Former ESA Pres. Lowenstein to Industry: Arrrggghhhhhh

Doug Lowenstein, the long time president of the Entertainment Software Association who recently announced he would be departing the organization this year, gave a rousing opening speech at the D.I.C.E. Summit being held in Las Vegas, during which he aired many of his frustrations with and challenges to the games industry that he has witnessed in his dozen years heading up its preeminent advocacy group. Among the topics addressed by Lowenstein were the importance of protecting the First Amendment rights of game developers, the tendency for industry professionals to criticize the ESA's methods without acting on or proposing their own ways to serve the industry, the unprofessionalism and rumormongering of the video game industry press, and more. Lowenstein spoke with a frankness and sharpness uncharacteristic of his addresses during his time officially representing the ESA, when he tended to operate in a more diplomatic manner. "There is nothing more important than defending the first amendment. It is a fight worth fighting, it's a fight I'm proud to fight, and we need to keep fighting," he said to the developers attending D.I.C.E., "but in my view there has been nothing more important that the ESA has done than putting its money and resources out there to defend your artistic freedom. And sometimes that's not easy." He went on to point out that not all art or expression will "ennoble the culture," but that makes it no less deserving of constitutional protection. He also pointed out that, while developers should feel free to exercise their rights of expression, they also need to take more of a role in protecting them during an era when the video game industry is constantly under political attack. "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," he noted. "But, dammit, get out there and support the creative decisions you make." "I think there's a lot of maturity that needs to happen in the gaming press. It's not just because there's a cozy relationship between the press and the industry they cover. That I find a little uncomfortable. But I think the games industry press needs a higher level of maturity and seriousness," said Lowenstein, adding that game criticism itself also has plenty of room to grow before it has the breadth and power of criticism found in other entertainment fields. "People in this room [developers] care a lot more about what the games press say about what they create than what anyone else will say," he pointed out. "And I hope that that platform is used in a way that is more empowering and more ambitious. I just don't think the games press has asked enough of itself, and I hope that it does." Lowenstein also slammed the tendency of the games press to publish unresearched stories and unfounded rumors. "In terms of the nature of coverage, just in the last six months, I can't tell you how many times I've read ridiculous rumors, just sloppy reporting that just shouldn't be anymore," he lamented, adding that many erroneous reports relating to his leaving the ESA were posted. "I've got to tell you, this stuff is stupid, and it's wrong, and it's just lazy reporting. And I think the games industry press is capable of much better, and I hope you ask more of yourself." In addition to speaking more on the history and the role of the ESA, Lowenstein made numerous mentions of the Video Game Voters Network, a consumer-level advocacy group established last March and dedicated to informing gamers about pressing political issues surrounding video game legislation.