No. 08-1448 In the Supreme Court of the United States ______________ ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, et al., Petitioners, v. ENTERTAINMENT MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION, et al., Respondents. ______________ On Writ of Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ______________ BRIEF OF AMICI CURIAE INTERNATIONAL GAME DEVELOPERS ASSOCIATION AND ACADEMY OF INTERACTIVE ARTS AND SCIENCES IN SUPPORT OF RESPONDENT ______________ CHRISTOPHER J. WRIGHT Counsel of Record TIMOTHY J. SIMEONE MARK D. DAVIS WILTSHIRE & GRANNIS LLP 1200 18th Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036 (202) 730-1300
[email protected] SEPTEMBER 17, 2010 i TABLE OF CONTENTS Page TABLE OF AUTHORITIES ........................................ ii INTEREST OF AMICUS CURIAE............................. 1 INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY .......................... 2 ARGUMENT ............................................................... 4 I. VIDEOGAMES ARE AN IMPORTANT MEDIUM OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION PROTECTED BY THE FIRST AMENDMENT. ................................................... 4 A. The Universe of Modern Videogames. ......... 5 B. The Cultural Significance of Games. ........... 9 II. ANALYSIS OF INDIVIDUAL VIDEOGAMES ILLUSTRATES THAT GAMES, LIKE LITERATURE AND FILM, ARE A SERIOUS MEDIUM OF EXPRESSION EXPLORING COMPLEX MORAL AND SOCIAL ISSUES. ...................... 15 A. Red Dead Redemption. ............................... 15 B. Assassins Creed II. .................................... 20 C. Heavy Rain. ................................................. 25 D. BioShock.