14 DAY TRIAL // id Software is announcing that it is not renewing membership with the ESA, and the video gaming industry association is confirming the move. The company that developed such iconic videogames as Doom and Quake has not offered a statement that provides rationales for its decision, while the ESA has said that no official communication between the two sides has taken place before the announcement.
Rich Taylor, senior vice president at the Entertainment Software Association, has said that "We can confirm that id Software has decided not to renew its membership in the ESA. We admire their creativity and innovation. We also respect their decision".
The first shock for the ESA was that both Activision and Vivendi Games, which are very soon going to form the biggest game publisher in the world, have decided to quit the ESA and also to pull out of the E3 video gaming show that is going to be organized this summer.
The second shock came as LucasArts also pulled out of the organization, although it is still going to E3. No clear explanation for the move has been offered by any of these three major industry players.
Unconfirmed rumors are saying that the leadership style of Michael Gallagher, the current president of the organization, is pushing members away. The ESA should be the main public voice of the videogames industry, serving as a talking and negotiation partner when legislation involving games is being discussed and pushing for initiatives that could benefit the industry. The fact that a couple of big players within the industry are leaving the organization means that it is not doing its job as it should, while also damaging its credibility, which will make it even harder for it to address issues regarding the videogames market.
The ESA still has a lot of backers, with Electronic Arts being the most vocal over the last week. It's upcoming E3 convention will be attended by the likes of Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony or THQ but, if the defections continue, the ESA could soon find itself irrelevant to gamers and game producers alike.