Video games have been widely popular in the last decade. Although these games are very entertaining, the contents in these games have become much more disturbing and violent as technology has advanced. The wide popularity for these violent video games have created controversy, with parents and psychologists demanding the government to regulate the sales of these games due to the fear of abuse and shootings. However, violent video games will not lead to violence, and should be encouraged rather than looked down upon. Ever since the creation of Pong, one of the earliest video games, video games have been one of the most popular pastimes, with more than 90% of children in the United States playing video games. In these video games that children and teens play, “85% or more of video games on the market contain some form of violence,” (Scuttr). Violence in video games began with the game Death Race in 1976. The objective of the game was to run over as many “gremlins” as possible before the time limit ended. Due to the outrage in the public, it was later taken out of the market. 17 years later, Mortal Kombat was released, advertised as the first video game to feature life-like violence. Unlike Death Race, Mortal Kombat stayed in stores despite its controversial content because of the creation of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). The ESRB is a self regulated organization that assigns age ratings to video games based on its content. Because of the age ratings that
Does playing video games increase aggressive behavior in children? Both the American Psychological Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, according to Susan Scutti, take a firm stance against children and teens playing violent video games. Violent video game playing and aggressive behavior are correlated, but not causational. With the use of scientific experiment and random sampling, one can conclude that violent video games do have a significant effect on aggression, but not in the way that we think.
Since video games have been introduced, video games have been accused of contributing too many atrocities, and acts of violence. News outlets paint video games as being a source of which some acts of violence happen. Yes, violent video games have become more popular, meanwhile becoming controversial, but still there exist no links between aggression and video games. The University of Bologna says that “owning videogames does not in fact seem to have negative effects on aggressive human behavior” (Koffler par.7). Meanwhile, news outlets keep on missing the point on how beneficial video games are. Video games do not contribute to violence, can be educational, and they can improve us in different ways.
In 2008 an eight year-old intentionally, living in slaughter louisiana,shot his grandmother in the head right after playing grand theft auto IV. In America the rate of mass shootings and obesity each year. Video Games also teach antisocial behavior. Video games are responsible for increase of violence in schools, desensitizing American youth, and prompting unhealthy behaviors.
Video games have been around for over fifty years and have become quite popular over the past four decades. In fact, they are so popular that a certain subset of them have recently come into scrutiny and are a topic of hot debate. This subset contains video games that are violent in nature, which, many people loathe. Those people try to use many fallacious tactics to persuade others to join their cause. Take the article ‘Violent Video Games Can Desensitize Players and Increase Aggression’ for example, firstly it hooks an audience with its hasty generalization that violent video games create mass murderers, secondly it uses cum hoc ergo propter hoc to provide evidence that video games contribute to and enforce desensitization and aggression, and thirdly it uses appeals to anonymous authorities to provide accreditation for the content it discusses.
Over the past two decades, one of the main problems that occurs within the world, especially the United States of America, is the fact that violent video games cause real-life violence. First off, violent video games
From the late 1970s until the present day, the video game industry has been growing in popularity and profit at an amazing rate, with profits exceeding $10 billion in 1999 (Senate Commitee on the Judiciary, 1999). As time has progressed, the content of these games has become more and more realistic, and the violence in them has become more realistic. Concerns about this violence, from the relatively tame Pac-Man of the early 1980s to the near photo-realistic bestsellers of today, have been around since video games first enter the public consciousness. Video game violence appears in nearly all genres of game, from fantasy, to action, to sports and children of both genders have indicated a preference for video games containing violent content (Funk J. , 1993).
Throughout the history of video games, one of the most important parts of having a video game is the controller. For years ever since video game consoles have been invented it has had a controller to operate all of its features.Without the controller you would not be able to operate the video game console because the controller is like a beacon to the console,it does whatever the controller operates it to do. The controller structure is a very unique design and model. It is built into a way that it can be held and it fits the grooves of your hands so that you can manage to operate all the buttons on the controller to perform the actions that transfer to the game system which shows up on the television. Although due to failures in the video game, the controller becomes the most frustrating aspect of the game.
Video games have been around for half a century when, the first simple tennis game was designed by William Higinbotham in 1958. Since then, video games have gotten more in depth, with better graphics and more options which include violent video games. Violent videos have gotten more popular with a better amount of variety including the franchise of Call of Duty, Battlefield, and Grand Theft Auto. These are the most common and popular video games and because of the violence in them debate has started whether or not violent video games cause people to be more violent in society. Since the debate has started, research has been conducted and the introduction of violent video games into society has not cause violence to increase in adolescents and children.
Video Games have come a long way since their first introduction into the main stream. With video games becoming more sophisticated and using advanced technology, it seems as if video games are closing in on the gap between games and reality. However, as video games become ever so life-like it brings up the question of if the violence associated with video games is having a negative consequence. There have been many accusations over the years over the harm video games are causing children and teenagers. Experiments have been conducted trying to associate a link between video games and aggressive behavior. Even the media has been known to point fingers at video games for the cause of children
The evolution of video games has taken a drastic change since the 1970’s when video games were first introduced. Since then every decade video games have become more violent in nature with strong language and realistic to suit society today. Craig Anderson states that with more violence in video games they would sell better than games with less violence (Anderson, Gentile, and Beckley pg.5). Violent video games really became popular when the first person shooter games were invented so that we could see through the eyes of the player, as if we were really experiencing it. Society wanted better graphics and games as time went on new technology was invented and society matured in electronics. This meant that for game creators would have to come up with something better selling than the last. Creators would make the games more violent and more realistic each time so that way they can keep the interest of their consumers. Each game would increase in blood or gore slowly, but what really got consumers to buy their games would be the update of graphics in the consoles or games. This is due to the drastic changing of technology and the maturing of consumers wanting better and newer violent video games. Violent video games can cause children to behave violently if not correctly supervised.
Technological advances have engineered many new forms of entertainment, one of the most popular being video games. Video games have come a long way since they were first introduced to the mainstream audience during the 1960’s and 1970’s and have drawn a large amount attraction among people of all ages and culture. However it wasn’t until the Play-station was released that violence became a concern to parents and politics. The level of violence in video games have been in a matter of controversy dating all the way back to the classic games like Pacman and Space Invaders and with the advancement of technology, eventually pushing into more modern and realistic games like Grand Theft Auto 5 and Call of Duty: Ghosts. These games are evolving
There are many reasons why kids should not be allowed to buy or play violent video games. A study from Iowa State University shows that kids with media in their bedroom watched Tv programs and played video games that were more violent, increasing levels of physical aggression (3). A number of research studies have shown that violent video games cause violent and aggressive behavior in people (1). The United States military uses violent video games to train soldiers to kill (5). Violent video games reinforce fighting as a means of dealing with conflict by rewarding the use of violent action with increased life force, more weapons, moving on to higher levels, and more (5).
Mature-rated, or “m-rated,” video games have become extremely popular. Violence, blood, sexual themes, profanity, substances, and gambling are all contents that can qualify a game as, “mature-rated.” Purchasing a mature-rated game has a requirement of being at least seventeen years of age. Even though this is a requirement, many underage children easily have access to these kinds of games. It is argued that playing these violent video games can cause more aggressive behavior in children. Mature-rated video games are responsible for a rise in youth violence because it teaches children to associate pleasure and success with their ability to cause pain and suffering to others, and overall sets a bad example for children when their minds are still expanding.
Most of us have certainly pondered on the thought if video games truly create violent citizens, I personally believe that video games do not what so ever. One must distinguish this topic accurately and consider learning to differentiate and not have a biased or radical opinion. There have been many attempts from a number of different people who have tried to give a bad name to video games due to the simulations and realness and say that video games will create a negative environment for anyone who plays them, especially in children. Enthusiasts of video games have spent decades asserting that there is no underlying link between playing violent titles and engaging in the violent real-world behavior. Brand-new data confirms their contentions.
In my opinion I strongly agree that violent video games do not create violence in adolescents. If anything violent video games scare kids and make them not want to hurt anybody or be violent themselves in real life. In today's society juvenile violent crime is at a 30 year low and if anything it seems like today's adolescents are getting softer than they were 30 years ago. I believe that today's adults that oppose violent video games are over reacting just because this technology is new and they never had it as kids.