Halpin, the Entertainment Consumers Association’s president, deployed the lightning bolt with ruthlessness on fellow racers attempting to jump the gorge on the stadium track. “Like my character [Wario], I rarely hesitated in sending other racers off the cliff,” Halpin answered.

Todd Howard, the executive producer at Bethesda Game Studios, came up with a failsafe against his men getting mind-controlled by aliens in X-Com. Since they dropped their weapons under an alien spell, he equipped them with live grenades that, when dropped, went boom. No more mind control problem. No more soldiers, either, but that’s their problem.

Of course, there’s a lot of evil done in the Sims (a franchise with a capacity for cruelty unlike many others), Knights of the Old Republic, and plenty of RPGs, for that matter. One guy even gratuitously shot up all the cows in Call of Juarez. Check it out. And tell us about all the innocent people you’ve wasted with a headshot, down in the comments.

The Evil Things We Do [Bitmob]

Throughout the event, panelists Joe DeYoung of Hothead Games, Jennifer Mercurio of the Entertainment Consumers Association, James Portnow of Divide By Zero Games and moderator/journalist Aaron Ruby tried to define what “gamer” really means. There were some arguments made that we don’t need that term anymore, or at least that it no longer means 1) fat, 2) unwashed or 3) male. But ultimately nobody could quite put their finger on what made every single person in that room different from every single person over at the Bumbershoot festival.

Then, a man who’d been waiting in line for nearly half an hour for a turn at the microphone put it something like this: “[I define] ‘Gamer’ as someone dedicated to the perfection of fun. You can’t do that in 10 [minute intervals].”

There was an audible hiss from the crowd and the panelists shifted uneasily. Was this guy saying casual gamers didn’t count as gamers, or just classifying all short gaming experiences as casual games?

Either way, it pissed a few people off. My QA tester friend who’d been sitting next to me put down her DS and loudly said, “Have you ever heard of The Sims?”

I’m pretty sure most of the women in the crowd were annoyed, plus a few of the panelists. I imagine especially so DeYoung who’d made a point about the need for episodic gaming experiences that family-minded gamers could work into their busy everyday lives.

The statement was wrong-headed, though, not just because it alienated all of casual gamers, but because it implies that short games are somehow not really games.

Alright, fine, people who play Bejeweled exclusively probably aren’t “gamer” enough to comment intelligently on Mass Effect 2. However, it’s not fair to say that Plants vs. Zombies doesn’t contribute in some way to the perfection of the real time strategy genre, or that the storytelling in Portal didn’t have an impact on the way longer games construct their narratives.

Come to think of it, lots of what we call “core” games (that is, the kind aimed specifically at “gamers” and not at anyone else) are short or episodic experiences. Games like Ico, Uncharted, Rez, Shadow Complex and even Batman: Arkham Asylum were all on the short-ish side at or around 10 hours each—and yet all contribute in some way to the “perfection of fun” somehow, don’t they?

Ruby responded to the question right away with, “Those are fighting words.” Sadly, though, there wasn’t enough time left in the panel for a discussion to kick off.

So, Kotaku, I leave it to you to weigh in on the casual versus core debate with respect to the term gamer. Is one flavour of gamer somehow less gamer than the other? Does length have anything to do with it, or is that a penis joke waiting to happen?

The Wii’s exergaming influence and the industry’s overall sales and market figures are both cited as examples of video games’ legitimacy in American society, in the form set up by the Entertainment Consumers Association. Of course, you’re free to hit the backspace on all of it and write your own ode to how Saints Row 2 made you a better citizen, if you so choose.

“As a gamer and a voter, [the ECA is] asking you to email President Obama to point out some of the ways that video games have empowered and educated you, as well as their power to build teamwork and make people healthier,” says the ECA’s Brett Schenker, the online advocacy manager.

Obama’s beaten up on games in a few speeches lately, asking parents to shelve the Xbox (by name) and make sure the kids observe a decent bedtime. Sounds like that has as much chance of solving the nation’s problems as lecturing the president about scapegoating games.

ECA: Tell President Obama How Games Have Benefited You [GamePolitics]

“While I haven’t agreed with much of what he has said in the past, he alone among legislators was responsible for effecting non-legislative change in our business and he did it with a lot of class, I might add” Halpin said.

Halpin said that comes from a meeting with Lieberman back when Halpin headed the Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association, the one in which Lieberman asked retailers to card for mature purposes, and Halpin’s group agreed. “The IEMA retailers saw that as the gold standard and met the challenge head-on and reacted quickly and efficiently – changing the way in which games were sold, forever,” Halpin said.

You might resent some of the things Lieberman has said about the cultural value of video games, but Halpin’s right, non-legislative, self-policed solutions are definitely preferable to nothing and, if effective, can ward off future regulatory attempts (especially at the state level) by arguing they’re redundant to what’s already in place. (In addition to the larger censorship arguments).

Also in the interview, Halpin weighs in on everyone’s favourite hot-button topic of late, the resale of used games.

I understand the concerns that developer friends of mine have about not getting a second bite of the apple, a phrase they borrow from their filmmaking counterparts. In the movie business, they produce a theatrical version and then DVD, Blu-ray, Video on Demand (VoD), PSP and pay-per-view versions… hence second (and more) bites at the apple. With games as media, there’s often only a single swipe opportunity. They don’t view multiple platforms, or SKUs, as multiple bites. They just see rental and used as businesses in which they don’t get to participate. And while I understand and appreciate their perspective – having debated the subject on countless trade show panels and with developer friends – I’m still not convinced that rental and used are bad for the sector. We’ve witnessed how rental has provided a low-cost venue for people to try before you buy; same for used. We’ve also used those two distribution outlets to show investors and analysts that we’re relatively recession-proof BECAUSE they exist as low cost entry points for consumers. It seems a bit disingenuous to me that we then turn around and condemn those same outlets, after accepting the institutional investor’s money. Going forward, I’m sure that the industry will figure out ways to add value to the first sale so that it becomes less impactful though.

Decent read for a slow Sunday morning.

My Dinner with Halpin [Crispy Gamer, via GamePolitics]

Along with a lengthy list of everything they’ve accomplished over the past couple of years, the ECA used some of their press release space to announce the eventual availability of membership cards online via Walmart.com and Amazon.com,along with a partnership with MMO service provider K2 Network to help raise awareness of their various services, and indeed their very existence. Hit the jump to see what the ECA has done for you while you weren’t looking.

Entertainment Consumer Association (ECA) Celebrates Two Years of Video Game Consumer Advocacy

ECA Continues to Defend Consumers’ Rights Through Formation of New Strategic Partnerships and an Unprecedented Level of Consumer Visibility

WILTON, Conn.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—The Entertainment Consumers Association (ECA), the consumer rights advocacy group dedicated to providing passionate gamers a voice, is today celebrating twenty-four months of serving the evolving needs of individuals who play computer and video games. In the two years since its inception, this flagship organisation has established a solid foundation focusing its advocacy efforts on a variety of consumer rights issues, anti-games legislation, and a host of other public policy concerns. The organisation simultaneously provides substantial community and affinity benefits to its ever-increasing dedicated and proactive members. Through these efforts, the ECA has also forged strategic alliances with other influential non-profits, and well-established endemic and non-endemic corporations including video game publishers, developers, retailers, and trade media.

In the months and years to come, the ECA intends to not only expand upon quality programs in place for its members, but will continually spearhead new initiatives and services, beginning with three new solid partnerships to increase the ECA’s visibility, outreach and accessibility to gaming consumers. The organisation today announced two new partnerships with retail giants Walmart and Amazon to sell ECA membership cards online at Walmart.com, and Amazon.com. The ECA also announced a significant collaboration with K2 Network, the leading MMO service provider in the Western Hemisphere, to drive awareness of video game advocacy and the ECA’s services to the 23 million K2 members representing over 160 countries. Additional merchant partners will be announced at a later date.

“In just over two years, the ECA has brought together a politically charged videogame community united to rally against efforts singling out videogames from the First Amendment protections enjoyed by other forms of entertainment,” said ECA founder and president, Hal Halpin. “We are humbled by the strength of what a unified consumer voice can accomplish, and challenge gamers everywhere to empower themselves and their communities by becoming more educated, active and involved, and leveraging the ECA’s services as a platform to rise against unjust legislation and ignorance.”

Some highlights of what the ECA has been involved in and accomplished to date, include the following:

The ECA and Advocacy:

The ECA has made great strides in legislation, building productive relationships and joining coalition partnerships with other established non-profit and public interest organizations, such as the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), Rock the Vote, Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB), Verizon, Connected Nation, Free Press, International Game Developers Association (IGDA), and many others, who have embraced its mission. Under the ECA, independent topical groups are established for members to stand behind their most pertinent issues and actively outreach to form partnerships with other non-profit and corporate entities in support of their topics. These groups rally around such issues as video game violence legislation, Fair use – as it relates to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), e-waste, net neutrality, video game tax, universal broadband, parental empowerment, the regulation of video games, and more.

The ECA and Affinity Benefits:

ECA membership goes beyond advocacy, and is dedicated to providing substantial community and affinity benefits to its members. With membership, entertainment consumers can connect with others, stay on top of industry issues and events, explore career and educational opportunities in gaming, and voice their feedback on issues and products. Current initiatives with a continually expanding list of partners, including recently announced support from: Activision Blizzard, Alienware/Dell, G8 Clothing, GameFly, Game Informer Magazine, iGames, K2 Network, Nos Energy Drink, Philips/Ambix, Red Lion, and dozens more – in addition to all of the major consumer and trade shows, conferences and events. The organisation also actively supports students and the military with discounted annual memberships of just $14.99. These partnerships enable the ECA to provide members with substantial discounts and savings.

The ECA and Education:

The ECA has made it a priority to partner with the major enthusiast media outlets in order to address the single greatest ongoing challenge: the education of members, the industry and the general public. The association also has created and/or partnered with other properties whose mission and readership parallels their own. GamePolitics.com, is a politically-oriented news and opinions web site addressing politics, legislation and the way in which games and gamers relate to the legal system. GameJobs.com provides comprehensive gaming industry job listings, resume writing help and online database and tools for gamers interested in attaining or furthering a career in video games. GameCulture.com delivers news, commentary and features on video games, technology and the ways in which gamers and gaming has had, and continues to have, a profound impact on culture. VideogameYellowPages.com links members to companies involved in all aspects of the interactive entertainment business and acts as a catch-all directory and repository. Additionally, the fast-growing ECA Today, the nightly newsletter which is distributed to all members free of charge, keeps readers informed on the most interesting and relevant games-related news of the day.

The ECA and Community:

The ECA is rapidly broadening its reach through an expansive national network of regional chapters powered by local gaming communities and college campuses across the country. They adopt the collective goal of educating on political issues directly affecting the interactive entertainment industry, connecting consumers with like-minded gamers in their area, and offering access to a larger professional network for career and educational opportunities within the gaming industry. The ECA will continue to empower these regional chapters, helping them focus on broadening the ECA’s mission – giving gamers a voice – by providing support tools and training seminars for chapter presidents and members on how to engage with their local, state and federal officials on issues that matter to gamers.

Additionally, the ECA went international this year with the inclusion of representation of Canadian gamers. Since the announcement this past summer, ECA has increased both its membership and chapter count and undertaken efforts to include Canadian-specific affinity benefits, services and discounts.

For more information on the ECA and to sign up for membership, please visit: www.theeca.com.

“With a thriving gaming community already present and growing in Canada, we are proud to extend the opportunities and benefits that our U.S. ECA members have been enjoying over the years,” said Hal Halpin, president of the ECA. “Canada is an important area of growth for us and we are excited to welcome Canadian gamers who are interested in community and any issues that affect gamers.”

Interested Canadians can head over to the official ECA website to sign up for membership. Good luck and god speed, brave neighbours to the north.

The Entertainment Consumers Association (ECA) Crosses the Border and Expands Into Canada
Non Profit Organisation Opens up Membership Opportunities to Benefit Canadian Gamers

WILTON, Conn.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—The Entertainment Consumers Association (ECA), the non-profit organisation that represents video game enthusiasts, today announced they have begun offering membership opportunities to gamers and consumers who reside in Canada. Canadians who sign up to become ECA members can now take advantage of a host of discounts and benefits and will be immediately plugged into an extremely active social network of gamers that want to give their passion a voice.

“With a thriving gaming community already present and growing in Canada, we are proud to extend the opportunities and benefits that our U.S. ECA members have been enjoying over the years,” said Hal Halpin, president of the ECA. “Canada is an important area of growth for us and we are excited to welcome Canadian gamers who are interested in community and any issues that affect gamers.”

The ECA will soon be unveiling a host of unique benefits and programs that will be specifically targeted towards Canadian consumers. Canadian chapter organizations are already underway in local gaming communities and these newly-formed networks will continue to grow and offer a great way for videogame players to stay informed and connect with like-minded ECA members in their area.

For more information on the ECA or to take action and sign up for membership, please visit: www.theeca.com.

Jennifer Mercurio, the ECA’s government affairs director, said that it created the Gamers for Universal Broadband initiative in response to “member outcry” over internet access limitations interfering with games.

Through the joint initiative, the ECA joins Connected Nation’s advisory committee. Full details follow the jump.

Connected Nation and Entertainment Consumers Association Join Forces for Universal Broadband

Connected Nation partners with leading gaming advocacy group to strengthen support for universal broadband

Washington, DC: Gamers across America continue to grow in strength as does their demand for access to high quality broadband. A slow Internet connection results in long delays and diminished strategies in the virtual gaming world. To promote universal access to high speed networks, Connected Nation, a national non-profit organisation widely recognised for its ability to improve digital inclusion, and the Entertainment Consumers Association (ECA), a non-profit membership organisation established to serve the needs of those who play computer and video games, have joined forces through a national partnership.

“Connected Nation aims at promoting greater adoption of broadband services to improve the overall standard of living in our communities and the quality of life of citizens across America,” said Brian R. Mefford, CEO of Connected Nation. “We’re eager to partner with a preeminent organisation such as ECA to work together to add the voices of hundreds of thousands of citizens to the call for programs and policies that will accelerate the impact of broadband in the United States.”

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Connected Nation to promote consumer rights and make the Internet accessible to all,” said Jennifer Mercurio, Director of Government Affairs at the Entertainment Consumers Association (ECA). “Our Gamers for Universal Broadband initiative was created in direct response to member outcry over limited broadband access across the country. Now is the time for consumers to get involved to ensure that we have a powerful voice in shaping the future of the Internet.”

As national partner, ECA will join Connected Nation’s Advisory Committee. The Committee brings together stakeholders in the broadband revolution, who come together to help promote the mission of Connected Nation.

The ECA is an advocacy organisation for consumers of interactive entertainment. Gamers represent nearly fifty percent of the US population and spend $10 billion annually on gaming, yet as a group are continually overlooked by both politicians and the mainstream press. The mission of the ECA is to give game consumers a voice and to ensure that elected officials hear their concerns and appreciate the growing influence of the gamer demographic.

Connected Nation research has indicated that the U.S. economy stands to benefit by $134 billion annually by increasing the use of broadband and the technologies that are enabled when Americans have the ability and desire to connect.

About Connected Nation: Connected Nation (www.connectednation.org) is a national 501(c)3 non-profit organisation widely recognised for its ability to improve digital inclusion. Connected Nation expands access to and use of broadband Internet and the related technologies that are enabled when communities and families have the opportunity and desire to connect. For the United States, this means better education, more jobs, improved healthcare, more efficient government and a better quality of life.

Connected Nation has garnered international, industry-wide recognition as a best-practice model for technology expansion. The model relies on a public-private structure to accomplish extensive broadband asset mapping and to create customised local technology plans through grassroots eCommunity Leadership Teams. Additional programs include No Child Left Offline®, which places computers in homes that otherwise could not afford them.

Fewer Players in the Gaming Group [Washington Post]

Technology columnist Mike Musgrove got Entertainment Software Association CEO Michael Gallagher on the horn (we got him first!) to talk about, what else, ESA’s membership losses. Everyone here should be familiar with the story and the pressures that realigning E3 have brought to bear on membership dues, believed to be the motivation for so many big name publishers flying the coop. ESA refers us to the companies to get the reasons for leaving, and so far none have, really.

Well Musgrove got Id CEO Todd Hollenshead to say that Id’s departure was “probably temporary and was not political. It was just a question of other priorities this year that we wanted to focus on”. OK, pretty vague line but, hey, at least it’s something. And it makes some kind of commitment to Id returning. One wonders if others have the same point of view as Id, and what must happen in the meantime to bring about their return.

Also, ECA chief Hal Halpin told Musgrove he knew of two other game companies planning to leave, and more who are unhappy but sticking around.

Fewer Players in the Gaming Group [The Washington Post via GamePolitics]

You better sit down, this gets really confusing really quickly.

Yesterday The Escapist broke the news that E3 keynoter Texas Governor Rick Perry stirred up some controversy by attending a Texas’ Cornerstone Church sermon given by the Rev. John Hagee. During the service Hagee told the gathering that non-christians are going straight to hell. Perry later said he agreed with the sentiment. The story failed to mention that the sermon took place in 2006, something the Wired follow-up did explain.

Then Game Politics, a ECA site which follows the convergence of politics and gaming, picked up the story and added some commentary, calling Perry a bizarre keynote choice and asking the ESA to rescind their offer. It also said that E3 2008 was being politicised by ESA president Michael Gallagher.

In exchanges with Joystiq, Dan Hewitt, the ESA director of communication, called into question Game Politics’ objectivity, pointing out that it was owned by ECA.

“If the ESA posted a blog and called it a news site, journalists would rightfully balk and it wouldn’t pass a smell test. Remarkably, GamePolitics doesn’t face the same scrutiny even though it’s funded by the ECA and tainted with anti-ESA vitriol. At the end of the day, calling GamePolitics a news site is as laughable as saying there’s a Cuban free press.”

Game Politics’ editor Dennis McCauley defended the site, saying he “stands by what he wrote regarding the appropriateness – or lack thereof – of having Gov. Perry deliver the E3 keynote.”

Reached for comment this afternoon, Rich Taylor, senior vice president for communications and research at the ESA, had this to say:

“The ESA welcomes open, honest and frank exchanges with the media. Dan’s comments to Joystiq, which were directed specifically at GamePolitics, were an expression of frustration based on the consistently biased approach of reporting on that site. “

So two issues for the price of one: Is a religiously outspoken governor the appropriate choice for E3 keynoter? Does the fact that ESA rival, the ECA own GamePolitics call into question their objectivity.

ESA calls out GamePolitics for unfair coverage [update] [Joystiq]