Violent Video Game Supreme Court Battle Cost California 1.8 Million Dollars (1.35 Million Euro)

The legal battle fought between the state of California and the video game industry in front of the United States Supreme Court has ended up costing the state administration no less than 1.8 million dollars (about 1.35 million Euro).

The state itself has spent 500,000 dollars (376,500 Euro) on its own legal efforts and the court ruling has also forced it to pay 1.3 million dollars (979,000 Euro) to the Entertainment Software Association, which has defended the rights of the video game industry.

The ruling from the United States Supreme Court said that video games are defended by the First Amendment of the Constitution and struck down the law which sought to place further controls on video game retailers who dealt with violent titles.

The decision from the court was handed down after a 7 to 2 vote and placed the same protection on video games as on other forms of protected speech.

Leland Yee, who is the California state senator who fought for the violent video game law, told The Bee, a local newspaper, that, “When you fight the good fight for a cause you know is right and just, and it's about protecting kids, you don't ever regret that.”

Jim Humes, who was the former chief deputy for California governor Jerry Brown, added, “I think we felt the issue was so important that it warranted the costs associated with it.”

Paul M. Smith, who is one of the attorneys representing the video game industry, has said that California had the ability to avoid the fees if it acknowledged that the law was unconstitutional at the state level and renounced the Supreme Court battle.

Politicians in the United States have made video games a frequent target for attack, claiming that they can be blamed for many of the problems that plague the youth of the country, from violence to lower than expected educational performance.