3) - 338,834 (2,358,030)
15) Wii Sports Resort (Wii) - 334,199 (30,086,691)
16) The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii) - 328,743 (2,196,449)
17) Assassin's Creed: Revelations (X360) - 325,324 (2,446,681)
18) Wii Sports (Wii) - 321,250 (79,326,121)
19) Assassin's Creed: Revelations (PS3) - 311,284 (2,056,724)
20) Battlefield 3 (X360) - 310,003 (4,377,750) USA HARDWARE
Xbox 360 - 766,126 (32,585,890)
Nintendo 3DS - 588,837 (4,109,074)
Nintendo Wii - 476,016 (38,569,527)
PlayStation 3 - 343,886 (19,578,107)
Nintendo DS - 182,055 (50,120,586)
Sony PSP - 107,225 (19,380,283)USA SOFTWARE TOP 10
1) Just Dance 3 (Wii) - 524,019 (2,473,274)
2) Kinect Adventures! (X360) - 506,611 (8,581,092)
3) Super Mario 3D Land (3DS) - 444,371 (1,728,398)
4) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (X360) - 428,171 (6,574,771)
5) Mario Kart 7 (3DS) - 337,408 (1,097,111)
6) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (PS3) - 292,373 (3,741,898)
7) Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Wii) - 283,010 (456,706)
8) The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (X360) - 250,967 (2,205,062)
9) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (3DS) - 249,251 (1,240,492)
10) Mario Kart Wii (Wii) - 246,154 (11,825,454) EUROPE HARDWARE
Nintendo 3DS - 363,283 (3,365,586)
PlayStation 3 - 347,618 (22,881,249)
Nintendo Wii - 339,975 (30,363,142)
Xbox 360 - 235,577 (19,387,100)
Nintendo DS - 116,649 (50,777,409)
Sony PSP - 90,203 (20,668,095)EUROPE SOFTWARE TOP 10
1) Just Dance 3 (Wii) - 435,245 (1,666,240)
2) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (PS3) - 237,016 (2,942,376)
3) Mario Kart 7 (3DS) - 235,155 (739,088)
4) Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Wii) - 229,584 (689,373)
5) The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (X360) - 215,645 (1,255,045)
6) Professor Layton and the Last Specter (DS) - 212,909 (907,061)
7) FIFA Soccer 12 (PS3) - 188,205 (2,784,542)
8) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (X360) - 186,949 (2,863,168)
9) Super Mario 3D Land (3DS) - 178,670 (815,635)
10) The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (PS3) - 144,923 (881,299) JAPAN HARDWARE
Nintendo 3DS - 371,281 (3,614,814)
PlayStation Vita - 322,488 (322,488)
PlayStation 3 - 65,512 (7,523,065)
Sony PSP - 64,293 (18,443,396)
Nintendo Wii - 60,353 (12,090,758)
Nintendo DS - 9,062 (32,959,765)
Xbox 360 - 3,584 (1,552,031)JAPAN SOFTWARE TOP 10
1) Final Fantasy XIII-2 (PS3) - 538,774 (538,774)
2) Monster Hunter 3G (3DS) - 200,324 (726,151)
3) Mario Kart 7 (3DS) - 178,845 (794,033)
4) Inazuma Eleven GO: Dark/Shine (3DS) - 148,091 (148,091)
5) Super Mario 3D Land (3DS) - 108,481 (829,604)
6) Kirby's Return to Dreamland (Wii) - 67,525 (393,518)
7) Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational (Vita) - 56,520 (56,520)
8) Just Dance Wii (Wii) - 45,576 (326,115)
9) Uncharted: Golden Abyss (Vita) - 44,459 (44,459)
10) Wii Party (Wii) - 42,626 (2,142,285)

USA TOP 10 PREORDERS
1) Diablo III (PC) - 38,713 (313,984)
2) Star Wars: The Old Republic (PC) - 18,715 (958,073)
3) Final Fantasy XIII-2 (PS3) - 18,586 (160,620)
4) Mass Effect 3 (X360) - 18,509 (365,447)
5) Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii) - 14,763 (58,018)
6) Halo 4 (X360) - 10,058 (152,057)
7) Kinect Star Wars (X360) - 9,684 (179,840)
8) Final Fantasy XIII-2 (X360) - 7,881 (54,603)
9) Mass Effect 3 (PC) - 6,655 (60,903)
10) Luigi's Mansion 2 (3DS) - 6,215 (81,146)

Written by: Mike Glubish

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[3DS] Square Enix dates Kingdom Hearts 3D, shows off themed 3DS

[3DS] Square Enix dates Kingdom Hearts 3D, shows off themed 3DS
Square Enix has announced a release date for Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance in Japan, fans will be able to pick the game themselves on the 29th of March. Along with the release date, they also announced a hardware bundle as well that includes a special 3DS console.
Unfortunately no pricing was announced for the bundle, but it looks like a pretty spiffy piece of hardware. Now we just need to wait it out and see what sort of release date Square Enix give the game for a Western release.

Written by: Kyran Morrison

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[PS3, X360] Kojima confirms Metal Gear Rising will be playable at E3

[PS3, X360] Kojima confirms Metal Gear Rising will be playable at E3

This year's E3 is taking place in June, that might seem far way but that doesn't concern Hideo Kojima. In the newest issue of Famitsu he confirmed that the collaboration between Kojima Productions and Platinum Games will be playable on the show floor in a few months time. The interview also involves Platinum Games CEO, Tatsuya Minami, and producer, Atsushi Inaba.

Other topics in the interview include a look back at how the incredibly strange collaboration came to exist, Minami recalls how they thought it was a joke at first. Kojima chimes in saying "even though we were serious, we didn't get a response, so we asked a second time one year later." Kojima was somewhat uncertain when it came to including a stealth component in Revegeance, so that was the first thing that Platinum Games tossed out the window, according to Minami.

Kojima also reiterated that he is not involved in the project, so everything is in Platinum Games skilled hands.

Written by: Kyran Morrison

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[PC, PS3, X360] First Modern Warfare 3 DLC dropping on the 24th of January

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