The debate about violent video games such as Mortal Kombat, Wolfenstein 3D and Doom has received a lot of attention since 1999 when two students of Columbine High School, Colorado, shot and killed 13 fellow pupils and finally themselves. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold enjoyed the bloody video game Doom and, according to many, were inspired by it. The debate over the destructive influence of video games even arrived at the US senate in 2000, when several researchers showed concern about the effect of violent video games on young people.

While we can learn much from existing research on other media types, research focusing on violent video games is very limited. Two studies by the psychologists Craig Anderson and Karen Dill, dealing with the effects of violent video games both in the laboratory and in real life are considered extremely important in the field.

Rating systems, adopted globally by the video game industry in 1994, established the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), a comprehensive labelling system that rates over 1,000 games per year and has now rated more than 8,000 games in total. Less than 1 per cent of all games released in the UK have been rated as suitable only for people 18 years or over.

Laws banning or restricting the sale of violent video games and enforcing rating upon them have been introduced by several US states (Washington, Indiana and St. Louis among them). An estimated 145 million Americans are video game users and $6.9 billion has been invested in sales in 2002. In Europe, Germany has also moved towards a ban on violent video games after 16 people were killed in an Erfurt School in 2002.

What do you think?

I think it is a stretch to say violent video games cause school shootings. There are more factors that are in play during these school shootings. You have to look at the environment (both home and at school). You have to look at the parents themselves. Parents are the ones that buy the games for the kids. They can read the back of the game and see what it is rated for and why. If they don't want their kid to play it, don't buy it.

I don't think one should ban violent videogames: they don't make people go out and kill others. It's the scapegoat. Just because I play violent video games or watch violent film doesn't mean I'm going to out and start killing people.

The people who do that have more mental issues to begin with than mere videogames.

What one should do, if they are sensitive, is to watch the games your kids play. If you don't want them to play violent videogames: then you better do your job as a parent.

Also, the funny thing with violence is whatever we see as violent today might not be violent tomorrow. I mean, Gone of the wind was so controversial because it said Damn. Now we wouldn't even blink at that word.

my thoughts in a nutshell: violent images may bring out violence in someone who has a predisposition to violence, just like stress brings out mental illness with those having a predisposition to it.

just because A comes before B does not mean A caused B, its a logical fallacy.

I play moderately violent video games, rated M, not of the "Im going to go kill some pimps and hookers, then blow off a cops head" variety. but while i play games about fighting, i have no urge to chop up animals or dismember people, in fact: id rather cuddle.

i think it's alright but there must be a required age to play the game. i, myself i don't want my li'l brothers to play such games.

Precisely, Nick. It's called "Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc"

The assumption that violent videogames or movies desensitize you to violence has only been substantiated by one study. In this study, there were two groups.

1. Exposed to violent movies and video games, then shown a clip of live, brutal beatings. Heart rate did not increase.

2. Exposed to typical, everyday life movies and puzzle games, then shown the same clip. Heart rate increased.

The problem with this study is that they were shown movies/clips in both instances.

Watching violent movies desensitizes you to violent movies, not necessarily violence in general. Most of the time, we get desensitized because we *tell* ourselves it is just a movie.

violent games is okey......

its just the people who play it and try it are the stupid.......

they dont use their brains that they should not do it......

parental guidance is also needed.....

and kids are not suppose to play it.....

only the people who can think well and already have their minds should play..... so that experementing it in real life will not enter thier mind......

Playing violent video games is okay as long as...

A. If you are 13y/o and below, ask your parents' consent.

B. Know that it is just pure fiction.

If you don't have common sense, then it is much better for you not to play those games.

@heimdall: i disagree with 13 and under. I watched violent movies/tv shows since I was very little and there's not much ill effect (besides liking violent movies).

As long as you're aware that what's happening in games/tvs/etc. are not real, I think it's fine.

@KTC: Okay. I was thinking of the PG13. Oh. That belongs to the television. My bad...

I agree with you though. As long as you're aware that what's happening in games/tvs/etc. are not real, I think it's fine.

I cant watch things like SAW. they kind of make me feel sick and want to puke.

i even flinch during CSI and medical shows where they cut people open/inject them.

@nick: Dont worry. Thats why we have a remote control where you can change the channel. If I cannot take the gore, I just change the channel.

Anyway, why is it that we are talking of Television? This thread is made by Gen for Violent Video Games. We must have gone a little

But same applies with violent video games. I was once playing Max Payne. It was a little scary at first. My hands are shaking and I panic when I die. But I know its pure fiction.

Klep:{ or Correlation does not equal causation in english.
}

all: {
That's because most of the research has focused on violent media, or just watching violence, and it's been assumed since games require one to actively engage in the violence it might have similar but exaggerated effects compared to the movie studies. (though maybe there's some more research w/ that)

Thing is, every study I've heard of on the subject measured reactions immediately after watching the film or playing the game.
(or like the bobo doll experiment, had other elements to it like learning rather than just how media violence affects people who already know about it.)

they didn't study the long term effects of it, just inferred them. . . which really is just bad science.}

by the way, this is somewhat related, did you guys hear about the 8 year olds that tried to kill their teacher or the 6 year old that shot & killed his dad?

I have never heard of a 6 yr old killing his father, I mean what would have went wrong. But one thing I am sure about is violent games are not the only cause. If a kid is playing such game then who is to be blamed ? Definitely his elders who did not notice it in time.
Man has always been attracted to scenes of violence, sex. But if someone is playing such game then he must have the maturity to understand that these things look good only if they are behind the tv screen but not in real life.

@Ryuzaki
It was an 8 year old that killed his father & father's friend. I read the article. Makes me wonder what the father/ friend could have done since it was premeditated. Didn't hear about the kids that wanted to kill their teacher. Where did it happen?

@excalibur

Here is the article about the 8 boy killing his father and friend. 8 year boy kills father and father's friend.

I do agree with you though that violent video games are not solely to blame. The parents/guardians play a role as do the social/environmental factors the child is in.

Well, there isn't any HARDCORE evidence that he killed them. he admitted it, but he's an 8 year old. Kids lie. We simply can't deny that. How do we know the kid was so pressured by being questioned, that he wanted them to stop? I would've.

But back on topic, I asked my mom about this.
This is how our conversation went:

My mom: "That's just plain stupid. If I play violent video games, I'm not gonna go out and kill someone."

Me: "Yeah. Unless, you're a person with no common sense, and for whatever reason, would think that would make you cool. In which case, you shouldn't be playing those games at all."

Violent games are useful for people wanting to imagine to escape the reality playing games. It's a way to spend its energy in a virtual world. It's better to play violent games so as to evacuate the pains worries of daily life.

I don't really like gory videogames but I'm ok with violence. I play such games but... Yes, I've never killed anyone. I do agree that there are other factors to consider, like environment and stuff... Watching violence won't turn you violent, IMO especially so if you're a pacifist or you shy away from pain by nature. In fact I think violent videogames can put people off from violence further if they are already so inclined (away from violence)... But at what cost to the person it depends...

Me too. I don't really prefer violent video games. I would not recommend to children under age (under 13 maybe?). An example could be the legendary Diablo. There are some factors that proved some criminals (killers) are violent due to their violent game playing since childhood or adolescence.

i believe the violent games in themselves are not
bad, but that it just so happens that sometimes, they trigger and develop an already existing criminal mindset in the child.

but i do think that young children should not be allowed to play them because young children are usually naive and don't know the difference between fiction and reality. and since they're impressionable and vulnerable, the games might make them think violence is alright, that violence is fun.

but if the child is already mentally mature and knows that he can only kill in videogames and in real life kill nothing more than the mosquitoes that bite him, i'll not stop him from playing violent videogames.