The Entertainment Software Association is the pro-game lobby group in the US. Now they’re starting to play a new game: election politics.

Capitalizing on its improved respectability, the video game industry intends to establish a political action committee to donate money to game-friendly politicians and candidates.

“We will be writing checks to campaigns by the end of this quarter,” [ESA chief Michael Gallagher] said. “This is an important step in the political maturation process of the industry that we are ready to take now. This is about identifying and supporting champions for the game industry on Capitol Hill so that they support us.”

Mr. Gallagher said the PAC would probably donate $50,000 to $100,000 this year to national candidates, an amount he described as commensurate with similar committees associated with the film and music industries.

Wealth, power and gaming . . . and titles:
Accoring to UK tabloid The People, the Queen loves her Wii. Apparently it was a present for Prince William, but the lad’s granny is all over it. The People cites an anonymous palace source:

“Although she is 81, the Queen’s hand-eye co-ordination was as good as somebody half her age. […] [Prince William’s] only difficulty now is prising it away from the Queen’s clutches. She showed all the signs of becoming a Nintendo addict.”