Tony Perkins, head of the Family Research Council has publicly taken action against Bioware’s Star Wars: The Old Republic, a massively multiplayer online (MMO) game because of what he calls strong support for gay and bisexual themes.

During his daily radio commentary Perkins noted:

“In a new Star Wars game, the biggest threat to the empire may be homosexual activists!”

He goes on to note:

“In a galaxy not so far far away, Star Wars gamers have already gone to the dark side. The new video game, Star Wars: The Old Republic, has added a special feature: gay relationships.”

He goes on to add:

 “That surprised a lot of gamers, since Bioware had made it clear in 2009 that ‘gay’ and ‘lesbian’ don’t exist in the Star Wars universe. Since the announcement, homosexuals have been celebrating the news, but parents sure aren’t.”

Perkins then continued:

“On the game’s website, there are more than 300 pages of comments–a lot of them expressing anger that their kids will be exposed to this Star Warped way of thinking. You can join them by logging on and speaking up. It’s time to show companies who the Force is really with!”

News of the assault came as a surprise to Bioware who explained that same sex relationships are not currently activated in the game:

“Same gender romances with companion characters in Star Wars: The Old Republic will be a post-launch feature. Because The Old Republic is an MMO, the game will live on through content expansions which allow us to include content and features that could not be included at launch, including the addition of more companion characters who will have additional romance options.”

It should be noted that the Southern Poverty Law Center has named the Family Research Council as nothing more than a hate group bent on attacking gay, lesbian and other human rights.

As for Perkins’ comments about “300 pages of comments” a quick search of Bioware’s forums shows nothing near that number of complaints from parents. In fact most comments that were made did not come from “angry” parents in almost every single case.

Do you have a problem with Star Wars: The Old Republic containing gay and bisexual relationships?

Star Wars: The Old Republic Deemed Too Gay By Evangelical Hatemonger is a post from: The Inquisitr

If you provide gamers with a free platform to play with and then offer them in-app purchases for those games you can instantaneously create a successful gaming system, at least that’s the conclusion at Sony Online Entertainment after the company made their popular online game EverQuest 2 available as a free-to-play platform in December.

This week Sony president John Smedley revealed on Twitter that the company’s player base for EveryQuest 2 has increased by a huge 300%, while daily logins are increasing by upwards of 40 percent.

While Sony isn’t making money off the free-to-play signups they have also announced that in-game item purchases have risen by 200% providing evidence that users are more willing to dole out their hard earned cash if they get to choose which items to buy with that money.

What might be most impressive is the fact that the increase in userbase came just as some pretty tough competition entered the market, namely the much anticipated MMOG Star Wars: The Old Republic.

Are you surprised to learn that Everquest 2 has surged in popularity thanks to the free-to-play model? Did you jump on-board when the game went free-to-play?

Everquest 2 Receives 300% Player Base Increase After Going Free-To-Play is a post from: The Inquisitr

It’s featured in an adventure videogame, a racing game, and a chess game. It even has a music game coming soon. Next on the list for the all-conquering child’s toy LEGO? An MMO.

Enter LEGO Universe. In a genre dominated by the murky browns and steely grays of fantasy and futuristic settings, the first ever LEGO-based MMO is a gaudy-but-welcome assault on the eyeballs. It should reel the kids in nicely, with the LEGO Group perfectly aware that “safety is priority number one.” The company says it is “exploring many solutions for maximizing children’s online safety.”

So yes, it’s an MMO for teh kiddehs, but I won’t lie: these adorable screens featuring some of the ninja, pirate and space-themed LEGO sets pierced my +10 Cuteness Resistance Armor. Check out Shacknews for a bunch more in higher resolutions.

[Via Shacknews]

First look at the LEGO MMO is a post from: The Inquisitr

MyHollywood.com is geared toward women gamers who also love entertainment news. Its “signature” MMOG game, creatively named “The Red Carpet Game,” lets you create an avatar and progress through different levels of celebrity. You navigate through a virtual Hollywood, playing mini-games, answering quizzes about current pop events, and accumulating points along the way. As you do well, you collect things like “high-status branded virtual items,” as well as mansions, VIP passes, and all the other signs of being a star. (Of course, those “branded items” double as advertising — don’t think any company is getting its name on anything for free.)

The site is still in public beta, with a full release set for early next year.

Hey, it may not be my niche, but this site knows who it’s targeting — and who knows, it just might work.

Female Gaming Site Grabs Millions is a post from: The Inquisitr

What took Best Buy so long? And why is this news? Retailers like Target have long had these cards, and they aren’t located in the generalized card kiosks where the Meez CEO claims retailers leave them. At least in Target, the cards can be found right with the rest of the teen- and tween-focused media, and I have yet to take a trip through the movies and games there without having an eight-year-old beg me for permission to buy a card for ClubPenguin, Zwinky, or Stardoll.

The question that remains is how much of a draw the cards will be for Best Buy. Because they are attractive to younger players (and those giving gifts to younger players), the customer base is more likely to be found in a retailer like Target than an appliance- and electronics-focused store like Best Buy.

Best Buy Finally Figures Out MMOG Gift Cards? is a post from: The Inquisitr