It’s one thing to distance your company from a list that had proven in the last couple of weeks to be detrimental to those on it. It’s another thing altogether to come out and oppose something because it’s fundamentally wrong even if doing so has a negative effect on your bottom line. Most of the big gaming companies who had their name removed from the SOPA support list have done little more than just that – had their names removed.
Microsoft is the only major player in the industry that has voiced any opposition to the bill, saying in November that it needed major changes for them to support it. As Rawstory points out, the other companies such as Electronic Arts, Nintendo, and Sony have voiced zero opposition to the bill and merely had their names removed from the damaging list. Until they voice actual opposition, they still support the bill by proxy through the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), the gaming industry’s lobby similar to the RIAA and MPAA in their respective industries.
In an open letter to congress from September, the ESA made their opinions very clear in regards to SOPA:
“The United States cannot and should not tolerate this criminal activity [piracy],” their letter concludes. “Not only are jobs and consumers at risk, but rogue sites contribute absolutely no value to the U.S. marketplace. The operators of rogue sites break laws, do not pay taxes, and skirt accountability. In light of these concerns, we urge you to enact carefully balanced rogue sites legislation this year. We commend both the House and the Senate for their attention to this important issue and look forward to working with you in support of that goal.”
Will people do to the gaming industry what they did to GoDaddy? Are gamers willing to fight with their wallets to make the gaming industry understand that they’re on the wrong side of this battle? Being off the list should not prevent them from receiving backlash, as silent supporters are supporters nonetheless.
When did M$ become the voice of the “little guy”? Oh well, I like it!
useless article I can’t even print it.
So basically they’re off the list because they don’t want us to boycott them…but they still support it…mixed signals much?
They’ll still have to follow the legislation anyway if it passes. Its the law. I don’t see gaming companies breaking the law. Even the tech companies who planning a massive blackout of their web sites will have to cave or they will lose money. There will be a compromise but the law will pass in the end. Sadly.
It is what it is and sometimes we need to see what it is.