ESA Lobbyist Calls Private Minecraft Servers Illegal During Hearing

Key Points:

• During a California State Senate hearing on the Stop Killing Games’ Protect Our Games Act, ESA VP Jennifer Gibbons controversially labeled community servers for Minecraft and Call of Duty as "illegal" and equated them to piracy, interrupting Assemblyman Chris Ward's statement.
• Gibbons claimed private servers are akin to a "black market" and cited pending lawsuits and USTR reports on piracy, though experts note these reports target servers bypassing subscription fees, which does not apply to Minecraft or Call of Duty.
• The ESA has consistently opposed the Protect Our Games Act, arguing it harms players and creators by misunderstanding the nature of modern games, despite previously lobbying against consumer-friendly measures like banning loot boxes and pay-to-win microtransactions for minors.
• Financial disclosures reveal the ESA generates most of its revenue from high membership fees paid by major gaming companies, spending millions on executive compensation and lobbying efforts, highlighting its significant influence in industry regulation debates.
• Since the decline of E3 revenue, ESA’s funding relies heavily on membership dues, which increased dramatically between 2006 and 2009, underscoring the organization's vested interest in representing major gaming corporations' positions.