On this week's show we go live on Google + for a lengthy (video) discussion on the "RPG Camp" Kickstarter controversy, the results of the FTC's latest Secret Shopper Survey to test ratings enforcement at retail, Sega's decision to stop pulling Shining Force videos from YouTube and a whole lot more. Download Episode 46 now: SuperPAC Episode 46 (1 hour, 34 minutes) 240.0 MB.

Bronies rejoice. Lauren Faust, who is best known for creating My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, has decided to team up with the fan-driven development team Mane6 to bring to life the pony-themed fighting game My Little Pony: Fighting is Magic. Mane6 and toy-maker Hasbro have also been in talks. You may remember that Hasbro sent the develops of the game a cease-and-desist letter which Maner6 quickly complied with. That put their little labor of love on indefinite hold.

This video from the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) is priceless, even if you don't agree with its premise on morality and honesty. There's even a small bit about file-sharing in there. Enjoy it - it was unearthed by occasional "video games aren't art" film critic Roger Ebert.

In Episode 28 of the Super Podcast Action Committee hosts Andrew Eisen and E. Zachary Knight discuss the importance of voting, Microsoft's bad Xbox 360 press event in Israel, and a dumb patent designed to count how many people are watching licensed content from a console (so they can charge more money, we assume). Download it now: SuperPAC Episode 28 (1 hour, 18 minutes) 72 MB.

YouTube sensation The Fine Brothers Productions offers a nifty new video featuring a group of elderly people watching and reacting to the new trailer for Call of Duty: Black Ops II. While some of the "seasoned" participants seemed close minded about the idea of children (teens) or adults playing such a violent first-person shooter (one person said it could train people to kill) there are a few bright spots of commentary on the usefulness of violent video games as a teaching tool.

Riot Games has released an infographic that illustrates why its MOBA title, League of Legends, is the most played game in the entire world.

According to data on that colorful infographic, League of Legends has a total of 70 million registered Summoner names, 32 million active monthly users, and 12 million daily active users. The infographic also claims that over 1 billion game hours are logged every month in League of Legends.

In one of the more unusual attacks on an opponent in this election cycle, the Republican party of Maine has decided that it would be a good idea to take Maine state Senate Democratic candidate Colleen Lachowicz to task for playing World of Warcraft. Apparently they don't know that over 10 million people around the world are playing the game daily, with millions playing here in the United States. The law of averages would also suggest that a fair amount of Maine's population also plays the game, but let's put that aside for now..

Steven Davis dropped us a note informing us of a trailer that, he claims, he made for "some Hollywood producers" who asked him to make a movie trailer mock-up of Namco Bandai's classic arcade game Dig Dug. He calls the film "a fan made trailer" and lists all the materials he used to piece it together. The movie borrows scenes from such films as The Core, Tekken, Reign of Fire, 9, Monsters Vs.

It's always interesting when a developer becomes so disgruntled with a former publishing partner that they are willing to let it all hang out and say what is really on their minds. Several ex-Free Radical developers feels so strongly about their former publisher that they referred to them collectively as "psychopaths" in a recent conversation with Eurogamer.

I always enjoy when politics and video games come together to create chaos... or comedy. According to a Federal Elections Commission filing by Stephen Colbert's Super Pac at midnight, "Americans for a "Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow," Harmonix founder and CEO Alex Rigopulos gave the group $9600. The New York Times, which detailed who donated to all of the Super Pacs associated with various Republican candidates, said the following about Colbert's donors:

TorrentFreak has released its list of the most used search terms on BitTorrent in 2011. The results might surprise some - particularly rights holders who see most file-sharers as dirty, unwashed masses who spend all day stealing. The list, which offers the top 50 most used search terms, has three choices at the top spot that don't even refer to a copyrighted work. 

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.

A just-released online news game allows player to try their hand at saving the economy.

As reported by the New York Daily News, Addicting Games exec Kate Connally describes Trillion Dollar Bailout:

With this game we're giving game players the chance to experience what it's like to make a decision about who to bailout and who not to. Games can help people experience news events by putting them in the shoes of the people in the action.

 

News events are something that really unite our culture, everyone experiences it together, so adding games into the mix of how people are experiencing major national events is just part of what we do. They're not just a silly pass time. It's a form social commentary.

In Trillion Dollar Bailout players are presented with cash requests from corporate executives and average homeowners. It's up to the player to decide how to dole out the bailout bucks.

GP: We initially embedded the game with this story, but - rather obnoxiously - it starts running when the GP page loads. You can, however, click the link to check the game out.
 

As George W. Bush turns over the reigns to Barack Obama today, online gamers will have their final chance to zing the 43rd president.

Goodbye, Mr. Bush is a whack-a-mole sort of affair in which players hurl objects at a cartoon version of Dubya which pops up in various locations on the White House lawn. Weapons of choice include eggs, candy and, of course, shoes.

The game, like the man it lampoons, will soon be forgotten. But there is one clever moment. Players who choose Weapons of Mass Destruction to hurl at Bush are informed that WMD can't be found.

Hmmm... Where have we heard that before?

If you'd like to give it a try, click the thumbnail image to play.

Via: Huffington Post

In honor of Barack Obama's Tuesday inaugural festivities, Atom.com has posted an inauguration speech generator.

We'd rate this one mildy entertaining.