Over the past few weeks, companies have jumped from the Electronic Software Association's ship. Everything from president Mike Gallagher to the continual reinvention of the annual trade show E3 to increased costs have been blamed.

Regardless, Activision, Vivendi, Lucas Arts, NC Soft, Atlus, and Foundation 9 have left the videogame industry's advocacy group.

Kotaku's Leigh Alexander seems to have dug up the cause and effect. When the Electronic Entertainment Expo was moved from LA to Santa Monica, it incurred $5 million fine for breaking its contract with the LA Convention Center. Shortly afterward, membership dues were quadrupled.