By Rick Mendenhall

Video games? Humanitarian Laws of War? Learning?! If you like those three things, and don’t think that free ice cream is the “solution” to kids indulging in violent video games, you should attend the Red Cross’s upcoming panel discussion on the incorporation of international humanitarian law into video games.

Despite various studies discrediting the argument that violent video games lead to an increase in violence, the debate rages on. The Red Cross though has adopted a different approach with war games believing they are a perfect platform for promoting social good. Their upcoming talk will focus on how video games can integrate and educate players about the laws of armed conflict (international humanitarian law). Other topics will include censorship and freedom of speech issues for video games. Hope to see you there.

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October 08, 2014

By Min Wu

ZeptoLab, creator of mobile game Cut the Rope, filed a claim at the U.K. Intellectual Property Office to cancel the European registration of the trademark “candy” by King.com, developer of popular game Candy Crush Saga, according to CNet Australia. 

In the game Cut the Rope, players cut a rope to feed a small monster candy. The trademark registration, if held valid, would establish King.com’s exclusive right to use the word “candy” in the titles of video games. 

King.com has withdrawn its “candy” trademark application in the United States under intense criticism. However, it still holds a registered trademark of “candy” in the European Union, which was used as a precedent to file the U.S. application.

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April 10, 2014

By Elizabeth Gibson

The United States is using P-1A visas intended for "internationally recognized athletes" as a way to open its borders to professional video game players (yes, that's a thing). These visas are traditionally used for getting athletes to sporting events hosted in the United States.

NPR has a fascinating story on the immigration concerns of virtual athletes. But don't count on your gaming system getting you across the border just yet. So far, the issuance of P-1A visas to gamers appears relatively limited, with one visa granted to a professional South Korean StarCraft player and another granted to a Canadian League of Legends pro.

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December 16, 2013