ECA Consumer Game Advocacy Group Formed

A new non-profit named The Entertainment Consumers Association (ECA) has been created by former IEMA head Hal Halpin, established "to serve the needs of those who play computer and video games." According to an official press release from the new organization, which has set up a website to co-ordinate its efforts: "The mission of the ECA is to give game consumers a voice and to ensure that elected officials hear their concerns and appreciate the growing influence of the gamer demographic." The organization, which is headquartered in Connecticut, focuses its advocacy efforts on consumer rights, anti-games legislation, and a host of other public policy concerns. The ECA's creators particularly comment: "Gamers represent nearly fifty percent of the US population and spend $10 billion annually on gaming, yet as a group are continually overlooked by both politicians and the mainstream press." In addition, the organization intends to provide "substantial community, educational, and affinity benefits to its members", including from discounts on subscriptions and game rentals and purchases to education, employment assistance, and "insider access to industry news and events." The ECA costs $20 per year to join, and more information on the advocacy organization is available at its official website.