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Why Robin Makes Batman Better The Entertainment Software Association today filed suit against the Chicago Transit Authority over the right to advertise certain video games on Chicago’s buses and subways.
The Entertainment Software Association has big plans to give back to the community at E3 2009, and it’s not afraid to spill a little blood to do it. Well, draw a little blood.
The Entertainment Software Association continues to play “gotta catch ‘em all” with small publishers, adding Crave, KOEI, and Playlogic to its ever-growing roster.
A little over two months after being named the “senior v.p. for government affairs” (read: top lobbyist) for the Entertainment Software Alliance, Jennifer A. Manner is now gone.
The Pirate Bay took a broadsides in Swedish court and the Entertainment Software Association is over the moon about it.
The Entertainment Software Association spent a record US$4.2 million on federal lobbying in 2008, Gamasutra reports this morning.
MMORPG publisher NCsoft is the latest game company to sever their ties with game industry trade group and E3 organisers the Entertainment Software Association.
The Entertainment Software Association issued a press release today that for once wasn’t scolding a U.S. state for pursuing unconstitutional game legislation. Instead, they take a moment to applaud the sentencing of two convicted software pirates – Kevin Fuchs of New York and Kifah Maswadi of Florida, both of whom received prison terms for their efforts at taking away money from hardworking developers and publishers. “We commend the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Western District of North Carolina and the Eastern District of Virginia and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their work in bringing these criminals to justice,” said Michael D. Gallagher, CEO of the ESA… “These decisions illustrate, once again, that game piracy will not be tolerated and the extent at which these criminals will be prosecuted. The ESA and its members will continue to support law enforcement’s efforts to protect the intellectual property of our industry.”
It’s just another friendly way of saying don’t f*** with the ESA.
Proceeds from the Level Up Charity Games competition at the upcoming Austin Game Developers Conference next month will go toward the ESA Foundation, the Entertainment Software Association announced today.
“The ESA Foundation is committed to helping improve the lives of young people,” said Jenny Lai, Vice President of the ESA Foundation. “The proceeds of this event will allow us to give back even more and enable students from across the country to pursue studies in computer and video game development and design.”
The competition will pit gamers in a collection of single-elimination events featuring Rock Band 2, Madden 08, I-Play Bowling and Super Smash Bros. The event’s $US 20 entry fee will go toward the ESA Foundation Scholarship Program.
The program assists women and minority students continuing their education in video game development, including those studying graphic design, computer science, animation, programming, digital entertainment or software engineering. The Foundation’s scholarships are awarded annually to full-time students at accredited four-year colleges and universities.
The competition will run from 6 to 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 17 in the ballroom of the Four Seasons Hotel Austin.
Prizes for the event include cash, video games, t-shirts, caps, gaming accessories, video game collectibles and 3D art which will be awarded to the first and second place winners for each game title, plus two grand prize winners for overall score, excellence and sportsmanship.
Kenneth Doroshow, former executive at the Recording Industry Association of America and senior counsel to the United States Department of Justice, has been named the Entertainment Software Association’s new General Counsel, the association announced today.
Doroshow, who start his new position at the ESA in September, replacing Gail Markels who was let go when the ESA’s New York office was shuttered in March.
“The ESA continues to attract and recruit the brightest individuals. Ken has remarkable expertise in the protection of intellectual property and an excellent understanding of the increasingly connected, dynamic, and innovative entertainment environment we live in,” said Michael D. Gallagher, CEO of the ESA, which represents U.S. computer and video game publishers. “The computer and video game industry will be well-protected with Ken’s guidance and I know he will help facilitate our growth to even greater heights.”
One can’t help but wonder if Doroshow’s appointment, the announcement of which comes on the heels of some pretty draconian piracy enforcement in the UK, could signal a change in the approach the world’s software associations, including the Entertainment Software Association, is taking in their anti-piracy efforts.
