GamePolitics has learned that the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), which represents the interests of U.S. video game publishers, is consolidating operations by shutting down its New York office.
Although the ESA is headquartered in Washington, D.C., it has long maintained a New York office which it shares with the ESRB, the video game industry's content rating organization. The ESRB will remain up and running at the New York location.
ESA New York was headed by Senior VP and General Counsel Gail Markels (left), a respected former Brooklyn prosecutor. Markels' status in the consolidation remains unclear, although there are strong indications that she is (or shortly will be) out of a job.
Nor was hers an insignificant position. Markels earned $317,000 in 2005, the last year for which GamePolitics has data.
The New York office's responsibilities included dealing with state-level video game legislation. Under Markels' watch the video game industry compiled a flawless litigation record in that regard, persuading federal courts that all nine video game laws passed at the state level were unconstitutional.
A February ESA press release announced that DC-based VP Ed Desmond was assuming the organization's state-level legislative duties as part of new responsibilities.
GamePolitics was unable to get a comment from the ESA for this story.
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ESA Shutting Down NYC Office, Consolidating Operations to D.C.
March 12, 2008
Shout box
BearDogg-X: Spike TV is airing the new Xbox reveal with help from GameTrailers starting at 11am CT.05/21/2013 - 12:56am
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BearDogg-X: http://kotaku.com/couric-offers-mea-culpa-for-one-sided-violent-video-g-50892937105/21/2013 - 12:49am
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james_fudge: of course he does :)05/20/2013 - 10:23pm
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Andrew Eisen: EZK lives!05/20/2013 - 10:17pm
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BearDogg-X: Not game related, but found it interesting: http://www.upworthy.com/the-real-reason-they-still-play-mrs-robinson-on-the-radio?g=2&c=mrp1 - 90% of the music/TV/news media in USA owned by 6 companies.05/20/2013 - 2:38pm
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BearDogg-X: @PHX Corp: It's like they're just throwing crap at the wall to see what sticks at this point.05/20/2013 - 12:15pm
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Kajex: http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/05/20/neverwinter-money-making-exploit-sees-cryptic-turn-back-time/ My understanding is that none of this was illegal, either.05/20/2013 - 11:42am
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PHX Corp: http://www.gamezone.com/news/2013/05/20/violent-video-games-are-bad-for-your-body Most rediclous Study about violent video games ever05/20/2013 - 10:13am
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Cecil475: @PHX Corp - The dude's a moron who wouldn't know crap if it came up and kicked him.05/19/2013 - 6:36am
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PHX Corp: http://kotaku.com/ea-sports-developer-calls-wii-u-crap-and-nintendo-wa-508481261 EA Sports Canada Moron calls Wii U 'Crap' and Nintendo 'Walking Dead'05/18/2013 - 11:42am
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E. Zachary Knight: If the videos are of sufficient quality that people subscribe and watch regularly, then those let's players are providing a service that people want. That is the heart of capitalism. That is not something that should be shamed.05/17/2013 - 8:06am
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E. Zachary Knight: I have no idea who either of those people are. However, I still don't see why making a business out of creating let's play videos is somehow evil or wrong.05/17/2013 - 8:04am
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MaskedPixelante: It sure is if you're just doing it for the money. See Tobuscus and/or Pewdiepie for what happens when people get into it just for the money.05/17/2013 - 7:30am
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E. Zachary Knight: Why is it wrong to make money doing LPs? Why should that be something that should be shamed?05/17/2013 - 6:20am
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MaskedPixelante: https://twitter.com/PsychedelicSA/status/335183893214924801 Now here's an interesting, glass half full thought about the Nintendo LP thing. It outs the people who are just doing LPs to make money.05/17/2013 - 5:56am
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E. Zachary Knight: I responded in writing to all this "let's play" stuff Nintendo Started. No need for my permission, I won't give it. It's not mine to give. http://divineknightgaming.com/?p=29205/16/2013 - 2:21pm
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E. Zachary Knight: Lars Doucet of Levelup Labs has a Reddit going on game companies that allow monetization of Let's Play videos. http://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/1egayn/lets_build_a_list_of_game_studios_that_allow/05/16/2013 - 1:04pm
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Sleaker: @Imautobot - yah I wouldn't use an emulator as a good first run test of how stable the console is, haha.05/16/2013 - 11:47am
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E. Zachary Knight: The 50th person to jump off a bridge is just as dumb if not dumber than the 1st.05/16/2013 - 10:03am
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MaskedPixelante: Yeah, let's all jump on Nintendo for doing this, even though they're hardly the first company to do this...05/16/2013 - 9:47am
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Comments
Even the ESA serves a function. Although it may be tough to find a ESA Fan Club
Maybe.
:-)
:\
Good to know it. She is a heroine. I hope she stays in the ESA.
You forget though he doesn't exactly live in the 'real world' he resides in Thompsonland, where he's Emperor of the Universe, and Strauss Zelnick is his personal slave... (Also the sky is green and it rains donuts every now and then. :P)
But here's hoping it turns out to be a good thing.
Watch, the DC HQ building will get called on a "violation." Probably the door being a micron too short.
Nah it'll be the curtains, they won't QUITE go with the rest of the decor...
Why would the ESA need multiple offices in the first place? Are state level laws in america so difficult that they need local offices rather than just representatives from those areas?