PAX 2009: A Brief Conversation With The ECA's Hal Halpin

Last weekend at PAX, the ECA was offering a sheer, sofa-filled tent as an oasis in the middle of PAX's show floor, giving early registrants to the expo a bit of respite from the hustle and bustle. I had a few moments to sit down with the President of the Entertainment Consumer Association, Hal Halpin, to talk a little bit about what exactly the ECA can do for video gamers, and gay gamers specifically.

To start out, I asked him about how the ECA was formed. He explained that as the founder of the IEMA (Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association) and as a member of subsequent merchant advocacy organizations, he saw that while the interests of the developers and sellers were being looked after, no one was there to represent the consumer. He created the ECA in order to provide a way for game buyers to have their voices heard.

As for what accomplishments that Mr. Halpin is most proud of, he pointed to the ESA's involved and engaged membership, and the local start-up communities and chapters that have formed across the country. He says that members of the ECA fight negative gamer stereotyping by staying informed through social networking through Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube and sites like GamePolitics. He also pointed to the ECA's Face of a Gamer Youtube contest, which asks gamers to make a video describing all of the ways videogames have had a positive impact on their lives. Entries for the contest ended on Sept. 11 (and gamers at PAX had the opportunity to record their messages at the booth), but voting begins next week.

Lastly, I told Halpin that as gay gamers, many of us have a particular interest in how minorities may be treated by game companies, developers, and even other game consumers. I asked him that if we have concerns about discrimination, homophobia, misogyny, or racism in games, can we expect the ECA to share our concerns? He responded that the ECA is dedicated to all serving all gamers, and that feedback from their members is invaluable in shaping their platform. He pointed to their work with accessibility in helping a smaller community like the disabled make inroads into the larger gaming community.

Overall, I came away with the impression that Mr. Halpin believes in order for the organization to do the most good for consumers of video games, they need to get the players of video games involved and informed. As a result, the ECA's current goal is to expand its membership as broadly and into as many different gaming communities as possible, and from there, continue to protect the interests of its community.

If you're interested in joining the ECA, or for more information, visit their website. Currently, college students with a valid ".edu" email address can get a free one-year membership by registering using that address and the coupon code, "college." For others, the annual fee is $20, and it gets you a host of benefits, including discounts on purchases from Amazon.com, Buy.com, and 10% off admission to the 2010 Penny Arcade Expo East.

Entertainment Consumer's Association [The ECA]