Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association

Michael Rawlinson, director general of ELSPA (Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association), said: "These first day sales figures are astonishing and clear evidence that video games are now mainstream in the UK. Our form of interactive entertainment has completely come of age."

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"We applaud this collaboration between government and industry to find the best solution for consumers and for the UK marketplace." Andy Payne, Managing Director, Mastertronic Group Ltd and Chairman, ELSPA, said: "This is the right decision for the UK consumer. The PEGI system is specifically built for interactive content both on and offline and is recognised throughout Europe. In a connected digital world, implementing age rating standards that are understood across traditional frontiers will protect children from unsuitable content and help to educate parents at the same time."

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MCV reports that Sega, Atari, Future Publishing, Tiga, and the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA) have all publicly denounced it, with Sega Europe president and COO Mike Hayes making a particularly salient point: "Television, radio, cinema, listening to music, computing, videogaming and of course, reading all require a high element of passive participation, but of all these media types it is videogaming that provides the most potential interaction and activity. It seems that an advertisement has been put together by a poorly informed advertising agency."

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"We greatly thank Paul Jackson for his dedication and commitment over the past two and a half years, establishing ELSPA as a key conduit between the video games industry and the U.K. Government," commented ELSPA's Andy Payne. "Whilst we are losing Paul on an operational basis, we are fortunate that he will continue to support ELSPA in his new role. Michael has excelled under Paul's leadership and is now absolutely ready to take the role as Director General and lead ELSPA into the future."

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"Toine Manders has taken a very close look at the needs of a rating system for games that works well across the EU and concluded that PEGI is the right way forward both on- and off-line," Michael Rawlinson of the Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association said in a statement. "It is a ringing endorsement of the rating system that we in the UK were instrumental in helping to set up several years ago. The protection of children is of paramount important to this industry and we are delighted that a body as significant at the EU's Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs committee fully comprehends the merits of PEGI."

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Michael Rawlinson, the general manager of trade body Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association, said: "The different types of games have really broadened out the types of people interested in gaming.

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Michael Rawlinson, managing director of ELSPA, said: "ELSPA works closely with Trading Standards across the country and we would like to thank Staffordshire Trading Standards for their excellent work in bringing this online operation to an end.

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Michael Rawlinson, Managing Director of ELSPA, commented: "It is also encouraging to see that the popularity of videogames continues to grow year on year. More than ever, videogaming is increasingly bringing families together with the introduction of so many outstanding family-based console titles. These have really opened up the market to those who may never have even considered playing a videogame before."

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Michael Rawlinson, Managing Director of ELSPA - an association of gaming developers - said: "It is encouraging to see that the popularity of video games continue to grow year on year. "More than ever, it is increasingly bringing families together with the introduction of so many outstanding family-based console titles. These have really opened up the market to those who may never have even considered playing a video game before."

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"Piracy, like that of any other entertainment industry, costs us dear," said John Hillier heading of ELSPA's crime unit.

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