Brazil Bans Violent Video Games

files/pictures/picture-35.jpgBrazil's Justice Ministry has banned six video games it considers too

violent for the public. This ruling comes on the heals of last month's

deadly shooting rampage in a movie theater by a medical student. "The games

are considered violent and [are] affecting people who play them,

particularly children," a ministry spokeswoman said. "As for DUKE NUKEM,

the ministry regulation says its virtual world may have motivated Mateus da

Costa Meira to stage the cinema shooting on November 3 in Sao Paulo." All

copies of the games DOOM, MORTAL KOMBAT, REQUIEM, BLOOD, POSTAL and DUKE

NUKEM were ordered to be removed from store shelves by police. Vendors who

refuse will be fined 20,000 reais ($11,000) per day. Police say they have

reason to believe that Meira, 24, may have copied a scene from the popular

game when he killed three people and left eight wounded in the high-class

shopping mall theatre in Brazil's largest city. Meira, who kept three

computers and piles of computer disks at his apartment, mimicked the game

step by step, including his choice of weapons and shooting position, in the

theatre attack. However, traces of cocaine in Meira's blood and past

stress-related problems are also attributed to his actions. In the past,

Brazil has banned the popular computer game ARMAGEDDON for excessive

violence. The game allows players to run up points by speeding over

innocent pedestrians. The ministry plans to rule on the fate of other

"violent" games in 4 months.