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"Games as Porn" Mayor Backs Boston Industry

Kris Graft's picture

By Kris Graft

March 13, 2009

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"I’m committed to creating the conditions that will allow this sector to continue to grow and prosper."

Boston's Mayor Thomas Menino believes the videogame industry is a key part of his city's economy, despite having backed a controversial videogame bill that aimed to lump mature-themed videogames in with existing porn laws.

In a press statement sent to Edge, the politician on Friday announced two initiatives to support the games industry: an industry networking website at PoweringUpBoston.com and an industry "steering commitee," both of which were originally conceived at the 2007 PoweringUp Conference at Northeastern University.

2007 is the same year that Menino backed Massachusetts' HB 1423, a law drafted with the aid of former attorney Jack Thompson that restricts the distribution videogames deemed "harmful to minors," the same type of law used to block the sale of pornography to children.

The measure drew criticism from outlets including The Boston Globe, The Entertainment Software Association and even author Stephen King. Massachusetts re-examined the bill in 2008. Similar laws had been previously deemed unconstitutional in other states.

But these new industry initiatives appear to find common ground between politicians and developers. The Boston-area videogames steering committee is made up of key members from local game firms, and will advise the mayor and the Boston Redevelopment Authority staff in "strengthening the Boston-area game development presence, raising Boston's profile as a global leader in digital media and specifically the game industry."

The group, which has members from Blue Fang Games, Metaversal Studios and Northeastern University, has been meeting since October 2008.

Some of the most successful games companies today reside in the Boston area, including Rock Band developer Harmonix, BioShock co-creators 2K Boston and Lord of the Rings Online developer Turbine.

In total, according to the mayor's office, the Boston games industry contributes over $200 million to the local economy with over 1,500 jobs across 76 companies. Sixteen of those companies were formed since the 2007 PowerUp Conference.

Menino announced the launch of the initiatives at FableVision, a company that creates educational software and games that recently moved to the Boston area.

In addition, the PoweringUpBoston.com site is intended to serve as a virtual community, where developers can list jobs and access a directory of area game makers.

Menino's economic development initiative CreateBoston recently received a $30K grant that will used towards 2010's PowerUp2conference.

"The creative industries sector is one of the fastest growing sectors in greater Boston, and I’m committed to creating the conditions that will allow this sector to continue to grow and prosper," Menino stated.

Kengro's picture
On March 17th Kengro said:

That guy should find another job, he is too stupid for the one he got

savagehenry's picture
On March 14th savagehenry said:

I wonder if John Romero or Dan and Sam Houser appreciate being lumped in the same category as no hope, no talent whores like that occupy the adult entertainment industry.

Okay we'll put games on the top shelf with all the porno, but that doesn't make the product any less desirable does it? Who remember finding there dad's girly magazine under his bed when you were young? Same thing different product, just pushes gaming more into the underground.

It's all very well having a law to "block" the sale of porno to children. All it takes is an irresponsibly adult could still walk into a store and purchase the game, magazine, cigarettes or bottle of whisky on behalf of the child or young adult waiting outside or at home.

"Prohibition will work great injury to the cause of temperance. It is a species of intemperance within itself, for it goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to control a man's appetite by legislation, and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes. A Prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our government was founded." - Abraham Lincoln - 18 Dec. 1840

manhattan's picture
On March 14th manhattan said:

Money over morals, then. He should probably look into how much the Boston porn industry is making. It's probably contributing more to the local economy than the Boston games industry does.