Transcript Political Issues in the Video Game Industry: Violence and

Political Issues in the Video
Game Industry: Violence
and Gaming
Alisdair Owens
The Situation
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Video games receive a lot of negative
attention in the media.
Particular emphasis on potential damage
to children.
This presentation covers a history of
violent games, the case against them, and
the potential solutions to the perceived
problem.
Death Race
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Arcade game based on the movie Death Race
2000.
Released in 1976
Gameplay involved running over ‘gremlins’.
Early 80s
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Arcades wildly successful.
Violent games considered a useful tool for
training children by the US army.
First game linking sex and violence.
Early 90s
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Games garner consistent public attention.
Mortal Kombat causes congress-level
debate in the US.
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Massively ‘gory’ fatalities
Less violent Nintendo version relatively
unpopular.
Wolfenstein 3D banned in Germany for
Nazi references.
Doom
Late 90s-Current
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Columbine linked to Doom.
Carmageddon
Grand Theft Auto 1-3
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Adult games massively popular among
children.
Sex/violence link.
Manhunt linked to murder of a 14 year old
in the UK.
The Situation
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Parents are worried that violent games
negatively impact their children.
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Some blame misbehaviour on games.
Politicians and the media have picked up
on this concern, particularly in the light of
Columbine.
Gamers blame parents for improper
supervision.
Evidence
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Large body of evidence that links violent
games to short term aggression increases.
Little hard evidence of this causing long
term violent tendencies.
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Largely theories based off work on other
types of media.
The Problem
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Potential damage to children.
Violent games clearly attract children.
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Disparity in SEGA/Nintendo MK sales.
Games are clearly getting both more violent
and more realistic.
Little legal regulation.
Many parents unwilling/unable to
supervise children sufficiently.
Solutions
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Greater parental education.
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Limited efficacy?
Stronger regulation.
‘Chipping’ consoles.
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Differing regulations by country.
Doesn’t solve the issue of multiple age groups
using the machine.
Conclusion
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Violent games are not going away.
Chipping consoles is inconvenient, and
may cause difficulties for manufacturers.
Imperfect solution:
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Parental education
Stronger legal regulation.