Violence in Video Games?

A topic that is often discussed in this class is the "side effects" of new technology. While our technologies are developed to serve a purpose, there are often other ramifications that were not previously anticipated. Video games were created for entertainment purposes. While they were originally oriented towards children, now a days video games serve many purposes and are catered to all groups of people. There are learning games for children, there are simulation games for professional trainees, and of course, there are multiple genres for entertainment purposes. However, within each of these categories there are games which are oriented to different demographics. For example, within educational games, there may be games to help children learn how to count, but for older people there are also games to aid in learning a new language, and at high levels of learning, there are games made to simulate real life experiences such as flight simulation.


A topic that was raised during class was that children are playing violent video games, such as Grand Theft Auto, and are being influenced by these video games to behave belligerent. Also, the fact that video game graphics are becoming more realistic and graphic may be serving to desensitize children to such violence. However, are these concerns warranted? While these video games DO portray violence and the graphics are more and more realistic, we must realize who these games are catered to. The game makers label their games as violent, or graphic, or "Mature Content" because these games are not made for children. Children are easily impressioned, and may indeed be influenced by the depiction of violence, however in healthy adults, by playing video games with such content may serve as a safe outlet of such behaviour and rather then being influenced by it, they are getting rid of their violent tendencies through an electronic game. The fact that children are playing these games do no show flaws in the games themselves, but rather the distribution of the games. We need to have safer ways of selling videogames, and denying access to children under the age of 18 to access these games. The law is not very firm in these respects, and if it is such a concern to the general public, then we need to make these changes rather then changing the content of videogames themselves.