Here's another lawsuit to help fill your weekly quota of legal drama. This one was filed by the Entertainment Software Association against the Chicago Transit Authority for its 2009 ordinance that prohibits M and AO-rated video game ads from all its vehicles and facilities, citing that the ordinance is a clear violation of the entertainment software community's constitutional rights.

Shocking title? No, not really. That's not meant to bash the E3 2009 event. After all, it was a HUGELY successful one, and we're really happy for ESA that it all worked out so well. After all, it was only last year that they were practically declared clinically dead by the industry. And it was a big comeback they sure showed this year. BUT. All that you're gonna see here are news items and industry happenings that did NOT happen at E3, although not necessarily with absolutely nothing to do with the stuff that went down in LA. Hopefully you'll still read up on this one despite that limited scope. There is life beyond E3, after all. *wink*

E3 2009 is just about to wrap up, and already, we have a date for next year's event. Talk about having an early start. Waaaay early. But we can't complain. After all, with all the preparations they did for this year's Expo, we saw one of the most exciting gaming conferences in quite a while. So bring the early preps on!

Aww, and I was so gearing up to see some Ghostbusters PSP action in E3! With a sudden turn of events (and to think it's so last minute, with only three weeks left before the actual event), Atari has announced that they're pulling out from this year's gaming event - and no, it's not really because of Swine Flu concerns.

With 13 confirmed cases of the H1N1 Swine Flu in California, Governor Arnie's raised a State of Emergency. If the situation doesn't improve within a month, the E3 Expo might not push through. Despite these risks, the ESA event organizers are optimistic that the E3 will indeed happen, come hell, high water, or pandemic (and by pandemic, I'm obviously not referring to the studio).

One thing Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony have in common is that they all think this year's E3 is going to be a big one. Huge, really. Microsoft in particular believes that their presence at the expo will "completely transform" peoples' perceptions of home entertainment. Read the big three's statements in all their glory in the full article.

The ESA board must have been reduced to tears of joy yesterday - to them, I'm sure, they now believe there is a god. This week, the Swedish court has found the four operators of torrent site The Pirate Bay guilty as charged for copyright infringement and illegal activities (digitally distributing illegal copies of games and media content). Of course, ESA is more than happy with this victory against the ongoing war on piracy - so happy, in fact, that they had to come up with an official press release about it!

Still trying to fight his seemingly endless battle against violent video games, Jack Thompson has now forwarded his concerns to the White House. The latest on the already disbarred ace attorney has him sending a letter to none other than President Barack Obama, asking him to give an outright ban on these 'murder simulators.' And that ban is absolute - not to be sold whether you're a kid, a tween, an adolescent, or even an adult on your 50s! He wants violent games to be totally wiped off the map!

It's not looking good for Mortal Kombat studio, Midway Games. The company, which recently filed for a Chapter 11 bankruptcy, was officially delisted from the New York Stock Exchange. Further adding to its growing list of pains is its departure from E3 group, the Entertainment Software Association.

E3 is back and bigger than ever! ... is what I want to say. But you get the next best thing. E3 is back and it's bigger than last year! Restrictions on attendance will be lessened this year, and Activision Blizzard, the company that started the studio exodus from the ESA, is back.

More details after the link.