ESA forms new political action committee

The Entertainment Software Association has formed a new political action committee which will make donations to politicians and candidates who are friendly to the game industry.

According to The New York Times, the PAC was approved last fall and should be up and running by March 2008.

"We will be writing checks to campaigns by the end of this quarter," said ESA president Michael Gallagher.

"This is an important step in the political maturation process of the industry that we are ready to take now. This is about identifying and supporting champions for the game industry on Capitol Hill so that they support us."

The ESA's PAC is expected to donate between USD 50,000 and 100,000 to national candidates, similar to PACs associated with the film and music industries.

Gallagher also intends to leverage The Video Game Voters Network, a grassroots movement seeking to protect free speech and defend videogames from intrusive legislation and regulation. The Network currently claims over 100,000 members.

"If I can walk into the office of a member of Congress and tell them we have 20,000 voters in their state who are already signed up to write letters and act based on game-related issues that concern them, that's powerful," Gallagher told The New York Times.