ESA calls for SOPA/PIPA alternatives

With the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act and the Protect IP Act both on on indefinite hold, the Entertainment Software Association has urged legislators to continue to work toward new alternatives to prevent online piracy. Over the last few weeks, the ESA has stood its ground as a major supporter of the proposed legislation, and today the organization reaffirmed its commitment to stopping piracy in the games business, even if SOPA and PIPA aren't the right answer. In its official statement, the group acknowledged it was aware of the growing criticisms against SOPA and PIPA, and encouraged the U.S. officials "to refocus their energies on producing a solution that effectively balances both creative and technology interests." "As an industry of innovators and creators, we understand the importance of both technological innovation and content protection and are committed to working with all parties to encourage a balanced solution," the statement continued. Since the ESA initially voiced its support for SOPA, some developers have publicly denounced the group, including Weapon of Choice developer Nathan Fouts and Firefall studio Red 5, the latter of which has gone as far as to withdraw from the ESA's E3 Expo and found League for Gamers, an online advocacy group dedicated to combating legislation that puts the internet at risk. Other studios, such as Epic, Riot, Jagex, and more, have publicly voiced their opposition to SOPA and PIPA, claiming that the bills would fail to stop piracy, and could instead threaten online games, user-generated content, web communities, and more. Currently, both SOPA and PIPA have been postponed, with proponents of each bill noting that they will remain on hold until Congress can come to a wider agreement on a solution.