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ECA Takes Over GamePolitics.com, Talks Mission

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the gamepols-get-legits dept.

simoniker writes "The new Entertainment Consumers Association has announced that it has acquired the GamePolitics.com website, as part of its mission 'to give gaming consumers a voice and ensure that state and local politicians hear their concerns and appreciate their demographic power'. An in-depth interview with ECA founder Hal Halpin explains his reasons for setting up membership-based, consumer-focused ECA: 'I noticed last year that the state-level guys started moving away from targeting retailers, and trying to haul them off for selling M-rated games, to targeting consumers. And, you know, kids being [arrested] at 17 years of age for buying an M-rated game... it's just insane. And so, to me, that was the call.'"

22 comments

  1. What Does This Have to do with Politics???!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    Is ECA a governmental organization or something? Looks lik a private organization to me. This story isn't really political and shouldn't be in the politics section.

    The FAQ clearly states the politics section is for news relevant to United States government politics.

    Nowadays, there's hardly any stories that are directly relevated the US politics. Why don't the editors follow their own rules?

    1. Re:What Does This Have to do with Politics???!! by kfg · · Score: 2, Funny

      Is ECA a governmental organization or something? Looks lik a private organization to me. This story isn't really political and shouldn't be in the politics section.

      I think you should probably look up the definition of "democracy." Throw in "lobbyist" while you're at it.

      KFG

    2. Re:What Does This Have to do with Politics???!! by rob1980 · · Score: 2, Informative

      The organization, which is headquartered in Connecticut, focuses its advocacy efforts on consumer rights, anti-games legislation, and a host of other public policy concerns as well as providing substantial community, educational, and affinity benefits to its members--from discounts on subscriptions and game rentals and purchases to education, employment assistance, and insider access to industry news and events. - http://www.theeca.com/about_eca.htm

      Damn straight they a political organization, Chuck.

    3. Re:What Does This Have to do with Politics???!! by xENoLocO · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Every political party is a private organization...

      --
      "The need to build the internet comes from something inside us, something programmed... something we can't resist."
    4. Re:What Does This Have to do with Politics???!! by kfg · · Score: 1

      "I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the State, with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally.

      This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but in those of the popular form it is seen in its greatest rankness and is truly their worst enemy....

      Library of Congress
      George Washington / painted by G. Stuart ; engraved by H.S. Sadd, N.Y.
      It serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms; kindles the animosity of one part against another; foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which finds a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passion. Thus the policy and the will ofone country are subjected to the policy and will of another.

      There is an opinion that parties in free countries are useful checks upon the administration of the government, and serve to keep alive the spirit of liberty. This within certain limits is probably true; and in governments of a monarchical cast patriotism may look with indulgence, if not with favor, upon the spirit of party. But in those of the popular character, in governments purely elective, it is a spirit not to be encouraged. From their natural tendency it is certain there will always be enough of that spirit for every salutary purpose; and there being constant danger of excess, the effort ought to be by force of public opinion to mitigate and assuage it. A fire not to be quenched, it demands a uniform vigilance to prevent its bursting into a flame, lest, instead of warming, it should consume."

      -George Washington

  2. Blah blah blah. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Lame.

  3. Not good by lowe0 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    McCauley had his own opinion, to be sure, but he did a decent job of trying to balance coverage of the issues. I hope it doesn't just become a mouthpiece for Halpin (even if I agree with him).

    1. Re:Not good by gt_mattex · · Score: 1

      It seems to me the EMA and ECA are just two mega mergers.

      Sure they provide power for the consumers defense however I can't shake the feeling:

      Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

      --
      "No doubt one may quote history to support any cause, as the devil quotes scripture." - Learned Hand
    2. Re:Not good by TubeSteak · · Score: 1

      Balanced: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Objectivity_(journali sm)

      Agenda + Facts: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advocacy_journalism

      I would have put gamepolitics in the advocacy class of journalism, since they do have an agenda of sorts.

      --
      [Fuck Beta]
      o0t!
    3. Re:Not good by joystickgenie · · Score: 1

      Yeah but when it comes to politics and the game industry I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone that falls into the "Balanced" section.

  4. At least they got something right... by hurting+now · · Score: 0

    This is so dumb that we are going after the kids for buying the games... we need to make the stores responsible for there actions. Force Walmart to be pro-active.

    1. Re:At least they got something right... by Overzeetop · · Score: 1

      Huh?

      'Cause a 17 year old can't read "Ao" and the caption "Adults Only 18+" and realize that they're not supposed to purchase the game? Sounds like this kid needs to hit the books more and the xbox a little less. WalMart proactive? Stores responsble? Give me a break - you're just as nanny state as the people wanting to arrest kids for buying these games.

      And while you're at it, get the hell off my lawn!

      --
      Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
    2. Re:At least they got something right... by westlake · · Score: 1
      Force Walmart to be pro-active.

      The simplest way for Walmart to become pro-active is to stop stocking games that are likely to bring it nothing but grief. GTA could disappear from its shelves tomorrow without having the slightest impact on the bottom-line.

    3. Re:At least they got something right... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why doesn't anyone actually discuss whether these games are really harmful to 17-year-olds? All we see on Slashdot is article after article debating whether it's the retailer's problem, the parents' problem, or a legislative problem. All of this is begging the question. Don't we have bigger things to worry about as a society than 17-year-olds playing video games?

    4. Re:At least they got something right... by illspirit · · Score: 1

      Umm, Wal-Mart (along with like 99.9% of other stores) doesn't sell AO games. TFA mentions 17 year olds getting arrested for buying M rated games. The M label says they're for ages 17+. What part would said 17 year old not be reading properly?

      Otherwise, I totally agree that forcing stores to be "proactive" is just as nanny state-ish.

    5. Re:At least they got something right... by Steeltalon · · Score: 1

      Wrong, it would impact the bottom line; Stores make quite a bit off of secondary sales. You come in to buy one thing (GTA) and end up picking up some new controllers, a hint book, maybe you finally break down and buy that new wide screen TV you've had your eye on. There most certainly would be an impact if Walmart stopped carrying popular games, controversial or not.

      --
      Regards, Ian
    6. Re:At least they got something right... by hurting+now · · Score: 0

      Because its not the 17 year olds who are getting hurt... its the 12 year olds and the 13 year olds who are potentially running into content that they shouldn't be seeing yet.

    7. Re:At least they got something right... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Except for the fact that walmart made more money selling GTA than they did selling any 2 other games combined, that might be a good point.

      All you have to do is search out sales records for popular games, and match those records against news posts about "re-ratings" or contraversy around a game.

      Walmart sold out all over the state I live in when it was announced GTA was getting re-rated.

      They aren't going to do anything to hinder that. And you know it.

    8. Re:At least they got something right... by Overzeetop · · Score: 1

      Yeah, I changed the rating 'cause the M lists 17yo's as acceptable, and it didn't make sense the way the OP phrased it.

      --
      Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
  5. The demographic that matters... by westlake · · Score: 2, Interesting
    The new Entertainment Consumers Association has announced that it has acquired the GamePolitics.com website [CC], as part of its mission 'to give gaming consumers a voice and ensure that state and local politicians hear their concerns and appreciate their demographic power'.

    The only demographic that matters to the politician is that of the voters in his district.

    But even then he must make choices.

    The Evangelical Protestant is active and organized and the issues which excite him resonate far beyond his own community.

    The gamer in politics runs the risk of looking adolescent and frivolous in comparison and usually stands very much alone.

    1. Re:The demographic that matters... by bit01 · · Score: 1

      The gamer in politics runs the risk of looking adolescent and frivolous in comparison and usually stands very much alone.

      There's a lot of disenfranchised kids out there. Maybe they could run a campaign to lower the voting age to 5?

      Failing that maybe, they could run a campaign to get the kids to give their parents, the voters, hell?

      ---

      Creating simple artificial scarcity with copyright and patents on things that can be copied billions of times at minimal cost is a fundamentally stupid economic idea.

  6. This is ridiculous by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The studio believes that it cannot make enough money from the francise given its meager earnings with the movie. What about this warrants "fighting back?" It's a fictional universe, one of many, and quite honestly your time would be much better spent fighting for important issues in the real one that you inhabit, instead of whether you get the right entertainment at the box office or on television. You are revolting over a grand play, when you know, there's plenty of real problems that could be addressed in the world and aren't.