The Political Machine 2012 prepares to take you to the White House

News
By published

Stardock's filibuster-'em-up updated for the Obama Age

Are you fed up with Maher and O'Reilly alike? Will your friends just not stop asking about your prescriptions for campaign finance reform? Did you lose an afternoon debating our list of The Top 7... Worst videogame presidents? Do you know who Lee Atwater is? It sounds as if you could do with some distraction. Fortunately for you (provided you actually don't want to take your mind of politics at all), Stardock's just announced The Political Machine 2012.

First launched in the 2004 mid-Bush period, the latest edition's been updated with hot-button (or “shouty”) issues such as the Afghan war, economic instability, gay rights and healthcare plans, and a playable roster of Obama, Romney, Santorum, Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich. There's also a user-created pol option, on the offchance that you care about politics but worry that an actual run for office might infringe on your Draw Something! commitments. New to this edition, Stardock pledges to update the game's topic database based on real-world polling data.

The game's scheduled for a summer release; Stardock's taking preorders now, with early adopters scoring a 33% discount off the game's release price of $9.99. If only resolving [your most contentious political issue here] were so easy!