Entertainment Software Association
The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) is the trade association of the video game industry in the United States. It was formed in April 1994 as the Interactive Digital Software Association (IDSA) and renamed 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 Games, Nintendo, Sega, Sony Computer Entertainment, Square Enix, Take-Two Interactive, THQ, Ubisoft and WildTangent.
ESA's programs include:
- Presenting the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3 Media and Business Summit, currently the Electronic Entertainment Expo)
- Supporting the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)
- Combating copyright infringement of software
- Combating governmentally imposed video game censorship and regulation
Doug Lowenstein founded the ESA.[1] On December 14 2006, game blog Kotaku reported[2] 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.[3]
On August 18, 2007, it was discovered that someone from an IP address belonging to the ESA modified the modchip and abandonware articles in Wikipedia, by changing article content to represent legal opinions held by the ESA.[4]
[edit] List of ESA members and their subsidiaries
Members are listed as displayed on the official website of the ESA and is current as of April 15, 2011.[5]
- 505 Games
- Atari
- Capcom
- Crave Entertainment
- Deep Silver
- Disney Interactive Studios
- Eidos Interactive
- Electronic Arts
- Epic Games
- Her Interactive
- Ignition Entertainment
- Koei
- Konami
- Microsoft
- MTV Games
- Namco Bandai Games
- Natsume
- Nintendo
- Nival America
- Nvidia
- O-Games
- Playlogic Entertainment
- Sega
- Sony Computer Entertainment
- Sony Online Entertainment
- SouthPeak Interactive
- Square Enix
- Take-Two Interactive
- THQ
- Trion World Network
- Ubisoft
- Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
- Xseed Games
As of May 23, 2008, Activision, Vivendi Games, LucasArts and id Software have discontinued membership in the ESA.[6][7][8]
As of October 9, 2008, Codemasters has also discontinued its membership in the ESA.[9]
[edit] References
- ^ Illinois Ordered to Pay ESA Half Million by Daemon Hatfield, IGN Entertainment, 2006-08-10
- ^ Rumor:ESA President is Quitting by Brian Crecente, Kotaku, 2006-12-14
- ^ ESA selects new president by Brendan Sinclair, GameSpot, 2007-05-17
- ^ ESA Altered Wikipedia Entries on Mod Chips, Abandonware GamePolitics, 2007-08-18
- ^ ESA members as of April 15, 2011
- ^ Breaking: Activision and Vivendi discontinue ESA membership - Joystiq
- ^ Breaking: LucasArts leaves the ESA [update] - Joystiq
- ^ BREAKING: id Software Leaves ESA | GamePolitics
- ^ Is Codemasters the Latest Publisher to Bail on the ESA? | GamePolitics
[edit] External links
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