Entertainment Software Association

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) is the trade association of the computer and video game industry in the United States. It was formed in April 1994 as the Interactive Digital Software Association (IDSA) and was renamed to ESA on July 16 2003. It is based in Washington, D.C.

Most of the top publishers in the gaming world (or their American subsidiaries) are members of ESA, including Atari, Capcom, Disney Interactive Studios, Eidos Interactive, Electronic Arts, Konami, Microsoft, Midway Games, Namco Bandai, Nintendo, SEGA, Sony Computer Entertainment, Square Enix, Take Two Interactive, THQ, and WildTangent.

ESA's programs include:
*Presenting the annual E3 (E3 Media and Business Summit, originally the Electronic Entertainment Expo)
*Supporting the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)
*Combatting copyright infringement of software
*Combatting governmentally imposed video game censorship and regulation

Doug Lowenstein founded the ESA. [ [http://psp.ign.com/articles/724/724921p1.html Illinois Ordered to Pay ESA Half Million] by Daemon Hatfield, IGN Entertainment, 2006-08-10 ] On December 14 2006, game blog Kotaku reported [ [http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct=us/1-0&fp=45865846d2f59116&ei=QbSGRdDlCIe6pwKx3P2ODg&url=http%3A//swansonator.kotaku.com/gaming/top/rumor-esa-president-is-quitting-222041.php&cid=0 Rumor:ESA President is Quitting] by Brian Crecente, Kotaku, 2006-12-14] that he was resigning to take a job in finance outside the industry. On May 17 2007, Mike Gallagher replaced Doug Lowenstein as the president of ESA. [ [http://www.gamespot.com/news/6171036.html ESA selects new president] by Brendan Sinclair, GameSpot, 2007-05-17]

On August 18 2007, it was discovered that someone from an IP address belonging to the ESA modified the modchip and abandonware articles on Wikipedia by changing article content to represent legal opinions held by the ESA. [ [http://www.gamepolitics.com/2007/08/18/esa-altered-wikipedia-entries-mod-chips-abandonware/ ESA Altered Wikipedia Entries on Mod Chips, Abandonware] GamePolitics, 2007-08-18]

List of ESA members and their subsidiaries

Bold companies are companies currently mentioned on the ESA homepage. [ [http://www.theesa.com/about/esa_members.php ESA Members] Entertainment Software Association]

As of May 23 2008, Activision, Vivendi Universal, LucasArts, and id Software have all discontinued membership in the ESA. [ [http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/02/breaking-activision-and-vivendi-discontinue-esa-membership/ Breaking: Activision and Vivendi discontinue ESA membership - Joystiq ] ] [ [http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/lucasarts-leaves-the-esa/ Breaking: LucasArts leaves the ESA [update - Joystiq ] ] [ [http://www.gamepolitics.com/2008/05/23/breaking-id-software-leaves-esa BREAKING: id Software Leaves ESA | GamePolitics ] ]

As of October 9 2008, Codemasters has also discontinued its membership in the ESA. [ [http://www.gamepolitics.com/2008/10/09/codemasters-latest-publisher-bail-esa Is Codemasters the Latest Publisher to Bail on the ESA? | GamePolitics] ]

ee also

*Video Game Voters Network

References

External links

* [http://www.theesa.com Official ESA website]