ESA Q1 lobbying spend totals $1.2M

With the US Supreme Court agreeing in April to hear California's violent game law case, the Entertainment Software Association has more reason than ever to advocate the interests of the gaming industry in Washington. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the industry's representative body did not curtail its lobbying during the first three months of 2010.

According to a filing with the Office of the Clerk to the US House of Representatives, the ESA spent $1.2 million on lobbying efforts from January to March. While that figure is up 23 percent from the $980,000 spent during the same period a year ago, it matches what the ESA has doled out each quarter since April 2009.

The ESA largely stuck to the same issues it traditionally advocates. These topics include constitutional issues, copyright law (piracy, intellectual property, and patent modernization), trade concerns, Internet governance, and access to H1-B visas for highly skilled workers. The industry body also addressed telecommunication issues--broadband policy, in particular--and attempted to sway lawmakers on the Energy Star standards.

Known primarily among gamers as the organizer behind the Electronic Entertainment Expo, the ESA also runs the Video Game Voters Network. Additionally, the ESA plays a large role in opposing restrictive game legislation, touting last year a 43-0 record. Members of the organization range from first-party publishers Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo, to third-party outfits of various sizes, including EA, Ubisoft, Epic Games, and 505 Games.