December 15, 2006
Kotaku editor Brian Crecente has posted a story that says ESA boss Doug Lowenstein may be stepping down as early as today.Big news, if it's true.
Lowenstein has been the guiding hand of the industry for more than a decade, but not everyone in the video game business has been as supportive in recent times. GP has heard rumblings before, but nothing so public as this.
UPDATE: Although the Kotaku piece suggested Lowenstein might be joining the Entertainment Consumers Association, GP has confirmed with ECA head man Hal Halpin that such a move is not in the works.
UPDATE 2: GameSpot has reported the Lowenstein story as fact:
According to sources, Lowenstein has accepted the top position with a still-forming trade organization that would represent a consortium of retail investment firms. Lowenstein is expected to remain with the ESA through at least February 2007.
Comments
Let me put ti another way he dose not have the tact for the job,for people like JT using libel,slander and the truth to just make the stain go away,however its all in how they do it,Doug dose not use it and finding someone with a pair and a brain to match will be hard to find.
In any case whats done is done if hes gone then hes gone and I just hope someone like him or smarter than him replaces him ,because all we need is a sue happy elitist to destroy what has been made so far...
Somehow I can sense that this could be something going on behind the scenes where possibly someone of political power could encourage someone to be put into that same position of power as Doug was that is now less against game censorship.
Call me paranoid if you will, but due to the fact that more politicians are trying to use the keep-games-from-kids crap as a vote earner is heating up at coincidentally the same time as Doug Lowenstein stepping down, I can't help but think that there may be some sort of radical change in the game industry and community as a result of whomever the hell they put in his place.
Moving on to bigger things and more money is my guess.
Afterall, those games need to be sold somewhere. And what better way to help the gaming industry than to invest in firms that don't treat games like a kids-only market.
I can't see JT calling this a victory in that light. That would be like claiming victory if the CEO of Take Two stepped down to become the VP of purchasing for Walmart's electronics division. ;)
The person who had his job because of the distant relative of my math teacher is finally stepping down.
Although he was overly dismissive of critics, we should look back on his career in a positive light.
It's wrong to say that I think Doug hasn't done a good job. I like that he stood firm and fought well in court. But thats not enough, we need to make the media, and losers like Jack thompson know that if they lie, we will make them pay. And Doug might have finally reached a point where the industry said "Etiher grow a spine or find someone who has one" and he chose to do the later.
We'll wait and see.
Not everything needs to have a political cause. Indeed, the industry is in a reasonably strong position right now - its two most dangerous critics are working with the ESRB and the latest slew of anti-gaming legislation has been ruled unconstitutional (or is in seemingly permanent limbo awaiting a final decision - is the judge ever going to rule on the California law?). All that remains is for the ESA to pick up the legal fees from the various state governments - Doug doesnt need to sit around waiting for that to happen, he can leave knowing that the industry isnt currently in any mortal danger.
But if this is true and he does step down; Dear GOD don't let the next president be an idiot. The last thing we need is a moron in the ESA
It's not likely that lowenstien is stepping down due to thompson, if any pressure came at all it came from the industry. Jack should be pissing his pants, cause if someone takes his place that isn't gonna put up with Jacks shit, then jack could be facing a nightmare of lawsuits and retaliation.
So this is probably just dougs retirement and he's taking a long overdue vacation.
Wow once again you demonstrate a complete inability to understand the situation.
It takes "Balls" not to lash out and react, possibly hurting the industry.
"Z-Word says:
He Who Cannot Be Named (Smack Top John) must be wetting himself with glee right now."