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Japanese mobile and social game developer DeNA is the latest to become a member of the Entertainment Software Association, putting it in the company of EA, Konami, Namco Bandai, Nintendo, Sega, Wargarming, Gree and more.
The ESA is the representative body for gamers and game developers in the U.S., providing services to developers like business and consumer research, advocacy on the First Amendment and legal and policy analysis. Companies that become members of the ESA get to have a say in what the association prioritizes with regards to legislation, anti-piracy and intellectual property initiatives and how the ESA approaches key issues overall.
DeNA, which was established in Tokyo in 1999 and operates the popular mobile social game platform, Mobage, has a global presence as well as an office in San Francisco. DeNA CEO, Isao Moriyasu said in a statement:
"It's very important for us to be part of an association that is dedicated to protecting the policy and business interests of the gaming industry in the U.S. ESA provides valuable counsel and support as we expand our social game offerings and undertake new ventures to grow our business and our customer base in the West."