Video Games Are Not Safe For Young Viewers

Throughout history man kind has always searched for ways to entertain himself, each time developing new activities and games. Video games have become a very popular way to spend time and have fun from the 1970’s up to now. With new developments appeared different video game genres from adventure to racing, but the violent video games appear to be the most popular ones (Shin, 2003), for example: shooters, fighting and video games where you have to eliminate, destroy, or kill your enemies.

As technology as progressed, more people, especially youth, take part in playing video games. There has been an steady increase of video game usage because of the fact that video games have become more life-like and realistic. While they have become more realistic in aesthetic ways, they have also become more violent in content as well. Games like Call of Duty

Videogame violence is nothing new. As was noted in a recent Washington Times article by Eric Rozenman, one of the earliest videogames, Death Race, created controversy back in the mid-1970’s: “The game involved an automobile driver running down pedestrians. The later expired with unconvincing moans, the skilled motorists recording a tally of crucifixes.”

In 1976 the arcade game "Death Race" was released based on the movie "Death Race 2000". The objective of this game was to use your car in order to run over fleeing goblins. This video game was so simple but had so much controversy behind it that it led to the first study on the physiological effect of video games on the human mind. Ever since Death Race, video games have continued to make huge advances in order to create an almost endless amount of possibilities on what you can or cannot do in a video game. Since the first video game was introduced, the gaming industry has seen a huge spike in the popularity of violent video games. Not only have they become more popular, but they have also become significantly more realistic. So realistic,

Video games; a pastime for many people across the world, a form of entertainment, and, of course, a way to destress yourself from the outside world. Video games have been around since October 18, 1958 and have been evolving rapidly through the years. “ More than fifty years ago, before either arcades or home video games, visitors waited in line at Brookhaven National Laboratory to play “Tennis for Two,” an electronic tennis game that is unquestionably a forerunner of the modern video game” (“The First Video Game” 1). Since then, you can play video games at a local arcade or buy a copy of a game you like at a store like Gamestop! There are several companies and millions of titles of games to play from and, definitely, a wide variety of platforms to play on. Video games have a plethora of genres and types of games to play. For example, one could embark on a new journey in a role-playing game like Fallout 3 to playing an american football game in the Madden series. The options do not just end right there! Since video games are advancing so if there content! Specifically, in their action and shooter genre. In a modern action/ shooting games, one can see the blood and even characters get their head blown off. Some video game titles have mass murder scenes and even sexual themes. “As the level of violence in video games has increased, so has concern for the effects on those who play - especially those who play a lot” (“Video Game

The manufacture took the game off the market because of a grave stone popping up when your character gets hit. Another game that was protested, due to the negativity of the game was called “Custer's Revenge”. In this game, according to “Critics” a form of inappropriate behavior was being committed, in order to gain points for the game. Coming along 1993, was the famous game “Night trap”. “Night Trap” was banned from store shelves from a ton of locations in the United States. The Judiciary and Government committee had an actual hearing on the video game violence. “Night Trap” was labeled as a shameful, violent, sick, and a form of encouragement and effort to trap and kill women. Then there was “Mortal Combat” which was the first game to feature lifelike realistic violence. Warriors would face off in a lethal duel. The outcome of the game was to defeat your opponent in the most aggressive way of your character´s ability, there was no other point to the game, other than to brutally beat your opponent. In fact, when the person was near the end the game would tell the winner to finish him, meaning “Kill

Video games have been known to play a part in the childhood of many people. Although there is much debate about what video game was really made first, Spacewar!, made by Steve Russell and first premiered for the public in 1962, is one of the many games people list as the first real video game. Later, in 1972, Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney teamed up to create the Atari company, which would produce coin-operated video games such as their first big hit, Pong. Little by little, gaming technology became more complex and in 1972 the Magnavox Odyssey was released by Ralph Baer as a video game console for home use. However, at that time Atari’s video game system had become one of the most successful systems on the American market, until the market

A video game is “an electronic game in which players control images on a television or computer screen” (Merriam-Webster). Video games have been entertaining and challenging gamers since the Game Boy to modern console games. Despite the simplicity of the definition of video games, a video game, especially ones containing violence can have a large effect on the gamer. Because of the realism and advancements in the video game industry, video games can influence the player, and can make the gamer more aggressive, even if the game is not a violent video game. Even though video games have grown in popularity over the past decade, some have not been too popular with parents, for the reason that they are too violent. Violent video games affect

There weren’t any problems seen with games or gamer behaviour until 1976 when the company Exidy released the game Death Race, due to the gremlins human-like appearance, the context of its inspiration Death Race 2000 (1975), and the game’s working title being Pedestrian. The uproar around the game actually promoted sales and sparked the release of its sequel Super Death Race in 1977, and Atari’s release of the 2600 home console. In the following years there was great success with games that weren’t thought to be particularly violent like Pac- man and Space Invaders, however rising concerns came with public success. In 1982 the combination of a warning from C. Everett Koop-- the U.S. general surgeon at the time-- that video games contributed to family violence and the release of Custer’s Revenge (1982) by Mystique created astigmatism against games made and marketed for adults. There was a short break before the Mortal Kombat (1992) series reopened the discussion on violent video games with it’s gory and brutal “Fatality” scenes that included: decapitation, ripping the organs or skeletal structure, and incinerating or freezing your opponent. At the same time the less popular Night

The first real “video game” was developed in 1958, by a physicist named William Higginbotham. It was a table tennis game and is played on an oscilloscope, a device used for visual displays. While some big name games, companies, and events had, yet, to happen, it sparked the video game industry. These paragraphs will guide you through the many years of games. As Mario would say, “Lets‘a go!!”

Not only do such headlines like these stir opinion and controversy, they do so based on misguided information. This shocking approach to reporting such a tragic event with strong blame aimed at video games re-opens debates. Again, the reporting of video games’ correlation to violent events continues a tradition that had and continues to haunt the video game industry ever since more graphic and realistic games entered the home, such as Midway’s own Mortal Kombat in 1992 and Sega’s Night Trap, 1993. It was these two titles which were responsible for the enforcement of a rating system, finally settling in 1994. Later, in 1999 shortly following the Columbine High School

In the 90’s there was even enough media attention to video game violence that the United States Congress had a hearing on issuing age appropriate labels, much like in movies, to video games to warn parents of the contents of a game. Each of these matters have only helped further tarnish the reputation of video games, and draw worse misconceptions about them.

First, I’d like to tell you about the evolution of violent video games. According to a user on ng4.com named ABizzel1 In 1986 a game called Chiller was released and it was heavily influenced by the popular horror movies of the time such as Halloween, Friday the 13th, and Nightmare on Elm Street. Chiller was extremely gory for its time and due to its gore and violence, it was one of the first games to be banned. In 1992 another game shared a similar fate, Mortal Kombat was released in 1992 and rivaled the famed Street Fighter and became an instant success due to its gore and iconic finishing moves and it was the first game to cause political backlash in the US, during a congressional hearing on December 9th, 1993 Mortal Kombat was mentioned, and was banned in several countries. Video games will continue to increase in graphics quality which will promote higher

Video games have been around since the 1970s, starting with computer games. The first game was called Computer Space, by Nutting Associations. Then the game Pong came out, which was a big hit. Then years later, consoles came out, and video games became and are becoming better. The violence in games has also increased in time to time, which is bothering some people. In the following I will talk about all the views in this violent video game arguement.

Controversy about video games continue to escalate between parents and gamers, regarding the psychological effect of simulated, realistic, and 3D violence on the minds of young children and growing teenagers. Yet, research shows that video games contribute very little to today’s everyday violence, despite complaints and concerns that games influence a child’s normal behavior. Technology is a way of life in today’s world, computers are used by toddlers, adolescents, and adults alike. No matter what career path a person chooses, the computer plays an essential role in the job. The more our technology progresses and as our industry grows stronger, computers and electronic entertainment will grow to be found everywhere around the world. This includes videogames.