Crazed US foreign policy to extend to games piracy

All jokes aside, this is a bit scary. ESA, the US games trade association, has filed a request to the US govenment to threaten sanctions against countries "where piracy runs rampant". Way to go on the mindless rhetoric there, American people.

"The report singles out Canada, China, Malaysia, Russia, and parts of Europe as being extreme problem areas where piracy runs rampant," said this IGN story. Canada?

"'Countries that support computer and videogame piracy discourage publishers from establishing viable and legitimate markets,' said Michael Gallagher, ESA's CEO. 'The Special 301 process sends a strong message to them to clean up their act to avoid damaging trade sanctions.

"'In 2007, our industry had a record-breaking year with receipts totaling $18.85 billion, but piracy closes off promising markets, artificially limiting our industry's ability to contribute even more economic growth to the American high-tech economy and economies of our trading partners.'"

Just to get this straight: ESA's asking for a threat of trade sactions to be foisted at Canada if it doesn't "clean up its act" on game piracy? Reading on, it appears so.

"Legal and enforcement deficiencies in Canada," are cited as a major problem. "Pirated copies of games and circumvention devices have permeated retail markets in Canada, due to legal deficiencies and that IPR enforcement remains a low priority for public officials."

Please read the rest of that story. ESA's finally lost it. They'll be building bunkers in the Rockies, stockpiling copies of Madden and chopper-lifting SEAL hit squads into Thai DVD-burning "compounds" next.