Search
Search
Sign on Options
Theme: [Light Selected] To Dark»

Level-5 joins Entertainment Software Association

Eddie Makuch
By Eddie Makuch, News Editor

Professor Layton developer joins US trade group alongside publishers Rubicon Organization and Little Orbit.

Level-5 is increasing its Western presence. The Entertainment Software Association today announced that the company has become a member of the United States trade organization.

Level-5 pushes further into the USA by joining the ESA.

Level-5 pushes further into the USA by joining the ESA.

Level-5, most famous for developing the Professor Layton series, was founded in 1998 in Japan. The company opened an office in the United States in 2010, in Santa Monica, California.

On top of Level-5, the ESA added startup digital publisher Rubicon Organization and Young Justice publisher Little Orbit to its ranks today. With the addition of the three new publishers, the ESA's total membership stands at 36.

Other companies that are part of the ESA include console makers like Nintendo of America, Sony Computer Entertainment America, and Microsoft Corporation, as well as smaller firms like 38 Studios, Natsume, and 505 Games.

The ESA recently made headlines when California was forced to pay the group $950,000 over its failed Supreme Court battle. The ESA also made a splash in January when over the course of three weeks it proclaimed support for the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act before backing away from it.

Eddie Makuch
By Eddie Makuch, News Editor

Eddie Makuch (Mack-ooh) is a News Editor at GameSpot. He works out of the company's Boston office in Somerville, Mass., and loves extra chunky peanut butter.

9 comments
  Livefyre
Newest | Oldest
psycho75
psycho75

Nice but why Ni No Kuni US release has been delayed then?this should speed things up hopefully.

nate1222
nate1222

Screw this. I don't care much for ESA to begin with. Freakin' SOPA backers. I've been a fan of Level 5's work since Dark Cloud 2. Rogue Galaxy is pure awesome as well. Any news on those two would've been much more welcomed. Honestly, now being a PC gamer, I want a PC version of Rogue Galaxy. Even if it's just a spin-off.

Banefire76
Banefire76

I just hope they stay true to thier Japanese roots while learning how to interact with western publishers and gamers. Thier games for the most part are superb and id hate for them to sellout due to thier association with ESA. We dont need more developers and publishers to mirror EA and Activision, regardless of how much money they make.

Icehearted
Icehearted

@wertigo That was exactly what I was thinking when I saw the title. A little scrap of news, anything, on Dark Cloud 3 would be welcome.

pacpuf7249
pacpuf7249

@wertigo I wasnt even going to log on today but seeing your comment made me log on only to thumb it up and say this. Also, I havent played the second one; I hear the first is better (which is what I believe). Which is better?

Raeldor
Raeldor

Not sure what exactly this buy them, but if it means they're going to get some help or assistance publishing their games in the west, this can only be a good thing because their games rate among the best.

wertigo
wertigo

So when will we FINALLY see a Dark Cloud 3?

Conversation powered by Livefyre

Hot Stories

Newsmakers

Featured Stories

Submit News

Got tips? Send them in!