Violence in Video Games
May 19, 2010 • by Amy Alexanderowicz
Filed under Opinion
Video gaming is becoming an increasingly popular hobby for people of all ages. Both children and adults are spending large amounts of their time playing them. This is one of the main reasons why the video gaming industry is bring in more of a profit then both movies and DVDs. Another factor that contributes to the recent popularity of video gaming is that they are becoming more sophisticated and realistic. Although they do make video games with educational content, many of the well-liked games include negative content like the following:
the killing of people or animals
the use and abuse of drugs and alcohol
criminal behavior, disrespect for authority and the law
sexual exploitation and violence toward women
racial, sexual, and gender stereotypes
foul language, obscenities, and obscene gestures
For example, recently released video game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, an extremely violent game centered around current day wars, sold approximately 4.7 million games in the first 24 hours of its release. The total revenue from the first day sales was 310 million making Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 the biggest entertainment launch in history, surpassing Grand Theft Auto 4, also an extremely violent video game. Both games are rated “M” for blood, drug reference, intense violence, and language. Their intended audience is for people of the ages 17 and up. But many children are playing these games, some as young as elementary school. Though it is not the manufactures and creators fault that young children are playing their games. It clearly states on each video game case that the game is rated M and then it proceeds to explain the reasons why. The problem is the parents who ignore these warnings and are curious later as to where their child is getting all of their bad language and aggressive actions from.
We all know that children are impressionable and we have to be careful of our actions around them. What people need to realize is that children do not have to see these action in person to imitate them. All it takes is seeing it on TV or in a video game. What people need to begin worrying about is the effects that violent video games are having on children who play them excessively. Studies have shown that children can become “immune” or “numb” to the horror of violence. They will begin to view it as a naturally occruing event in their lives. Also studies show that children show more aggressive behavior with greater exposure to violence. Young children will accept violence as a reasonable way to handle their problems. Another problem with children playing video games when they are so young is that some become obsessed with them which will lead to even more problems.
To prevent the effects of violent video games parents need to become more aware of what the child is playing. Some precautions they could take are checking the ratings on the video game case or setting clear rules for your child as to what games they can play and how long they can play them.
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