Playing politics
Watch out, gamers of New York. You’re on the list. The
Legislation Watch List at Game Politics ( www.gamepolitics.com), that is.
According to the interactive map, which tracks the progress of anti-videogame
legislation across the country, New York has 13 such bills sitting in
committee.
The Legislation Watch is just one of the many features at
Game Politics, a catchall news blog dedicated to the shifting political
landscape in digital affairs. Featuring news, analysis, and incisive
commentary, Game Politics outlines the sometimes-cantankerous relationship
between politicians and the videogame industry. Aided by an ever-vigilant posse
of volunteers, editor Dennis McCauley sniffs out the juiciest stories, from the
debate over whether Missouri prisoners should be allowed PS2s in jail to
interviews with anti-war protestors in the military’s recruitment game, America’s Army. Also, Game Politics
occasionally features exclusive interviews with key political players, such as
attorney Jack Thompson and California Assembly Speaker Leland Yee.
What you won’t find at Game Politics is the loose editorial
standards that plague many of the larger gaming sites. McCauley holds not just
politicians accountable but also videogame makers, publishers, and retailers.
“The industry has been spoiled by a very compliant, fan-oriented style of game
journalism,” he says. “We’re pulling back the curtain on how the videogame
industry plays the political game.”
Readers can discuss news posts in the newly revamped forums,
where the heady, intellectual debates rarely degenerate into flame wars and
trolling. Even the comment sections on news posts tend to be articulate and
sophisticated. “We’ve got the smartest readership you’ll find on any gaming
site,” boasts McCauley. And it shows.
This article appears in Aug 23-29, 2006.
