Will gamers flex their collective political muscle in November?
The ESA, representing video game publishers, hopes so. The Video Game Voters Network (VGVN), created by the industry group earlier this year, has so far consisted largely of e-mail campaigns to members of Congress. A new initiative, however, encourages gamers to get out the vote.
Play For Real, called the "first ever video gamer voter registration drive" kicked off yesterday, offering a web page where gamers can easily register.
According to ESA president Doug Lowenstein, who cited low voter turnout in the 18-29 age range during the 2004 election, "We want to help engage gamers by offering this new registration tool, and by spreading the word that it's time for gamers to put down their controllers and play for real by voting in the upcoming elections."