Hey, you want to do something about all this SOPA and PIPA nonsense that seems to keep emerging on Capital Hill? Are you tired of all the fascist decisions the U.S. government keeps making in trying to curb free-speech on the internet? Well, you no longer have to complain, grovel and throw a tantrum on nameless, voiceless forum boards, chat rooms and social networking services. Instead, make your voice heard through the League for Gamers.
Red 5 Studios announced today that the League for Gamers (LFG) is a non-profit organization started by Red 5 and Mark Kern with a $50,000 pledge. Their goal? To help raise awareness against SOPA and PIPA and to get the gaming community to petition against the ESA's support of the two bills that would potentially destroy the internet.
Mark Kern, CEO of Red 5, stated that...
“The VGVN and the ESA claim to represent gamers and developers, but they have turned their backs on them by supporting and funding legislation such as SOPA and PIPA,”... “Developers such as Red 5 Studios and other game makers no longer have an organization to represent their true position on this kind of destructive legislation. LFG’s first action will be to petition the ESA to withdraw their support from PIPA, which still looms large in the Senate.”
To make a stand and make it mean something, Red 5 is halting the beta of their highly anticipated, upcoming MMO, FireFall in order to fight the Stop Online Piracy Act. Their main goal right now is to get the Electronic Software Association and Video Game Voter’s Network to withdraw support from the bills which would see tons of websites go dark for the majority of internet users with the U.S. government and IP holders having the ability to block domain name servers of websites they feel infringe on the copyrights of their intellectual property. In other words, if your website is suspected of using a picture, music or media from a domain that the IP holder feels infringes on their copyright then it's goodnight and goodbye. It's a bill that basically enforces the methodology of shutdown first and ask permission for free speech later.
Red 5 will shut down Firefall and its website on January 18th in a 24 hour show of solidarity, encouraging gamers, developers and all industry supporters to join LFG and stand together against misguided and overbearing legislative initiatives such as SOPA, (Stop Online Privacy Act), and PIPA, (Protect IP), in order to perpetuate and continue industry growth. I'm hoping other anti-SOPA groups like Bungie, Epic and Runic join the LFG to help get the gravy train moving.
If you would like to pledge your support to a fast-growing movement against SOPA and PIPA and you would like your voice to be heard through an organization made up of the gaming community, then feel free to take a digital stand over at the League For Gamers Website.
