onsidering that a large percentage of Armless Octopus' readership consists of individuals looking to get their start within the gaming industry or those currently making their mark within the industry, we (AO) believe it’s necessary to highlight one of the industry’s brightest organizations for connecting like-minded individuals. The International Game Developers Association is a non-profit organization, and serves our community of game developers. Their (IGDA) goal is to bring together developers at conferences, in local chapters and in special interest groups to improve both the process and life of a developer. Membership is comprised of industry amateurs and veterans from high level studio executives, top-tier publishers, all the way down to indie developers, and students. Don’t be intimidated though – it’s open to everyone.
An interview with Dr. Jakin Vela, Executive Director of the International Game Developers Association, during the 2023 Game Developers Conference.
The International Game Developers Association, or IGDA, will host a roundtable during GDC 2018. While presenting the session they've cited 'burgeoning legislation against loot boxes' as an example of the censorship that developers are facing today.
From the IGDA excerpt:
"Game developers and allies will get updates on the latest assaults on their self-expression and business rights"
Getting little kids addicted to gambling is an "assault on the self-expression " of a publisher???
Lol, seriously?!!
Hosted by "Daniel Greenberg, CEO of Media Rez and part of the International Game Developers Association’s Anti-Censorship and Social Issues committee."
Media Rez ( website here : http://mediarez.com/index.h... is based in Washington DC , and they are self described as " a full-service software and game development studio in the heart of Washington, DC.
We bring together top professionals from the fields of research, game design, software engineering, computer graphics, animation and music. Our goal is to harness the power of interactivity to support behavior change in health and learning. All our titles are created in conjunction with leading researchers and tested for effectiveness."
Does anyone know of any software/games these people have made??? I couldn't find any myself.
Aren't the IGDA the same ones involved in the award fixing for profit back during gamergate?
This and the ESRB's lame attempts to inform the public about in-game gambling , it's almost as if it's intentional and that the only changes being made are to protect organisations from being held accountable.
I hope some game journalists investigate this further.
“I hope some game journalists investigate this further”
Lmao! 3 comments in and this article is already golden! Stay you n4g.
Censorship on gambling is wrong what the heck you clowns lol omfg gov intervention is required at this point.
The battle: gov and gamers v publishers, devs, and ESRB
Crap 4th shinobi war smell all over this and we'll who win this.
Gov and gamers vs pubs hahahaha.. what a pathetic point of view. No wonder they are calling a meeting on how to crush you in court (and they will).
Gambling is gambling and there is a reason why its so heavily regulated. I see one clown in these comments that is defending loot boxes somehow but I cant understand how. Lootboxes are predatory. If they want to sell skins and items, sure, why the hell not. People buy them! Why is that so hard to get behind? Do away with lootboxes and stick with normal digital item sales - they will still make boatloads of money.
I’m not defending lootboxes lol. I have never bought a lootbox in my life. I’m just not attacking them like the youth of Stalin over here. I defend personal and economic liberty at all times. It’s not gambling btw. Predatory? Maybe. Sometimes. Not gambling tho 😉
That’s what y’all are lmao. Would you have preferred the Hitler youth? Please big brother, protect me from these predators! I demand a fascistic legislation! To protect the kids, you know?
If you spend over 20 dollars on lootboxes then you’re an idiot and I have no sympathy for you. I’m a gamer and I don’t side with those idiotic statements.
It’s really not. Legally is all that matters. Gambling is heavily regulated. If you enter the “threshold” of gambling then you need a license. Lootboxes have not entered this threshold. So anyone who calls it gambling has zero evidence to back their claims. Forcing your false view through legislation IS censorship. Real censorship, state censorship. It violates the 1st amendment in America easily, just like jack Thompson’s crusade.
I hope somebody passes law that echos these retarded comments. When an article comes out saying that the publishers successfully defended the 1st amendment I will be here, still laughing.
Buy a lottery ticket with real money and you might win the jackpot = gambling.
Buy a loot box with real money and you might win a rare item = apparently not gambling???
There's a reason why things like the lottery have restrictions placed upon them - like age limits for example.
Take a look at (google) how imitative learning / role models / conditioning can effect children and their mental development.
And then consider the companies that push this stuff are focusing on testing the effectiveness of behavioural changes on kids.
You're okay with that???
The guy who sits on the anti censorship committee also works for a company that pushes the stuff he should be regulating. No conflict of interest there huh?
Most of the people who visit websites like this are pretty clued up on this stuff (like you and I and we can choose to avoid it easily) - but the majority of average casual gamers out there are not.
If you support economic liberty , would you also support people having the right to be informed of potential risks prior to buying/agreeing to any service from a provider? Same thing.
@stiffer
“Buy a lottery ticket with real money and you might win the jackpot = gambling.
Buy a loot box with real money and you might win a rare item = apparently not gambling???”
- Buy a lottery ticket with real money and you might win real money. You don’t need to win the jackpot you can win your money back, 2 dollars or whatever. It’s not guaranteed though. You can cash out that money and spend it on whatever. Gambling.
- Buy a loot box with real money and you might win a rare item. This item is tied to the game, is yours forever and is of no use outside the game. Not gambling.
By law it’s not gambling. People think I’m trying to attack them but I’m just trying to help you understand lol. Your definition is saying that an arcade machine is gambling. You can put in real money to fight this guy in mortal kombat, there is a chance you can win and continue to play. Sure there are odds involved like personal skill or maybe you’re just a good random button masher. There is also a chance that you lose and get nothing. Real money is involved in a 50/50 game of chance, does that make it gambling?
“There's a reason why things like the lottery have restrictions placed upon them - like age limits for example.
Take a look at (google) how imitative learning / role models / conditioning can effect children and their mental development.”
Take a look at how Facebook and Twitter is conditioning children and their mental development. No contest lol. Do they need an adult only age restriction?
“And then consider the companies that push this stuff are focusing on testing the effectiveness of behavioural changes on kids. You're okay with that???”
It’s called marketing. It’s no different with any kind of toy advertising lol. I don’t believe it’s as sinister as you pretend, no. These people are trying to sell their product, it’s their job.
“The guy who sits on the anti censorship committee also works for a company that pushes the stuff he should be regulating. No conflict of interest there huh?”
Anti-censorship boards don’t create law or regulations. It’s misguided to think they have the authority to regulate, they don’t.
“Most of the people who visit websites like this are pretty clued up on this stuff (like you and I and we can choose to avoid it easily) - but the majority of average casual gamers out there are not.”
Right okay. Well the esrb has included lootboxes in the “trigger warnings” sticker and people are still spitting venom, why? Parents should know what their kids are playing and buying without the help of a box sticker. Don’t you agree?
“If you support economic liberty , would you also support people having the right to be informed of potential risks prior to buying/agreeing to any service from a provider? Same thing.”
Absolutely. Who judges the “risk” though? Do I think activist organizations should be able to actively slander things they don’t like? No. Do you mean disclosing the odds of the loot winnings? I have no problem with that. It’s not all the same. The thing is nobody cares about the odds, it’s virtue signal garbage. It’s regulation for the sake of regulation just to say you did something. It’s not a solution.
TechRaptor's Max went to a Spooky Game Jam hosted by the Voxelles, Sugar Gamers, and IGDA Chicago. Max details the experience in this post.
