As a general note, it occurs to me that people's opinions about GAMA bear a direct relationship to their position vis a vis the industry.
The average gamer only feels the effects of the body directly when she hits Origins, thnough indirectly, the GTS and Origins affect what games get to consumer outlets.
Very small publishing outfits are practically in the same boat, as are freelancers. When you get small or independent enough, the distribution and sales system don't matter as much. Of course, companies that aren't GAMA memnbers who attend the GTS and Origins are benefitting from the organization. This kind of "freeloading," probably requires folks who do it to reexamine their own positions.
Finally, there are large companies who can get a place with distributors and the book trade.
If you are a healthy, but not huge company, GAMA mattters a bit more. The GTS gets you into hobby shops and the scale of the industry makes Origins sales important. Since you're paying the wages of multiple people and don't have access to the book trade, this is a big deal.
The Origins Awards seems to create confusion over GAMA's focus, because in contrast to its work aas a trade body, here we have something intended to focus on creatives and communicate with fans.
The trouble is, perhaps, that GAMA has two different missions directed toward the industry and the public, respectively. Obviously GAMA's mission vis a vis public awareness needs to change, but Origins and the GTS were, by most accounts, successful. I'm sure that even the non-members who freeloaded off of these occasions made money.
