Video games are a cultural phenomenon, and more money is spent on video games than movies.

National and state governments are struggling to address policy concerns about violent and explicit game content. This was brought to the forefront by recently passed state of Michigan legislation restricting the dissemination of video games containing certain violent content, resulting in the Entertainment Software Association filing suit against the state, claiming the new law is unconstitutional.

At 2:45 p.m. Friday, Oct.14, there will be a timely event held in Parlor Room C at the Michigan State University Union addressing this issue. The Quello Center for Telecommunication Management and Law and Intellectual Property and Communications Law Program at MSU are bringing in the top researchers, industry representatives and government officials to debate the future of game content, law and policy across two compelling panel discussions.

The “Game Content, Ratings, Censorship and the First Amendment” panel promises to be a lively debate. The panel includes: 

• Henry Jenkins III, professor of comparative media studies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who has written extensively on the benefits of video games;
• Craig Anderson, psychology professor at Iowa State University, whose research shows there is a significant relation between exposure to media violence and aggressive behavior;
• Clay Calvert, professor of communications and law at Penn State University, who argues that the recent legislation restricting violent video game sales infringes on the First Amendment;
• Jason Della Rocca, executive director of the International Game Developers Association, who advocates that digital games should not be treated any differently from other forms of art and creative expression;
• Kevin Saunders, MSU law professor and author of “Saving Our Children From the First Amendment”; and
• John Lazet, chief of staff for Michigan Sen. Alan Cropsey.Cropsey recently sponsored legislation that restricts the sale of violent video games in Michigan.

The panel session is part of the international conference on the future of game design and technology, called Future Play, taking place at the MSU Union Oct. 13-15.

The Future Play conference focuses on three main themes:  

• future game development and emerging industry trends in the area of game technology and game design;
• impacts of games on individuals and society; and
• future game talent and the knowledge, skills and attitude it takes to excel in the games industry.

To find out more information about the conference and register, visit www.futureplay.org