Lowenstein at (the last) E3 this year
Doug Lowenstein, the founding president of the US-based Entertainment Software Association’s (ESA), is to step down after 12 years in the job.
Lowenstein will continue in his current position until “early 2007” while the ESA searches for a replacement. Doug will be certain to have departed this game-world by July 11th, as the re-styled E3 show kicks of in Santa Monica on that date.
Lowenstein is to take a new role heading up a trade body in the investment industry, saying in a statement, "I have been honoured to represent the amazing companies of the ESA, to serve as their advocate and to be part of an industry which is having such a profound and positive effect on our culture and the world of entertainment. Like our industry, the ESA has grown and matured and is now stronger and more robust than ever before. The future of video games and its trade association is very bright indeed."
As well as being a successful lobbyist fighting for the rights of gaming and gamers and publicly defending the industry from critics of violent games, Lowenstein will also be remembered for being ‘the boss of E3’.
Many observers are already drawing links between the collapse of the world's glitziest trade show and Lowenstein's departure from the industry.
The news follows last month's departure of ESA VP and E3 organiser Mary Dolaher who joined the IDG group in order to put together a new consumer at E3's spritual home, the LA Convention Centre, next November.
Anti-gaming lawyer, Jack Thompson, has compared Lowenstein to Joseph Goebbels and Saddam Hussein in the past, also claiming that he was no different from lobbyists for the porn or tobacco industries.
For this reason, as well as everything else Doug has done for our industry, SPOnG salutes him and we wish him all the best for his future in the investment industry (Zzzzz Zzzzz).
If you have any suggestions for good candidates to replace Doug in the role of Most Important American Person To Talk About Games then please let us know in the Forum below.
All CVs can be sent to Human Resources, The Entertainment Software Association, 575 7th Street, NW Suite 300, Washington, DC 20004.
Don't send them to the European Space Agency by mistake.
Lowenstein will continue in his current position until “early 2007” while the ESA searches for a replacement. Doug will be certain to have departed this game-world by July 11th, as the re-styled E3 show kicks of in Santa Monica on that date.
Lowenstein is to take a new role heading up a trade body in the investment industry, saying in a statement, "I have been honoured to represent the amazing companies of the ESA, to serve as their advocate and to be part of an industry which is having such a profound and positive effect on our culture and the world of entertainment. Like our industry, the ESA has grown and matured and is now stronger and more robust than ever before. The future of video games and its trade association is very bright indeed."
As well as being a successful lobbyist fighting for the rights of gaming and gamers and publicly defending the industry from critics of violent games, Lowenstein will also be remembered for being ‘the boss of E3’.
Many observers are already drawing links between the collapse of the world's glitziest trade show and Lowenstein's departure from the industry.
The news follows last month's departure of ESA VP and E3 organiser Mary Dolaher who joined the IDG group in order to put together a new consumer at E3's spritual home, the LA Convention Centre, next November.
Anti-gaming lawyer, Jack Thompson, has compared Lowenstein to Joseph Goebbels and Saddam Hussein in the past, also claiming that he was no different from lobbyists for the porn or tobacco industries.
For this reason, as well as everything else Doug has done for our industry, SPOnG salutes him and we wish him all the best for his future in the investment industry (Zzzzz Zzzzz).
If you have any suggestions for good candidates to replace Doug in the role of Most Important American Person To Talk About Games then please let us know in the Forum below.
All CVs can be sent to Human Resources, The Entertainment Software Association, 575 7th Street, NW Suite 300, Washington, DC 20004.
Don't send them to the European Space Agency by mistake.