Yeah, it's a bit of a weird choice for a videogame keynote address, but Texas Gov. Rick Perry took the stage and talked today (9:15 a.m. PT, July 16, 2008) at E3 2008.
In his defense, Perry was pretty gushing about the videogame industry in a recent interview with the San Antonio Express-News, giving kind words to the money making power of the industry and expanding demographics of games.
According to the GamePolitics' Live Blog (via Twitter so don't blame me for the clicking), there were approximately 50 people who attended Perry's keynote. That's a pretty small crowd for a politician's speech but likely because he's not a name in the game industry and there are so many games to play at the Expo.
Even so, here's bullet point style recap of Perry's rather upbeat keynote:
- ESA's Mike Gallagher introduced Perry.
- Perry spoke without the aid of a teleprompter.
- A video promoting videogame development in Texas was shown. He compared them to early oil companies (nice) and is looking into more tax incentives for Texas development companies.
- Texas has 22 game development companies, the third most of all the states in the US.
- He wants to put game in schools (nice), especially for fitness (lame but acceptable).
- He wants to block frivolous lawsuits against game companies in Texas.
- Also thinks the “answer to some of answers to nation's economy can be found in game [business]”
- Recounted stories of wounded soldiers are playing Guitar Hero and (from GamePolitics) “suggested future games to train soldiers for peace keeping missions or help an abusive parent control his/her behavior.”
- His reason for being there: “I came to E3 to encourage game business… And challenge the business to ‘make better worlds, make a difference.'”
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