Over the last 40 years from their inception video games have been very popular among children and young people. More recently the market has vastly grown becoming a major media industry with new releases poised to create as much revenue as the Hollywood blockbuster films. The UK is the fourth largest developer of video games in the world with the industry employing over 22,000 people. Despite these success stories many people are uncomfortable with video games believing them to be harmful to our societies. Both sides of the argumenthave valid points which merit consideration.
Video games are often condemned because many feel they contain excessive amounts of violence and how this can affect the player. This debate is controversial and the most persistent question when discussing video games. Advocates say games such as the 18-rated Grand Theft Auto series with its high level of violent game play and graphic portrayal of it are unacceptable and should not be sold as it could be damaging to children’s development if they play it. Others try to remind them that this type of game is highly regulated and purchasing is restricted to those over the age of 18. If children play it, that is their parents decision based on their child’s level of maturity and personality. There is a barrier in place to protect younger gamers; it is a matter of parents following the rules.Those against banning the games also cite how other forms of media such as comic books, films and even books were prejudiced against. It is a rite of passage which all forms of media have to go through in order to be generally accepted in society. In the 1940s and 1950s comic books were looked upon as immoral and as causing terrible damage to children. Eventually these thoughts were quelled and now comic books are widely enjoyed around the world. Rap and R&B music is also criticised with some people claiming it incites black youths to take up arms and join gangs while in fact studies have shown the main purchaser of this type of music is white people.
Many people believe video games can be extremely artistic and beautiful. An example of these artistic games is Shadow of the Colossus. The game world is a desolate world in which the player travels battling huge beings known as Colossi to save a young girls life. In many sections of the game the player travels alone. The art helps portray a feeling of loneliness and despair while the orchestral music playing while battling the Colossi depicts a sense of heroism and grandeur. Every component of this game complements each other creating a cohesive experience which is known to bring gamers to tears while playing. This is used as a prime example as a reason why video games shouldn’t be banned and in fact should be embraced by society.
Shadow of the Colossus is seen as a landmark interactive experience
Excessive use of video games has been covered greatly in the last five years by themedia. Cases of technological addiction are often children not knowing when enough is enough but others such as Lee Seung Seop’s have went to the extremes. His case shows how some people are affected by certain video games addictive quality to the extent of playing to death. In 2005 Seop visited an internet cafe in Taegu, South Korea and playedStarcraft continuously for fifty hours before suffering cardiac arrest. It was reported that six weeks prior he had broken up with his girlfriend over the issue and had been fired from his job due to “repeated tardiness”. People against video games will say that this case clearly shows the need for them to be banned as they can destroy lives. On the pro-video game side they believe this is an isolated incident involving a severely disturbed individual. Many people believe that people who become addicted to games and become reclusive say those people weren’t very social to begin with video games just filled a gap. People who are social to begin with won’t let games affect their social lives.
Very Addicting
Video games are commonly used in a medical capacity around the world. A study carried out by the American Physical Therapy Association showed that the Nintendo Wii with its motion sensing capabilities could be beneficial in the treatment of teenagers with cerebral palsy. Games are also used in many children’s wards as something to help children feel more comfortable while in hospital. Many medical professionals now believe games to be key to a quick recovery for children. Charities such as Child’s Play donate video game related equipment to hospitals making a difference in sick children’s lives. Professionals such as Jen Usinger at The Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel in Oregon, USA say video games give the patients in the hospital an escape from all the medicine, allowing them to feel like a normal child. Surgeons also use video games with specialised equipment to improve technique and learn new procedures in non life threatening situations. These simulators are specially built and the vast majority of surgeons believe they allow for better patient care. Personally during my work experience at the Royal Alexandra Hospital I practiced on an endoscopic simulator and within an hour from going with no experience at all I could successfully complete an operation. If video games were banned advances in this type of technology, while not completely halted, would’ve been considerably hindered.
RapeLay is a Japanese developed game which has been heavily criticised since its release in 2006. In this you play as a man who stalks a mother and two daughters with the intent to rape them. The game features an in-depth sex simulator in which later in the game the player can tie the three women up and have forced intercourse. Many people were horrified when this game was released and called for its banning, deeming it immoral and extremely offensive to women. Online stores such as Amazon.com have since banned this game and an independent Japanese rating board have restricted the sale and production ofRapeLay making it impossible to buy. Some people however have defended the game saying rape is a lesser crime than murder so why should RapeLay be banned while thousands of other legal adult games feature large amounts of killing. Others have also referred to this kind of content being in books and films and they aren’t banned. The reaction to this is video games are interactive while films are passively used.
The Byron Report on video games and internet use with children was released in March, 2008 by the British clinical psychologist Tanya Byron. In relation to video games the report shows that parents are often unclear about classification systems such as PEGI (Pan European Game Information) and how to restrict their child’s access to inappropriate digital media. It also talks about the benefits of video games to youths in the form of learning new skills. Research has shown skills such as reaction times, strategic planning and special perception are greatly improved compared to non-gamers. It also helps improve their planning skills and their willingness to try new methods instead of being afraid to try a different hypothesis. This is due to the player having to process new information quickly and react fast. The report also talks about how video games can help relax the player and how gaming has evolved from a solitary activity into a form of entertainment the whole family can enjoy together. This helps social development and creates stronger bonds with parents and siblings than an activity such as watching television would form. The Byron report also affirms doctor’s theories that video games can help with recovery after a painful treatment. Their study showed that those playing video games needed fewer painkillers. It is suggested in the report that video games take up the attention in the brain which would previously have been used focusing on the pain.
Family Friendly Gaming
Overall both sides of the argument have convincing points. Personally I feel video games do a lot more good than bad in modern society. I think it is an overreaction to the problem to ban all games, even those such as Tiger Wood’s Golf and Football Manager which are non-violent and family friendly There are suitable regulations in place to protect younger generations and to police what kind of content is available. One of the biggest issues is parents not being aware of these systems and not knowing what is suitable for their children although I feel these problems will go away over the next 20 years as those who grew up playing games start to have their own children and can protect them from inappropriate content