Teresa says that she was harassed by other players and later suspended from XBOX Live because she identified herself as a lesbian in her profile. When she appealed to Microsoft, she says they told her that other gamers found her sexual orientation "offensive."

Teresa says:

I just recently saw a thing on your site about someones gamer tag being banned because it had the word gay in the tag.

I had a similar incident, only my account was suspended because I had said in my profile that I was a lesbian. I was harassed by several players, 'chased' to different maps/games to get away from their harassment. They followed me into the games and told all the other players to turn me in because they didn't want to see that crap or their kids to see that crap.

As if xbox live is really appropriate for kids anyways! My account was suspended and xbox live did nothing to solve this, but instead said others found it offensive.

Today I received a message from another gamer calling me a ***. I am a lesbian, so they aren't too smart if they cant get their anti-gay slurs right.

Microsoft does nothing to stop this or prevent it, but instead sides with the homophobes. No one will help me get the word out about Microsoft's anti-gay policy. Not even the HRC who says Microsoft has a positive image with them. Not to me it doesn't!

We've heard of gamers being suspended for identifying themselves as gay in their GamerTag, and even one case of a guy whose name was actually "Richard Gaywood" but his tag was suspended anyway because apparently the word "gay" is so offensive that it doesn't matter if its actually your name.

As far as we know, Microsoft is unwilling to reconsider this position.

http://consumerist.com/5160187/ident...d-on-xbox-live ...

Ubisoft announced today that it has partnered with Gold's Gym, the world's leading authority on health and fitness, to create the video game Gold's Gym: Cardio Workout. Licensed by Rocket Co., Ltd., the game will be in North America stores on March 31, 2009 and it will be available exclusively for the Wii home video game system from Nintendo.

"We are excited to partner with Ubisoft on our first video game," commented Lisa Zoellner, chief marketing officer of Gold's Gym International. "It is a natural extension of our brand and is in line with our mission to get more people around the world excited about exercise and fitness. We believe that the game will provide consumers with a workout that is both fun and rewarding."

Compatible with the Wii Balance Board accessory, the game provides players with a personal training experience. Players can perform a variety of exercises including cardio boxing, running, sit-ups and other activities while also tracking burned calories and body weight evolution. In addition, the game offers multiple training modes and fitness levels, and the difficulty of the gameplay evolves as the player's fitness level increases.

"As a leader in personal training, we are thrilled to collaborate with Gold's Gym on a new cardio workout game," said Tony Key, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Ubisoft. "In order to provide an authentic Gold's Gym experience the game will incorporate gym signage and dialogue into the game."

As part of the partnership, the game will be co-marketed by Gold's Gym and Ubisoft. Each game will include a coupon for a one week free trial to Gold's Gym. In addition, Gold's Gym Cardio Workout will be featured throughout the Gold's Gym clubs, on the Gold's Gym website, and the game trailer will be displayed on the Gold's Gym Broadcast Network. A demo of the game will also be available at various Gold's Gym facilities.

For more information on Gold's Gym Cardio Workout, please visit http://www.ubi.com. ...

Nintendo has outlined a list of countries around the globe that remain leaders in denying adequate and effective protection of video game products. In its annual comments to the U.S. Trade Representative under the "Special 301" process, Nintendo has singled out countries where piracy is rampant and has asked the United States to take further steps to combat it.

Nintendo reports that piracy of its most popular products, the Nintendo DS™ and Wii™ systems, has increased during the year. Nintendo attributes this increase to the availability of circumvention devices, such as "game copiers" and "mod chips." These devices skirt the product security embedded in Nintendo's famous products and enable the play of illegal Nintendo software.

"It is important for parents to note that if users of circumvention devices are children, they may be exposed to unsuitable content downloaded from the Internet and played on their Nintendo systems," said Jodi Daugherty, Nintendo of America's senior director of anti-piracy.

Below is a summary of Nintendo's filing:

PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA: China continues to be the hub of production for counterfeit Nintendo video game products. The number of online shopping sites in China selling infringing Nintendo products is increasing, and help is needed by the government to curtail the growth of these illegal marketplaces. These products are sold both inside China and to the world, including our key market in the United States. Chinese customs officials must stop shipments of game copiers and other infringing products out of China, and China should work in the coming year to eliminate barriers to its enforcement laws.

REPUBLIC OF KOREA: Internet piracy in Korea continues to increase, as does the availability of devices that get around product security and allow for the play of illegal Nintendo software. A massive customs raid of 10 premises that resulted in the seizure of more than 75,000 game copiers at the beginning of 2009 is a positive sign the government is serious about enforcement. Nintendo is pleased with Korea's consistent customs seizures, and courts are now starting to hold distributors of circumvention devices, such as game copiers, accountable. The Korea-U.S. free trade agreement is important to all intellectual property rights holders.

BRAZIL: Federal anti-piracy actions are not reducing piracy in Brazil, and local enforcement efforts are weak. Efforts to prosecute for piracy are virtually nonexistent. Customs and border control agents failed to seize a single shipment of Nintendo video game products in Brazil in 2008. Internet piracy is increasing with no legal infrastructure in place to respond to the threat it poses to rights holders. High tariffs and taxes also constitute market barriers for legitimate video game products.

MEXICO: Anti-piracy actions by the Mexican government in 2008 were wholly inadequate. The Mexican government must recognize the seriousness of the piracy problem and start using existing enforcement tools. Mexico's participation in negotiating the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement is encouraging, but enforcement efforts need to move forward now. The willingness of Mexican customs and Mexican postal service workers to be trained by trademark owners was a positive sign in 2008.

SPAIN: The availability of game-copying devices in Spain is alarming. Internet sites offering game-copying devices and illegal Nintendo software are widespread and must be addressed. Nintendo asks that the Spanish government implement laws protecting the creative copyright industry and enact laws against Internet piracy. Nintendo considers education a priority in its fight against piracy in the European Union. Customs authorities play an important role in enforcing intellectual property rights, and Nintendo is seeing positive signs in this area. Nintendo is pleased about recent steps taken by the Spanish National Police against distributors of game copiers.

PARAGUAY: Corruption continues to hamper anti-piracy efforts. Nintendo's anti-piracy actions in Paraguay show that illegal goods are imported and also locally produced. Border controls are key to decreasing piracy, and the revised criminal code will increase penalties against those distributing circumvention devices in Paraguay.

For more information about Nintendo, visit www.Nintendo.com. ...

Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G was Japan's best selling game last year. In fact, the top three PSP games of all time in Japan all have the words Monster Hunter in their titles.

So it probably shouldn't come as a surprise to learn that Capcom is doing another Monster Hunter game for the system.

Capcom's Keiji Inafune made things somewhat official in an interview featured in the latest issue of Famitsu. Without getting into specifics, he said that Capcom is setting its sights on the next PSP entry in the series.

He did admit that he's not sure if it will be called "3rd," and that he expects it to be a ways off. But it appears PSP owners in Japan can look forward to more from the series.

Of course, we're still waiting for 2nd G to come our way as Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, so all this talk of sequels is a bit pointless.

Inafune also shared some insight into how much importance Capcom places on the Monster Hunter series. He recalled having explained to producer Ryouzo Tsujimoto and the rest of the Monster Hunter Tri developmen staff that Monster Hunter isn't just a big game for Capcom, but a big game for the game industry as a whole. While admitting that he was just speaking boastfully when he told the staff that Tri can be bigger than Dragon Quest, he added that he really does want to make this to happen.

Inafune described Tri as an "amazing" game and said that he hopes it will set new records for the Wii game market. In Japan, Tri is set for a summer release.
http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/957/957035p1.html ...

News via emurussia

First version of brand new sound plguin for Sony Playstation 2 emulators has been released.

Download and Give Feedback Via Comments ...

Newly released:



features
Intense high body-count gunplay: Bring the heat with 20+ high powered weapons including heavy machine guns, advanced guided rocket launchers, grenades and explosives
Collaborative G-Unit crew member: 50 never runs alone. He's always got his G-Unit crew covering his back. Select a member of G-Unit to fight by 50's side - each with their own signature weapon
New Brutal Counter-kill system: All new interactive counter-kill system that gives you the control to finish off the enemy
Incredible music and sound: Exclusive music content will immerse you in the war-torn world of all-out combat game play. All of 50's tracks are remixed for the intensity of the game play
Explosive driving and flying sequences: Drive through the city's water runoffs and storm drains in high speed pursuit. Get behind the wheel as 50 while a member of your G-Unit crew shoots down pursuing enemies. Get inside a Blackhawk, mount the Gatling gun and shoot across the opium fields of the mountain valley
Online co-op multiplayer modes: Have your friends join your game online at any time! Have them pick a member of G-Unit's crew to help 50 get payback on those who wronged him
50 Cent and G-Unit music: New, never-before-heard exclusive tracks and classic hits from 50's albums make this the ultimate 50 Cent experience

description
The Ultimate 50 Cent Game Experience!

50 Cent and G-Unit® have just played to a sold-out crowd in a war-torn country. But when 50 tries to collect from the shifty promoter, he's told that a local drug lord named Kamal has screwed him over and stolen the box office receipts. 50 is ready to take his wrath out on the promoter, who begs for his life and convinces him there's a way to get his money back and get revenge on Kamal. With you playing as one of the world's biggest Hip-Hop stars, cue an all out battle across two countries to collect payday and payback on those who have crossed 50 Cent!

http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-...j-70-36cq.html ...

New from SuccessHk



Rock Band 2 delivers the most authentic and ambitious music game to date ?by challenging rockers to master lead guitar, bass guitar, drums and vocals with a polished, streamlined, and amazingly fun and challenging experience. Rock Band 2 features a track list that puts all other music games to shame with more than 80 ondisc from some of the most hallowed bands of the rock pantheon.

Rock Band 2 US version(x1)
Drum(x1)
Guitar(x1)
Microphone(X1) ...

Witness the story of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots as told via the iPhone, in the action-packed official trailer for Metal Gear Solid Touch. As revealed last week, Metal Gear Solid Touch basically retells the story of Metal Gear Solid 4 from a different perspective, with an over-the-shoulder view of Solid Snake's mullet as you tap the screen to take out enemies. I suppose it will be nice for those who want a quick synopsis of the story without have to sit through all of the cutscenes, but beyond that it doesn't look all that exciting. Having said that, it will sell millions.

http://kotaku.com/5159458/metal-gear...ouch-in-action ...

Capcom has high hopes that the upcoming Wii-exclusive Monster Hunter 3 finds the same monstrous success in the West as it has in Japan.

During the Osaka, Japan-based publisher's earnings call for the December quarter, Capcom stated "...We plan to release our leading titles overseas to acquire game users, as the overseas market for Wii is extensive.

"One of our leading titles is Monster Hunter 3. ... If we can gain recognition of this product in the European and North American markets, our market strategy will see a noticeable change."

The Monster Hunter action role-playing franchise is a big hit, primarily in Japan, selling over 6.3 million units as of December 2008, with Monster Hunter 3 for Wii slated for release later this year. Previously, the series had only appeared on PS2 and PSP.

Capcom Entertainment communications director Chris Kramer elaborated on Capcom execs' comments in an e-mail to Edge: "Monster Hunter is huge in Japan, but not as big in the U.S. and Europe. There is a desire on the part of the company to export this huge hit to the rest of the world at the same level it is received in Japan.

"If we can sell a few more million units, the company’s market share will definitely change."

Originally, Capcom planned to develop Monster Hunter 3 for PS3. However, in light of the Wii's popularity and exploding installed base, Capcom announced in 2007 that it would be moving development of the title away from Sony's platform in favor of Nintendo's.

http://www.edge-online.com/news/capc...-wii-prospects ...