Lowenstein Rated ‘N’ For No More

This one has been buzzing around the gaming industry with ‘unconfirmed rumour’ tags attached to it, but if the run-around that Kotaku was given when they tried to contact anyone at the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) is any indication, I think that the reports will be confirmed in the very near future.

Doug Lowenstein, the embattled president of the association. What with looming debacle of next year’s pathetic sounding re-vamped E3 and the ever-swarming frenzy of media attention on the negative aspects of gaming, the resignation of one of the more recognizable faces in the business arena and one of the strongest supporters of the industry, could not come at a worse time. According to Gamespot, Lowenstein will not only resign from the ESA, which he helped to found, but also high-tail it out of the gaming forum entirely, seeking respite with a “still-forming trade organization that would represent a consortium of investment community firms”. It is expected that he will continue his presidential duties until Q1 2007.

None of the above information could be confirmed through my own email inquiries or fact-finding missions at the ESA site at this time.