RPGWW

http://www.videogamevoters.org/

An activist group promoting video games, educating people about them, and putting down both regulation and the political fad of blaming everything on videogames.

At least give it a look?

Hahaha. They think something will happen if they just yell loudly enough.

Two things have voice in politics. Fear, and money. If the population of supporters of video games outnumbers those in such fierce opposition of computerized entertainment to such a degree that any politician not pandering to the gaming crowd risks his political career then they will vote in favor of freedom of gaming as the market demands. This is not going to happen.

On the other hand, if people in support of digital interactive entertainment organize themselves and form a lobbying group with sufficient financial clout, politicians will listen as they open their mouths to receive money from mama bird.

Jaded? Maybe. But that's the way shit is done in America, like it or not. Lobbying groups are huge, and to sit at their table you have to play their game.

And now that we have the obligatory Priam post of "Haw haw, pro-videogame protesting groups" out of the way, does anyone else want to post anything?

This is an interesting idea, and not a terrible one. However, I would be surprised if devoted gamers ever managed to conjure up enough political influence to accomplish much.

I mean, Priam mentioned lobbyists. Lobbyists are out lobbying. I realize there are plenty of passionate gamers who do things besides sit at their computer in their parents' basement dissolving their brains in 36 continuous hours of WoW, but these are the people that politicians will think of when they're approached "on behalf of the gaming community." It's not the most compelling first impression.

I think that video game companies will have more luck garnering support than gamers themselves will, for the same reason that tobacco companies are more influential than their addicted market. More money, less social stigma, more money, more time spent on nothing but furthering one agenda, and more money.

Which is basically what Priam said.

The most productive thing that gamers can do is, as usual, be politically active in the usual way where you vote for senators and representatives who don't have strong motivation to censor your games. After that? Talk to the companies. Support the companies themselves by buying the most appalling and violent games imaginable so that they'll have incentive to protect the milder content from censorship. This is my master plan. Take it or leave it.

I find these groups best at networking information. How do you keep track of all the national and international news relevant to your voting concerns? Not alone, that's for sure. Even a relatively narrow focus of interest, like legislation on video games, is a hella lot to keep track of--that's where getting a group of people together who care about the issue helps. Cuz people like to talk, and sometimes it's useful.

I don't really see where the site claims to be as powerful as Big Lobbyist Group Here, but I do see that they're asking people who are interested to join in and do something.