Violence in Gaming

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Where the issues are coming from.
• Video Games have become increasingly
realistic.
• Game Dev’s are pushing the envelop on
violent, graphic content in games
• Fear that video game violence and realism
influences its players
 Violence
– Definitions
• An Act of Aggression
• Physical Force extorted for the purpose of hurting
another
• The infliction on people of physical injury, death, or
the threat to do so.
– Note definitions two and three, violence is a
physical harming,
 Violence vs. Gore

- Gore and Violence are Often Confused

- Gore = Bloodshed
- While a relation exists, the game should not be
stereotyped as violent
- Can be totally unassociated with the amount of
violence in a game
• Improbable but possible.
 Brief History of Violence in Video
Games
• 1976
– Exidy Games released
“Death Race 2000”, a
driving game based on a
1975 movie of the same
name. The player earns
points by running over
stick figures. Public outcry
against video game
violence gains national
attention and the game is
taken off the market.
 Brief History of Violence in Video
Games (Cont..)
• 1981
– A man dies of a heart attack while playing Berserk,
this is video gaming’s only known fatality
• 1993
– Incensed by the violence in Mortal Kombat and Night
Trap. Senators Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut and
Herbert Kohl of Wisconsin launch a senate
“investigation” into video game violence, threaten to
somehow effect a ban on “violent” video games and
eventually soften their demands and concede to an
industry-wide rating system
Mortal Kombat II, 1993
 Brief History of Violence in Video
Games (Cont..)
• 1993 (cont..)
– Id Software released DOOM into the world. DOOM
would go on to change the face of gaming as we know
it.
• 1999
– Due to the shootings at Columbine High in Littleton,
Colorado. Sega decides not release a Dreamcast light
gun in the United States. Fans of “House of Dead 2”
are dismayed when they learn the game will have to be
played via the Dreamcast controller. Sega also
prevents the imported guns from working with the
domestic version. Third-party developers promise to
release working light guns in Sega’s place
 Video Game Violence Today
• Top ten most violent video games, from
national press conference on violent video
games.
– Doom 3, Grand Theft Auto “San Andreas”
Gunslinger Girls 2, Half Life 2, Halo 2, Hitman:
Blood Money, Man Hunt, Mortal Kombat,
Postal 2, Shadow Heart
• These games have set new bars for
violence and or realism in videogames.
 Video Game Violence Today
• Almost all action games released into the market
contain violence.
• These games deemed violent because of the
nature of killing in the game genre, not
necessarily the game itself.
• Thus, they become very stereotyped as
unsuitable for minors
• Unfortunately, this stereotype sometimes blinds
pep’s as to the amount of violence that other
non-action games have.
 Video Game Violence Today
• When dealing with violence in video
games
– All Genre’s need to be considered
• Unless the picture is looked at in a whole,
– Blame will be placed on only a handful of
companies while the remaining get away
with.. murder
 What they all have in common
• They involved a constant hurting and or
killing of others
• There is no punishment for killing
• The more you kill the more you are
rewarded
• The killing is almost always seen as
justified
Effects of Video Game Violence
• U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop
– Home video games are among the top three causes
of family violence.
• Many cases have been found were this is not
true.
– Some kids play violent video games and become
violent
– Some kids play violent video games and don’t
become any more aggressive.
• Very difficult to analyze the effect of video
games violence when not direct relation is found.
Effects of Video Game Violence
• Col. David Grossman
– Spent 25 years learning and studying how to enable
soldiers to kill.
– Used video games as a training tool.
– States that “children don’t naturally kill; they learn
from violence in the home and from violence as
entertainment in television, movies and video games.
We are teaching children to associate pleasure with
human death and suffering. We are rewarding them
for killing people. And we are teaching them to like it.”
Effects of Video Game Violence
• Popularity in video games increased
dramatically in the 1990’s
– If violent video games cause violent behavior, one
would think that an increase in violent video games
would lead to an increase in violence.
– However, between 1994 and 1999, violent crime
among 15-39 year old decreased dramatically.
– During this period, a 39% decrease came from the
ages 15 - 17
• This doesn’t support the idea that video game
violence negatively effects its players
– Does it help?
 The Pro’s and Con’s or Video
Game Violence
• Pro’s
– May provide a means of releasing aggression
or tension
– May help people deal with death in the real-
world
– Can simulate scenarios of war for combat
training
 The Pro’s and Con’s or Video
Games
• Con’s
– Practicing violent acts may contribute to aggressive
behavior more then passive TV watching.
– Many games offer an area of weapons, killing,
kicking, stabbing, and shooting.
– Games can confuse reality and fantasy
– In Many violent games, players must become more
violent to win.
 Regulating Exposure to Video
Game Violence
• ESRB
– Established in 1994
– Designed to monitor and rate every video
game that goes onto the market.
– Rating system is based
• Age of the Possible player
• 20 other special areas of content
 Regulating Exposure to Video
Game Violence
• More retail stores are taking the initiative to prevent
minors from buying Mature rated games
– Wal-Mart
• Spent 3 million on store signs and advertising to educate people on
the ESRB Rating system
– K-Mart
• Uses the Sunday circular to reach out to 72 million homes to better
educate its customers
– Wal-Mart, K-Mart, and Toys R Us
• Require photo ID for the purchase of mature games
– Other stores stopped carrying mature games and up
altogether.
 Alternatives
• Since Violence sells, companies aren’t going to
stop making violent games any time soon. So…
• The National Press Conference also released a
top 9 list of alternative non-violent video games.
– Antigrav, EyeToyAntivgrav, Jak3, Karaoke
Revolution Vol. 3, Madden NFL 2005, Mario Power
Tennis, Prince of Persia, Rollercoaster Tycoon 3,
SimCity 4
 Alternatives
• THE PARENTS (#1 problem)
– Be informed, doesn’t that cover it all?
– If the parent is buying something for the kid
without checking it out first. I think theirs more
at fault here then the video games.
• The parent doesn’t care
• The child lied to the parent
 Outlook
• As Technology advances, so will the nature
of graphics and violence.
• The fine line between videogame and reality
will diminish
• How will the players handle distinguishing
reality from the videogame when the only
difference is that one doesn't die while
playing the game?
 What Do I think
• Much of what I read seems very biased / narrow
minded.
• People would rather put the blame on video
games rather then admit problems in the home
or in life.
• There is no hard proof that video games cause
violent behavior
• Maybe pep’s are already violent, video games
are keeping at bay rather then encouraging them
to go out and be evil.
• In any case.