[3] Creator and owner of the E3 Tradeshow, the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), and the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences, the ESA is the only association exclusively dedicated to serving the business and public affairs needs of companies that publish video and computer games, for video game consoles, personal computers, and the Internet.
As president, Lowenstein was responsible for the association's operations and for sector-wide initiatives that affect the nation's fastest-growing entertainment industry.
He was the industry's go-to person in Washington, D.C., on all legislative matters ranging from piracy to censorship and was frequently called upon as the trade's spokesperson, representing the software publisher's perspective.
Lowenstein was a very public figure in his service of the games business ― along with Patricia Vance, ESRB head and Hal Halpin, IEMA boss ― and as such had both his supporters and detractors in the industry and media.
Critics were vocal about his passivity with regard to anti-games advocates, most notably Jack Thompson, who repeatedly attacked Lowenstein personally and professionally, even going so far as to liken him to "Hitler".