'At a fascinating, caustically honest opening speech of the first day of the 2007 D.I.C.E. Summit, Douglas Lowenstein presented his final public speech as president of the Entertainment Software Association, criticizing "cut and run" makers of controversial game content and urging: "We can't win the war without an army."'
Lowenstein said that the ESA’s most important contribution has been in its defense of First Amendment rights. “There is nothing more important than defending the first amendment,” he said. “It is a fight worth fighting, it’s a fight I’m proud to fight, and we need to keep fighting. But in my view there has been nothing more important that the ESA has done than putting its money and resources out there to defend your artistic freedom. And sometimes that’s not easy. Plenty of things are put out that are art, that don’t necessarily ennoble the culture, but they’re protected. We made a decision at the ESA that we’re going to defend constitutional freedoms no matter what. And I think we’ve done that, and we’ll continue to do that.”
He also defended the ESRB. “I’m very proud of the ESRB,” he said. “Let me tell you something, these people who work there, unsung, unnoticed, unknown, you owe a great debt of thanks to every night when you go to bed if you’re in the creative world. Because they take a lot of heat, they believe in what they’re doing, they work for an organization that has been attacked by advocacy groups, by the media, and the go to work every day and believe in striking a balance between giving parents good and reliable information while being fair to this industry.”
“They’re very talented, they’re very dedicated, and I’m very proud of how that part of the ESA family has grown. And it is the shield. If we didn’t have that shield, we would be taking on bullets and all other manner of ammunition, and we wouldn’t be fighting back successfully.”
“The next time you think about criticizing the ESRB, just remember, that part of what we do is central to your ability to create the products you want to create.”
Lowenstein then shared some of his largest “pet peeves” of the games industry, starting with what he called “cut and run” developers. “The publishers and developers who make controversial content and then cut and run when it comes time to defending their creative decisions,” he elaborated. “Nothing annoys me more. If you want the right to make what you want, if you want to push the envelope, I’m out there defending your right to do it. But, dammit, get out there and support the creative decisions you make.”
“If you want to be controversial, that’s great. But then don’t duck and cover when the shit hits the fan. Stand up and defend what you make.”
Another pet peeve of Lowenstein is what he calls the “Greek chorus,” what he described as the “boss level chattering class.”
“[They] always seem to think there’s a better way to do something,” he said. “It’s very easy on the keyboard to type up a bunch of criticisms about how ESA isn’t doing this or that right. Then you look and where are these people? Are they getting in the fight? Are they making political contributions? Are they going to their senators? No, they’re sitting on their hands. I’m sick and tired of people sitting on their hands.”
“How many people are on the Video Game Voters Network?” he asked the crowd, which responded with very very few raised hands. “That’s pathetic!” he yelled. “You go to a website, click a few keystrokes and that’s it. No one has bothered to take the time to do that, and it makes me sick. What is the problem? You can not expect this industry to grow and prosper if you’re not willing to take the time and effort to help it.”
“No matter how good we are, and we’re good, we can’t win the war without an army. And you’re the army. And most of the people in this room who have the most at stake are too lazy to join this army.”
“Don’t let others fight the fight for you, because in the end we won’t have enough soldiers to succeed.”
He also had a few words to the enthusiast games media. “I think there’s a lot of maturity that needs to happen in the gaming press. It’s not just because there’s a cozy relationship between the press and the industry they cover. That I find a little uncomfortable. But I think the games industry press needs a higher level of maturity and seriousness.”
“Great other forms of media have a very very powerful forms of critical components,” he continued. “Look at the film and music industries. The quality of the nature of the criticism is very deep, it’s very thoughtful. The game industry press has the ability to push this industry to greater heights of creative success. People in this room care a lot more about what the games press say about what they create than what anyone else will say. And I hope that that platform is used in a way that is more empowering and more ambitious. I just don’t think the games press has asked enough of itself, and I hope that it does.”
“In terms of the nature of coverage, just in the last six months, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read ridiculous rumors, just sloppy reporting that just shouldn’t be anymore,” he continued. “I’ve heard people say that I’m leaving the ESA because I’m upset with what happened with the E3 decision…I’ve got to tell you, this stuff is stupid, and it’s wrong, and it’s just lazy reporting. And I think the games industry press is capable of much better, and I hope you ask more of yourself.”
“It drives me crazy. You know who gives Jack Thompson more attention than anyone else? The games press. The games press legitimizes Jack Thompson. Everyone gets so upset that Jack Thompson has so much ability. I just,” he loses his composure, just for a second, “…I just think it’s nuts.”
“I thank you all for the support you’ve given me over these twelve and a half years,” he concluded. “If you take nothing else away from this, sign up for the video game voter’s network, get into the game yourselves.”
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Lowenstein said that the ESA’s most important contribution has been in its defense of First Amendment rights. “There is nothing more important than defending the first amendment,” he said. “It is a fight worth fighting, it’s a fight I’m proud to fight, and we need to keep fighting. But in my view there has been nothing more important that the ESA has done than putting its money and resources out there to defend your artistic freedom. And sometimes that’s not easy. Plenty of things are put out that are art, that don’t necessarily ennoble the culture, but they’re protected. We made a decision at the ESA that we’re going to defend constitutional freedoms no matter what. And I think we’ve done that, and we’ll continue to do that.”
He also defended the ESRB. “I’m very proud of the ESRB,” he said. “Let me tell you something, these people who work there, unsung, unnoticed, unknown, you owe a great debt of thanks to every night when you go to bed if you’re in the creative world. Because they take a lot of heat, they believe in what they’re doing, they work for an organization that has been attacked by advocacy groups, by the media, and the go to work every day and believe in striking a balance between giving parents good and reliable information while being fair to this industry.”
“They’re very talented, they’re very dedicated, and I’m very proud of how that part of the ESA family has grown. And it is the shield. If we didn’t have that shield, we would be taking on bullets and all other manner of ammunition, and we wouldn’t be fighting back successfully.”
“The next time you think about criticizing the ESRB, just remember, that part of what we do is central to your ability to create the products you want to create.”
Lowenstein then shared some of his largest “pet peeves” of the games industry, starting with what he called “cut and run” developers. “The publishers and developers who make controversial content and then cut and run when it comes time to defending their creative decisions,” he elaborated. “Nothing annoys me more. If you want the right to make what you want, if you want to push the envelope, I’m out there defending your right to do it. But, dammit, get out there and support the creative decisions you make.”
“If you want to be controversial, that’s great. But then don’t duck and cover when the shit hits the fan. Stand up and defend what you make.”
Another pet peeve of Lowenstein is what he calls the “Greek chorus,” what he described as the “boss level chattering class.”
“[They] always seem to think there’s a better way to do something,” he said. “It’s very easy on the keyboard to type up a bunch of criticisms about how ESA isn’t doing this or that right. Then you look and where are these people? Are they getting in the fight? Are they making political contributions? Are they going to their senators? No, they’re sitting on their hands. I’m sick and tired of people sitting on their hands.”
“How many people are on the Video Game Voters Network?” he asked the crowd, which responded with very very few raised hands. “That’s pathetic!” he yelled. “You go to a website, click a few keystrokes and that’s it. No one has bothered to take the time to do that, and it makes me sick. What is the problem? You can not expect this industry to grow and prosper if you’re not willing to take the time and effort to help it.”
“No matter how good we are, and we’re good, we can’t win the war without an army. And you’re the army. And most of the people in this room who have the most at stake are too lazy to join this army.”
“Don’t let others fight the fight for you, because in the end we won’t have enough soldiers to succeed.”
He also had a few words to the enthusiast games media. “I think there’s a lot of maturity that needs to happen in the gaming press. It’s not just because there’s a cozy relationship between the press and the industry they cover. That I find a little uncomfortable. But I think the games industry press needs a higher level of maturity and seriousness.”
“Great other forms of media have a very very powerful forms of critical components,” he continued. “Look at the film and music industries. The quality of the nature of the criticism is very deep, it’s very thoughtful. The game industry press has the ability to push this industry to greater heights of creative success. People in this room care a lot more about what the games press say about what they create than what anyone else will say. And I hope that that platform is used in a way that is more empowering and more ambitious. I just don’t think the games press has asked enough of itself, and I hope that it does.”
“In terms of the nature of coverage, just in the last six months, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read ridiculous rumors, just sloppy reporting that just shouldn’t be anymore,” he continued. “I’ve heard people say that I’m leaving the ESA because I’m upset with what happened with the E3 decision…I’ve got to tell you, this stuff is stupid, and it’s wrong, and it’s just lazy reporting. And I think the games industry press is capable of much better, and I hope you ask more of yourself.”
“It drives me crazy. You know who gives Jack Thompson more attention than anyone else? The games press. The games press legitimizes Jack Thompson. Everyone gets so upset that Jack Thompson has so much ability. I just,” he loses his composure, just for a second, “…I just think it’s nuts.”
“I thank you all for the support you’ve given me over these twelve and a half years,” he concluded. “If you take nothing else away from this, sign up for the video game voter’s network, get into the game yourselves.”
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