Games news in brief: California dreaming of less violent games; Guitar Hero is ready to rock; Planet Michael and The Bible Online

California dreaming of less violent games

Life should be sweet in the Golden State. Great weather, plenty of citrus fruits and a Terminator at the top. But California is at the heart of a battle raging between the games industry and law-makers. The latest skirmish sees a controversial bill outlawing the sale of violent games to minors once more going before the US Supreme Court in November. The law, supported by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, has more than once been ruled unconstitutional on free speech grounds, but an appeal has brought it back into the limelight.

Meanwhile, Activision boss Bobby Kotick, not known for being much of a shrinking violet, has weighed in, saying in a statement this week that the law is “absurd”. While this might sound of limited interest to UK players, America’s Entertainment Consumers Association describes the review of law as, “the single most important challenge [the gaming sector] has ever faced in the US”. Which means it could have an impact well beyond the States.

By Rebecca Armstrong

Guitar Hero is ready to rock

Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock hits store shelves across Europe today. With the all-new rock inspired guitar controller, gamers will embark on a journey from the halls of punk music to the lava fields of rock treachery in the first ever story-driven Guitar Hero Quest Mode narrated by KISS front man Gene Simmons. Additionally, players will be able to import songs from their existing Guitar Hero discs which will even receive additional challenges.

“We are really excited to be bringing an authentic rock experience to our fans with Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock,” said Peter Royea, General Manager Owned Business Unit Europe. “The 90+ track set list is the biggest ever compiled for a Guitar Hero game”.

Michael Jackson – the game

Typical, isn’t it? You wait ages for a Michael Jackson game to turn up, and then two moonwalk into your life. In June, Ubisoft announced that it was working on a “family-friendly” title for all formats, with a particular focus on Kinect. This week, news reaches us that another Jackson title is scheduled for the end of the year. Planet Michael, a violence-free MMO, will “celebrate Michael’s unique genius”, according to the press release. Rich pickings for fans of the Smooth Criminal.

By Rebecca Armstrong

And in more online unlikeliness…

…It’s not just the King of Pop who is getting his own online world. The Kingdom of Heaven is set for a digital upgrade in The Bible Online, a free browser-based game that goes live on Tuesday. It combines RTS and MMORPG elements and sees players taking on the roles of Abraham and his descendants. What with plenty of construction, resource management, tibe protection and conquering, you really can play at being God. No word yet if the ultimate end-of-level boss is the devil himself.

By Rebecca Armstrong

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