The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) this month filed its official comments with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) for inclusion in the 2022 Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy (Notorious Markets List). The Notorious Markets List identifies examples of online and physical markets that reportedly engage in or facilitate substantial copyright piracy or trademark counterfeiting.
In its Notorious Markets filing, the ESA solicited input from its member companies and foreign counsels to create the 2022 filing. Five major online video game torrent and link sites were included, as well as online sites illegally offering unauthorized digital goods (UDG) to include cheats and hacks. As for foreign physical markets, the ESA provided a number of physical markets in Brazil and Mexico that offer illegal modified consoles, circumvention devices, and infringing video game products preloaded with protected video games. The ESA anticipates the USTR’s final report to be released later this year or in early 2023.
By bringing attention to these markets on behalf of ESA members and the video game industry, the ESA applauds USTR for its continued efforts to promote the need for global coordination to combat video game piracy and for stronger enforcement for copyrighted works.
# # #
About the ESA
The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) serves as the voice and advocate for the U.S. video game industry. Its members are the innovators, creators, publishers and business leaders that are reimagining entertainment and transforming how we interact, learn, connect and play. The ESA works to expand and protect the dynamic marketplace for video games through innovative and engaging initiatives that showcase the positive impact of video games on people, culture and the economy. For more information, visit the ESA’s website or follow the ESA on Twitter @theESA.
