Games industry jubilant after US Supreme Court ruling

Videogames won a huge political victory in the US today, as the Supreme Court voted to strike down a law that would have made it illegal to sell violent games to minors, and declared that video games qualify for free speech protections. As you can imagine, the US industry is thrilled.

Gamasutra is running a roundup of all of the excited and celebratory comments they've received in the wake of the important ruling.

We've included a couple choice selections below, and you can head over to Gama for more quotes, which are being added on a rolling basis.

"This is a historic and complete win for the First Amendment and the creative freedom of artists and storytellers everywhere. Today, the Supreme Court affirmed what we have always known - that free speech protections apply every bit as much to video games as they do to other forms of creative expression like books, movies and music," said Michael D. Gallagher, president and CEO of the Electronic Software Association.

"The Court declared forcefully that content-based restrictions on games are unconstitutional; and that parents, not government bureaucrats, have the right to decide what is appropriate for their children."

"Everybody wins on this decision - the Court has affirmed the Constitutional rights of game developers; adults keep the right to decide what's appropriate in their houses; and store owners can sell games without fear of criminal prosecution," said John Riccitiello, CEO Electronic Arts.

Hit the link for more.