Look...before I start here...I am totally aware that people have differing views etc...but in some case people are just wrong...and if they know that they should really go and have a long hard look at themselves...

Anyway...second of all...I need to warn you that this post is gunna be one hell of a rant...so yeah...read on if you dare...

If there is anything tha can be said about the gaming industry...is that it knows how to stir up controversy...There have been a number of games that have made news headlines...and there are 2 real views on the matter...the gamers...and the people trying to rob us of some very good games...

Ok...so I may sound just a bit biased here...but I ask you this...if a game is violent and obscene...yet so good that it could well be one of the greatest games in history, would you play it? Yeah...I thought so...you'd play it just as much as I would...

I was browsing a few GTA sites...and I noticed an article that sent me to this site...

Joint Statement for November 23, 2004 Press Conference on Violent Video Games

On one hand...I agree with what they are saying...games like manhunt and Hitman: Contracts are a discrace...they just arent good games...if you're going to make a game like this...THEN DO IT PROPERLY!!!

However...If you take away the ability to make violent games...you take away HALF IF NOT THE WHOLE INDUSTRY!!! No matter who you support, the GTA Games are quite violent and in parts, racially and sexually explicit...but think about it...where do we draw the line?

Going through the history of gaming...you notice a very large number of games have a level of violence added in at some point...Any Star Wars game, Metal Gear Solid game, Final Fantasy game, Boxing game...hell...the list could go forever...but what Im trying to get at is...just about everyone's top 5 games will include at least 3 games that are in some way violent...for example...Final Fantasy 7...8 MILLION people bought it...yet you can argue it is quite a violent game...you have guys with swords, guns, fists, rods etc that they use as weapons...and if Im not mistaken, weapons are made for violent purposes...

Next, take Metal Gear Solid...the gameplay revolves around killing people in order to survive...then there is all the wrestling and boxing games around...Oh, and lets not forget that even Mario gets up to some serious mushroom bashing in his travels...

At this point...you may be arguing that all those games have rather dated graphics and the like, which means that the less realistic the game tends to be...so...alright...think about this then...Halo...arguably the greatest Xbox game ever produced...and its sequal isnt too shabby either...yet its one of the top 5 worst games of this year...look for crying out loud people...think about this...you have a game here that has been critically acclaimed for its gameplay depth, its graphics, its storyline, just about the whole damn game...I ask you, would you be willing to deprive people of such a game? thats what these people are trying to do...and its not just Halo...Games like Metal Gear Solid 3, GTA San Andreas, and Doom 3 are getting blasted for their violent content...Conkers Bad Fur Day anyone? But really...lets face it...there are a number of things these people fail to realise...

For one thing...if violence in gaming is such a bad thing...why dont we just take out all games that have a hint of negative behaviour in them...think about it...the main premise for their argument is that children are influenced by these games which in turn leads them to commit such atrocities in the general community...absolute bullshit...one such example is when an American Lawyer presented a case that said that a man shot down 2 people...well I admit this is a bad thing...but his evidence included him getting the idea from the game Manhunt...FROGSHIT!!! He didnt even own a copy of the game...in fact, the copy they did find belonged to one of the victims...

This is a recurring trend in society nowadays...but the main beef I have with this "theory" is that if games were influencing people that much, then why arent people who play Burnout 3 trying to crash people off the road in order to increase their boost metre or why arent people who play Need for Speed Underground racing their cars in underground tournaments? Its the same thing...yet people dont focus on these games because they are supposedly quite suitable games...the only way a child is going to be influenced by a game is if the parents or guardians of said children dont teach them proper values etc...and really...what parent would be stupid enough to give a 4 year old a copy of GTA3 anyway?

Another point Id like to make is in regard to the list itself...if you notice down the bottom, they list several "Recommended Non-Violent Games"...unfortunately, they fail to realise that they have included Prince of Persia and Jak 3...which are just as violent as any other game I've mentioned already, except without the gore...Jak has guns...The Prince has swords...and quite frankly, the sequal to POP is quite the violent game...and I can see a number of parents getting confused over that one...You also notice that the games they do include, have 2 eyetoy games and a karaoke game listed...these are fun for about 15 seconds...unless you like standing around flailing your arms like a demented sea lion for most of the day...dont get me wrong however...Madden 2005 is a great game...but so is the majority of games Ive mentioned...

The other problem I think that comes into play here is the interactivity factor...thats what separates games from books and movies...when was the last time a movie or book was suggested to be banned due to overly violent content? Everyone knows that if they did ban these movies, no guy would ever go to a cinema again in their life...and alot of book critics would keel over and die...ever heard of a movie called Saving Private Ryan? That film depicted acts of extreme violence...yet people applauded it for showing how war really is...so why cant they say the same about Soldier of Fortune or Battlefield Vietnam? The Godfather is a truly classic film because of its incredibly deep storyline...its also very violent but you dont hear people complaining about it do you?

I guess what Im really trying to say here is...Arguably the greatest games in history are also some of the most violent...by taking away what is great, we will never experience things that in some ways, are quite important...for instance, I myself play games to get away from the general pressure and boredom of everyday life...playing games allows me to be something I cant in real life...and this is the case for alot of gamers out there...this may include being a corrupt druglord who can get away with shooting anyone they think is worth a bullet...or that could be a man who has to infultrate a heavy weapons storage facility defended by legions of dangerously armed men...or it could also include being able to drive a car that costs more than my house at insane speeds...it just hooks me...but they are also FUN!!! I hear about the times when our parents would play "cops and robbers" or "Cowboys and indians"...if anything, these games are more realistic than video games because you are actually holding a gun rather than a controller...

The thing that people like the party that wrote the article in the above site have to realise is that, the vast majority of gamers want to have fun...and some of the most fun games are some of the most violent...alot of the people writing this sort of stuff enjoy violent books and movies...but no, they arent influential to a child now are they? Id like to bet that alot of those people have never actually PLAYED the games they are recommending people not to buy...oh they may have watched the game in action...but thats a different kettle of fish entirely...to truly experience a movie you have to watch it...but to truly experience a game, you have to play it...and until these people bother to experience the games properly, they are wrong, and will always be wrong...and until they produce some hard evidence that shows a child (with proper supervision I might add) that plays a GTA game or whatever from a young age who grows up to become a psycho, then they are also wrong...and they will stay wrong...and they will always be labled as hypocrits by gamers all over the world because of the reasons Ive mentioned above...

On a side note, this took me 1.5 hours to type out...and if you want to query me about my views then feel free to post here or pm me...

And it took me five minutes to read (ha ha).

I do agree on several points...most of the games out there have SOME sort of violence. And I also admit to being a fighting-game addict (Dead or Alive, Bloody Roar, Tekken, Soul Calibur, etc.), all very purposely violent...because that's the point. I do think there's a bit of a difference between having violence and having gore, though. And that looks to be what is found most offensive here.
I find it slightly sickening on a moral level that we seem to need that blood splatter to make the game enjoyable. This is extreamly hypocritical when considering I own Kill Bill (Vols. 1 and 2) and Resavior Dogs on DVD for my viewing pleasure, but I'm kinda trying to take a step back here. How are we this sadistic that we find the mutilation of others enjoyable?
But, hey, I frankly think it's bull that by letting people play these games and watch these movies that we're programing ourselves to be killers. So bringing this up as an issure of safety is utter crap...it's simply an excuse, something to blame it on. Hell, they sell these games all over the world...why is the violent crime in the United States so much larger per capita then? Why is it the Europeans and the Canadians and the Australians have an easier time not shooting eachother in the face? I dunno for sure, but it ain't the gaming that's doing it.

I appluad you. That was really a good post.

Now, let me start off by saying I've been playing video games since I was two (yes, belive it). So yeah, I see things diffrently then most parents. And let me tell you, especially this christmas just like every on my wishlist were games. And every christmas it's been a game of extreme violence and gore (Resident Evil, Silent Hill, Grand Theft Auto, ect.) Now, my parents know nothing about them, buy them and then watch me play them. The first time was like "Oh my! They put this in games!?" then they got used to it, now they even enjoy watching me hack and slash and plow my way through hell's minions.

But, most parents aren't understanding and I think even a few want attetion. So they protest. And so hell and high water is being raised about the games that make the top spot. Grand Theft Auto being the most targeted. Now, GTA is a fun game, and I know for a fact it's wrapped under our tree just waiting for me to "bust a cap". But, let's see. Parent's don't like it only after they've bought it for their kids and watched them play it. Even though it says very plainly at the bottom "Rated M for Mature 17+"

I don't know. They just seem to be blind and ignorant on occasion. I remember there being a special about South Park and about the kids that died "because of it". One kid had commited suicide by putting a plastic bag over his head while playing South Park '64. The mother came home, ect. ect. And now she's up in arms about South Park but my question that was constantly in the back of my head was "Where were you the entire time?" The woman didn't look single nor looked like a working mother, so where was she that a kid could commit suicide by suffacation. I know with my parents i'm lucky to be left alone for twenty minutes, and i'm seventeen for the love of hell. I was never hardly left unattended as a kid.

Then the second question was "Why'd you buy him the frickin' game?". I mean seriously, if you're as a good a mother as your saying you are, then you wouldn't have bought him a game based on a late night adult cartoon. Keyword being "Adult".

There's been countless events where parents tried putting the blame on video games, like columbine (that is the name right? the colorado shooting?), the parent's and friends were like "Yeah, they were constantly playing DOOM, I bet that's what motivated them"... ... ... Doom... the game where you're shooting monsters that look like PAPER CUT-OUTS! for the love of blood, that's like saying GTA inspired you to walk funny. And again the case was, the parents were not a part of their child's life, no where near being an active parent. Just because you say "good morning, now go to school" to your kid, does not make you a parent.

But yeah, I say half of stuff is due to bad parenting, video games may hold little influence, but not enough to encourage the kid to commit crims of hate and murder. If anything, violent video games are a good way to vent your violent behaviors. So in a way, I think violent games save lives.

Exactly what Im getting at Triton...but you will also get parents who over protect their children...which can be even worse...because if you dont let kids experience the kinds of violence and stuff protrayed in games like gta, in a controlled environtment, they wont fully understand it when it comes around in real life...so in a sense these games are healthy for kids...but you have to keep them in a controlled environment where you can teach them whats right and wrong...

The other thing I mentioned before was the fact that the people blaming games have absolutely NO experience playing the games...its like trying to criticise a book when you havent read it...the real problem is though...that now that the message is out that these games are bad...alot of people who blame them have a negative opinion and therefore will totally disregard these games in every way...which is a shame...because if you're going to blame something...make sure you have your facts straight...

I didn't vote becaus for one none of the answers fit my opinion exactly, and also because I'm too lazy and dont have time to read all that stuff you guys wrote.. I mean as soon as I look at it my eyes just blur and my mind blanks.. but whatever. If I understand the question its whether or not games are overly violent/offensive.. (well duh, says that at the very top where the questions are).

In my opinion (dont know if anybody said something like this already since I didnt bother reading) no, they're not "overly" violent or offensive unless they go beyond what you can tolerate, or in other words, if it bothers you little enough that you still play that kind of game. And if a game does go beyond a persons morals then they simply don't play. Its all realative.. what offends one person dosn't always offend another. However, I do believe if a large majority of people feel a game to be overly violent/offensive then it can be said that maybe the game has gone a little too far.

Anyways, thats what I say... (though I hardly know what it was I just said), and again if someone already said pretty much the same thing then, well.. whatever. Its all just my point of view.

I didn't read it all as I don't have a long enough attention span but my take on video game violence is as follows..

Why do people complain about the violence in these so called "bad influencing" games? No ones forcing them to play the games. I don't find them influencing because I know they're not real and whats not real can't hurt me. If parents explained to their kids that the violence wasn't real the kids would understand and the parent's wouldn't have to bitch about their kid breaking their other kids neck while attempting some sort of wrestling move they witnessed in Smackdown vs. Raw. Parent's use this as a scape goat. Of course the media will take this in and release it as "evil" or a "blasphemy" of some sort.

Why do they put warnings on games? So idiots wont buy and complain of too much gore. Thats what makes video games fun... the unrealistic-ness (I made a new word!) of it all. Violence sells. You gotta give the people what they want.

I know video games are overly violent but these games are made for certain people. If a 5 year old is plating GTA San Andrea's you gotta blame the parents. I just don't see the violence influencing anyone.

Thats interesting everytime I play any kind of game my mom freaks. Want to trade parents? No Im just jokin I love my mom and dad.


In my opinion, I don't believe violence is going to effect kids much. As said before if parents tell their kids its not real then they should understand.

My parents dont think its the violence, its how long you spend playing video games.

Although I agree with you...the main argument put forth here is the one that most of these people think that the violence is too realistically portrayed...which is why you never heard people worry about games like mario and stuff where there was violence but not in any real realistic detail...

However, since GTA3, this problem has surfaced...GTA3 broke amazing ground both visually and explicitly, so no wonder they complained about it...its just that people have to realise that although it is definately quite violent, it has to be for it to succeed...being the kind of game it is...its like the Godfather...its about the mafia...the mafia have a reputation for being very violent etc...so if you make a movie with the mafia included (or a game for that matter eg. GTA3) you absolutely HAVE to put excessive violence in it to allow it to make sense...so therefore, it is not the company producing the game that's at fault here...they're just trying to make money...it really down to parents who should be teaching their children that the game is not real...no matter how realistic it looks...

I guess its just cause little kids don't always think to smart sometimes. They have no fear of flying or fear of dying. They just say "wee! I wanna be spider man!" they go get some ropes and try to stick to skyscrapers.

Blah I haven't posted in awhile but here we go. I agree with Xen, I really didn't even read most of the posts for the mass typing. But anyways, I'll state my opinion anyway. I don't think we are influenced. If you are and do something you thought was way cool in a game and thought real life it would even be more of a fun then you're just a fool. I mean come on look what happened in the Columbine thing. They tryed to blame it on movies, t.v., and that game Doom. Give me damn break. People should know better than to go and think they can blame things on games and etc. Everyone acts on their own. No one made them do that and the game sure in the hell didn't. Okay I went off subject a bit so sorry. But you see my point.

Yah I agree. I think people are blaming the gaming companies for no good reason. Its like that cabbage patch doll thing. You know the one that ate her plastic food? That company almost got sued because some crazy girl shoved her finger in its mouth...same thing with the other girl, who thought it'd be great if the doll could eat hair also. The parents tried to say that the doll was unsafe. Unsafe? What! Its a doll! Its more the parents fault that the girls had these accidents with the doll. My point is games may be violent but they shouldn't even be an issue. Its more the fault of the parents who don't tell their kids "this is just a game. Its not real. Please don't try to be like spiderman."


(I know I might be a bit repetitve but Celest just made me think of the doll as an example)

Here we go.


Fuck the people who think that. Fuck the parents who think they have their kid under control and think that playing gta will make them want to go shoot some black person, lastley, fuck you who are trying to debate this in a Anime/Game community really. Wtf. I'm sorry but, if not all, the majority watches anime or plays video game, everybody is going to agree, no debating.