The Swamp logo

Is Violence in Video Games Still an Issue?

My opinion on violence in video games has changed as I aged.

By Brian AnonymousPublished 5 years ago 3 min read
Like

Violence in video games has been a topic of discussion for years. Back in the 90s there was a huge backlash on violent video games when the game Mortal Kombat was first introduced. I was about 13 at the time and of course I didn't think violence in video games was even an issue. Bring on those violent games. I wanted to play them because I was the target audience.

Fast forward more than 20 years later and we're still discussing the topic today. Some games have become so aggressively violent that that Mortal Kombat game back in the 90s look like a Fisher-Price toy. Nothing has greatly changed in the video game industry except the fact that it's much larger and seemingly unstoppable.

I continue to play all types of these games but I find that there's a lot more of a variety in games too. There are games that aren't violent, and they aren't necessarily doing bad either.

My attitude toward violent games has, however, changed over the years. I still have the urge to play some violent games, but some of them are a little too much.

My perspective has changed because I see the world a lot differently now. I recognize that not everyone thinks like me and I've gone through the news articles to understand how impressionable people are nowadays.

Not too long ago, they had a news article warning kids not to eat a cleaning detergent called Tide pods because they were being influenced by social media. I hear that they're closing down hate group pages on the Internet because people were easily being persuaded to join these potential terrorist groups.

We've had a number of mass murders and shootings. Some of them associated by hate groups and some murderers murdering to become celebrities in their own right.

The world is vastly different from those Mortal Kombat days and feel a lot more complicated. Violence in video games was a concern because politicians were worried that kids might be influenced to mirror the actions of the characters that they played in the video games.

I'm starting to be a believer. With all these instances of idiotic following and persuasion, it's hard to believe that there isn't a chance that one kid can be influenced by a video game. I used to argue, hey, it's only one kid out of millions.

My opinion has changed on this as well. It only takes one kid to murder hundreds of innocent people. I know it's a slippery slope theory, but after that one kid murders hundreds, there may be copycats.

The problem isn't that video games will change us all into murdering fiends. The problem is that it may affect just one person and that may start a ripple effect that will change our society. We all know how powerful social media influencers can be now. If someone murders a bunch of people that's going to be on the news. There's no hiding it.

So I do believe that violent games should not be targeting younger children for sales. I don't think that younger children should be playing these games.

I know that freedom is a very touchy subject nowadays, but we're talking about targeting kids to buy violent video games, whose freedom are we violating? It's not like people are saying no you can't make violent video games ever again. I think people just want the companies to stop advertising and pushing these games on minors. We've already had this issue with tobacco, why can't we do the same thing with video games? I enjoy these games just as much as anyone, but it's not worth the lives of innocents.

controversies
Like

About the Creator

Brian Anonymous

I have tons of opinions that change constantly. I watch a lot of movies and play video games. There are some articles on my struggles with languages and dance as well.

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments (1)

Sign in to comment
  • Eddie Simpson4 months ago

    The debate over violence in video games is one that has persisted for years, sparking discussions and research on its potential effects. While it's essential to address these concerns, it's also important to recognize the positive aspects of the gaming industry, including innovative game development studios like Argentics.io. Argentics.io https://www.argentics.io/ is a prime example of a game development studio that is pushing boundaries and reshaping the landscape of gaming. They are at the forefront of integrating blockchain technology into the gaming world, creating a more transparent, player-centric, and decentralized gaming ecosystem.

Find us on social media

Miscellaneous links

  • Explore
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Support

© 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.