Entertainment Software Association 2, State of Michigan 0

In another blow to the anti-videogame movement everywhere, US District Court Judge George Caram Steeh has awarded the Entertainment Software Association $182,349 to be payable by the State of Michigan to compensate the ESA for legal fees associated with the state's unsuccessful attempt to regulate video games sales earlier this year.

ESA president Doug Lowenstein had this to say about the decision: "States that pass laws regulating video game sales might as well just tell voters they have a new way to throw away their tax dollars on wasteful and pointless political exercises that do nothing to improve the quality of life in the state.

"In nine out of nine cases in the past six years, judges have struck down these clearly unconstitutional laws, and in each instance ESA has or will recover its legal fees from the states.”

Other states or municipalities that have been ordered to pay the ESA's legal fees include Illinois ($510,000), Washington state ($344,000), Indianopolis ($318,000), and St. Louis ($180,000).

In spite of all of this, I don't expect this recent decision to hamper the efforts of America's most notable anti-violent videogame attorney or even similar efforts by state governments in the future.

Aside from trying to win a big pay-off from the videogame industry, I can't understand why individuals or governing bodies would even try to argue that videogames are responsible for the ills of society. If that were the case, could I blame Blizzard's World of Warcraft for my own lack of sleep?