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ESA founder Doug Lowenstein receives AIAS Lifetime Achievement Award
The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences has chosen the third recipient for its prestigious and reportedly quite heavy Lifetime Achievement Award in Doug Lowenstein, founder of the Electronic Software Association (ESA). Lowenstein served as the organization's president for 13 years until 2007, after which he became CEO of the Private Equity Council (PEC). The AIAS has deemed Lowenstein a video game industry champion, noting his achievements in combating various forms of piracy, unfriendly legislature and anti-game sentiment. According to AIAS Board chair Jay Cohen, "It was under Doug's leadership that the industry fought off dangerous efforts to impose restrictions on video game content, in the process establishing unequivocally that video games are entitled to the same First Amendment rights as any other entertainment content." He added, "For those of us in the AIAS, it is no exaggeration to say that the artistic freedom we now enjoy stems directly from Doug's efforts." Previous recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award include Nintendo of America founders Howard Lincoln and Minoru Arakawa, as well as PlayStation creator Ken Kutaragi. But do any of them know Jack as well as Lowenstein does?
Former ESA Prez: Game journalists made Thompson
With the recent news of his upcoming disbarment hitting every RSS feed from here to infinity the gaming world was focused on the professional failure of Jack Thompson but have moved on. On the other side of the fence, former Entertainment Software Association president and frequent Thompson punching bag Doug Lowenstein has sent a letter to Kotaku asking them and other gaming journalists to reflect on how we helped to create the Thompson hype machine.We can't but help but agree with Lowenstein in some way. However, with Thompson at the forefront of some of the biggest controversies the industry has seen in the last few years it would have been difficult to report on the issues without mentioning his name.Would ignoring someone really make them disappear? If that were true then the entire Konami presentation at E3 2008 would have been a ghost show. Amirite?
Lowenstein's 'final' interview: Game reviews influence industry
Doug Lowenstein, former president of the Electronic Software Association, left the industry and gave one "final" interview to GameDaily clarifying some former statements and the future of the industry. The four-page interview was conducted at the D.I.C.E. summit in January, apparently the transcription took over a month.Lowenstein says he was a bit harsh on the gaming press in his final D.I.C.E. speech, but he thinks game reviews are on the right path, "I don't think there's any other critical entity in entertainment in either music or film or television that has the power of the game press to affect the direction of its industry. Look at how many movies get crappy reviews that are top hits at the box office and how many get great critical acclaim and are commercial flops. And I don't read a lot of movie reviews anymore because they're so self important and I don't even understand what the hell their saying. So I don't want game criticism to start looking like that, because you start taking yourself too seriously and start trying to find meaning in things that isn't ever intended to be there; God no, let's not go there."Lowenstein leaves behind the legacy of the ESA, including the creation of the Entertainment Software Rating Board, the creation of E3, an anti-piracy program and all the advocacy he did on behalf of the gaming industry on the federal, state and local level.
The Political Game: Doug Lowenstein shoots the messenger
Each week Dennis McCauley contributes The Political Game, a column on the collision of politics and video games:Doug Lowenstein took his leave of the video game industry last week with a stirring "I'm outta here" speech delivered at the D.I.C.E. Summit in Las Vegas. By all accounts, Doug's comments were blunt and from the heart. But, hey, Doug's the guy who started the ESA and he toiled in its fields for a dozen years. Why shouldn't he get a chance to vent on his way out the door?Among other targets, Lowenstein laid out unnamed developers – cough, Rockstar, cough – who "make controversial content and then cut and run when it comes time to defending their creative decisions.""Nothing annoys me more," Lowenstein said "If you want the right to make what you want, if you want to push the envelope, I'm out there defending your right to do it. But damn it - get out there and support the creative decisions you make."Good point, Doug. But Hell, it's your last day. You could have named names. It's not like they're going to escort you out of the building or take away your key to the executive men's room. And while I will generally look back on Doug's watch with admiration, I've just got to say that the ESA boss got it all wrong when he took shots at the gaming press over, of all things, Jack Thompson:"It drives me crazy. You know who gives Jack Thompson more attention than anyone else? The games press ... I just ... I just think it's nuts."
Doug Lowenstein is GameDaily Person of the Year
It should be no surprise that GameDaily.biz announced their Person of the Year is none other than Doug Lowenstein, outgoing president of the Electronic Software Association. GameDaily says they were going to name him their top person even before he announced his resignation earlier this week. Either way, it's perfect timing and an honorable send-off to a very important man behind the scenes of the industry.Lowenstein has been part of the ESA since 1994, when it was known as the Interactive Digital Software Association. He was the guy looking out for the interests of the game industry and the one steering the general message of what the game industry is all about. During his time the industry grew from $3 billion to an expected $12 billion by year end 2006. He's also been the point person in speaking to the media about the industry as a whole and has weathered legislation, lawsuits, canceling E3 and every other "incident" that befell the industry over the last decade. We can only hope that Lowenstein's replacement is as refined and stalwart as their predecessor.
Lowenstein to leave ESA in early 2007
Entertainment Software Association President Doug Lowenstein will lose his long job title when he steps down in early 2007, according to GameSpot. It appears that he "has accepted the top position with a still-forming trade organization that would represent a consortium of retail investment firms." As the head of the ESA, Lowenstein's image was thrown in the spotlight when E3 was downsized and reborn as the E3 Media Festival. Not to mention certain anti-game activists seem to point to him whenever the industry makes a misstep (or can interpreted to have flubbed).So who will become the new president? Oft-rumored Entertainment Consumers Association founder Hal Halpin has denied interest. But don't let that stop you from voting Halpin in Game Politics' informal / unofficial poll to name the successor.
ESA head doesn't like term "video game"
Doug Lowenstein, head of the ESA, is unhappy with the term "video game" being used to describe the industry. Say what? He thinks that by calling them games, the industry can't be taken seriously; whereas, if the terminology were changed, the industry as a whole wouldn't be as susceptible to negativity. Alright, we're with you so far ... what's it gotta be? The suggested changes are "interactive entertainment" or "entertainment software." Interactive entertainment doesn't make much sense, since board games and outdoor sports are also interactive; entertainment software, however, is a better choice. There is a bigger question at hand, though; will a simple name change really work? Gaming has a terrible public face and political presence. Without serious political lobbying and PR pushes within more traditional media outlets, gaming may never get any respect. Will a name change make gaming more acceptable (err, rather ... make software entertaining more acceptable), or will the politicos simply play the name game as well, and call it the Entertainment Software Decency Act instead? See also:The ECA, a consumer advocacy group for gamers
Min-E3 takes off, lands in Santa Monica hangar
After a fair bit of searching and speculation, some of the details surrounding E3's fate have finally begun to emerge from the putrid smoke and piles of debris that remained after the world's biggest games expo spectacularly imploded several months ago. James Brightman at GameDaily BIZ writes that the ESA now has a firm date and location in mind for next year's Min-E3, more seriously titled E3 Media and Business Summit -- a change from the previous and vaguely fruity E3 Media Festival.Right, when is it taking place?The event will take place from July 11th until July 13th, 2007. It's not still in Los Angeles, is it?No, it's been moved to the considerably less vile Santa Monica. Attendee mortality rates should be significantly improved. That means they'll go down ... we think. How does Min-E3 work, exactly?In concept, it's a smaller, more personal E3 comprised of fewer people, less extravagant spaces and more one-on-one time between the press and the latest third-person scuba-karate game. The full list of exhibitors / hotel guests has yet to be revealed, but Nintendo has already committed to showing their permanently grinning faces.What's this about a hangar?Well, in addition to having hotel rooms set up to demonstrate new products to the media, the ESA has obtained permission to use the nearby Barker Hangar (visit their disturbingly sterile website and take a virtual tour) as an expo show floor of sorts. With the event now being invite-only, the smaller space provided by a hangar (which may be smaller than some E3 booths we've encountered) should no longer be a cataclysmic problem. Am ... I invited?Probably not. ESA president, Doug Lowenstein, describes the new E3 as a series of "suite-based meetings with the software showcase in a controlled and business-like environment," meant to "successfully fulfill our primary objective of giving high-level media the best of all worlds." That doesn't sound like it includes fansites or weekend Gamestop employees.Well, with that attitude, you won't be invited either.Please be aware of the fact that we can end your existence with nothing but a few keystrokes. You're just an invented voice meant to organize this post's information. So shut up, okay?
Nintendo commits to next year's Min-E3
After punching out a rampaging E3 hopped up on sex, drugs and caffeine and sending it to conference rehab, the ESA is already preparing plans to welcome a more discreet and otherwise polite press gathering in 2007. The change has garnered much discussion, with one of the central points revolving around the kind of support the major industry players will provide to a significantly smaller event.According to Gamesindustry.biz, Nintendo is the first of the major three platform holders to confirm involvement with next year's Min-E3, though the level of said involvement is still up in the air. A couple of Super Mario Galaxy posters on the wall of a barren hotel room would likely fail to generate the massive lines Nintendo enjoyed at the last E3, though it certainly would help alleviate the problem of getting trampled by an army of wand-waving nerds (always a plus).Microsoft and Sony have been less decisive in their response, though it should only be a matter of time before they reveal intentions to join the officially dubbed "E3 Media Festival" or simply bulldoze the proceedings with conferences of their own. [Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]
ESA calls Oklahoma's bluff; lawsuit imminent
Like clockwork, the Entertainment Software Association's Doug Lowenstein has issued a statement regarded the passage of Oklahoma's HB3004, a bill that, by classifying them as "harmful to minors," would restrict the sale or rental of violent video games to minors*. GamePolitics has reprinted part of Lowenstein's statement, in which he writes:"The ESA is deeply disappointed by the actions of the Oklahoma Legislature. We believe HB 3400[sic] will restrict the First Amendment rights of Oklahoma's citizens, and intend to file suit in Oklahoma federal district court shortly, asking that the state's new video game law be overturned...""We do sincerely appreciate and respect the concerns that these legislators have. However, six courts in five years have struck down similar laws, ruling that they were unconstitutional and rejecting the unpersuasive claims made by states that violent video games cause aggression...""We hope that sooner or later state legislators and candidates will stop trying to seek headlines by subverting the constitution and frittering away desperately needed taxpayer dollars and instead enter into a constructive partnership to educate parents about the tools available so they, not government, can raise their kids as they see fit."*To answer the inevitable question of "What's wrong with keeping little Billy from killing hookers?" we'll direct you to star commenter 32_Footsteps' explanation: "the consequence of such laws will be that manufacturers will self-censor in order to prevent running afoul of the law. When a content producer self-censors to make something accessible to a wider audience, they risk losing something in the game." Legislation may result in new retail environments that would force publishers to reconsider the content of games or risk financial inviability. That means adults wouldn't be able to play GTA either. The ensuing discussion in this post is well worth your time. Thanks, guys!
