Tag Archives: hal halpin

Looks like a few insulting remarks from the ESA didn’t faze ECA pres Hal Halpin one bit. Speaking with GamesIndustry.biz, he cleared the air between the two organizations.

“I would say that the ESA is still very viable and the association is really needed,” he said. “Because of that couple of weeks of discontent between the associations I think people are under the false impression that we want to see anything bad happen to the ESA – and that is not at all the case.”

“You know,” he added, “I think a strong and vibrant ESA is really important to the sector as a whole as far as their membership going forward. They have some really big challenges ahead of them and it’s a difficult time, so the show will probably be one of the things that the current membership is looking at in terms of value proposition.”

Way to turn the other cheek, Hal.

Check out the full link for more ESA-related commentary from Halpin. It’s definitely worth a read.

By Nathan Grayson

Entertainment Consumer Association president Hal Halpin has contacted Fox regarding the now painfully protracted situation over comments Cooper Lawrence made on the Network about Mass Effect’s sexual content. Lawrence has since retracted her opinions after gamers “reviewed” her book on Amazon and destroyed its sales ranking. Fox itself has yet to make any kind of retraction for the “SeXbox” segment it aired, despite a request from Mass Effect publisher EA. Which is why Hal’s got a bee in his bonnet.

“On behalf of the [ECA], the national non-profit organization representing American video game consumers, I urge you to correct and repudiate the misstatements leveled by Fox News’ Live Desk regarding the story and character interactions in Mass Effect,” he said, writing to Live Desk producer Teri Van Horn.

“Your show’s reporting was irresponsible and incorrect. Your own ‘expert’ Cooper Lawrence has subsequently disclaimed her misstatements… In the future, we ask that you book real gamer and industry experts on your show…

“ECA’s members are disturbed by your news organization’s apparent disregard of the truth in this instance. We represent a diverse group that cuts across all ages, with the weightiest portion in the coveted 18 – 45 age group, and with women accounting for 38% of gamers. Over the past week, our members have mobilized to speak out and set the record straight on Mass Effect, and we ask the same of you.”

We wish we were called “Teri Van Horn”. Expect this to rumble on forever.