AIAS President Joseph Olin on the New E3

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AIAS President Joseph Olin on the New E3

We had an opportunity to chat today with Joseph Olin, president of the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS). The AIAS is a trade organization charged with promoting awareness of the art and science of interactive games and entertainment; it hosts the annual DICE Summit, and is the game industry?s counterpart to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (of Oscars fame) in the same way that the ESA is our counterpart to the MPAA.

 

[Joe]

This little guy stuck out at me:

Well, first you have to understand that the ESA (Entertainment Software Assocation) is a not-for-profit trade organization created to represent the industry. And the E3 Expo Group was set up to execute a tradeshow on behalf of the ESA. They aren't running E3 to make a profit ...

Non-profits still exist to make enough money to achieve their goals. If E3 was much of a moneymaker, they just lost revenue and need to start asking for donations, no? I know the ESA has been trying to establish a lobbying arm in congress. If E3 isn't as profitable as it was (if it was indeed profitable), will that impact how its lobbying - which is an extremely high-dollar industry - functions?