Game Ratings Bill in US Congress

I read about this bill today at Penny Arcade and GamePolitics.com.

Considering that both Senator Brownback and Greg Costikyan want to change how computer games are made and distributed, and Manifesto's emerging status as a publisher for the multivariate potentials of gaming's long tail, I can predict these minds will come to odds. If this bill passes, if such impossible requirements are placed on the ESRB, if US Government indeed creates a regulatory body for video games, does Manifesto have a defense planned?

Sure. Move the servers to Canada, and look for pro bono counsel to defend us on free speech grounds. Most of the games we have are unrated, and likely to remain so, because for small independent developers, the cost of rating is material, and if every bit of content has to be vetted, will be even higher. So I imagine we'd be in violation of the law.

Alright, that's what I wanted to hear, Costikyan's got a plan. The cost of legal defense would be material as well for those independent developers besides. Of course you must also realize that a First Amendment fight, United States v. Manifesto Games, would generate enormous publicity and goodwill. Win-win!

Just to let you guys know, I've participated in a lot of web driven petitions over the past couple of months, and they seem to work. Making somekind of page that allows a user to input area code could desingnate their mail to their particular represetative in congress would be awesome.