A news article today about a new video game coming out in October named "Bully" that is the subject of some controversy. At first, I thought perhaps that the player would be a bully, which would certainly promote bad behavior.
Instead, "the game's main character is 15-year-old Jimmy Hopkins, who must defend himself against school bullies at a fictional U.S. boarding school called Bullworth Academy, while dealing with characters ranging from nerds and jocks to authoritarian prefects."
I suppose that is not so bad, though this video game maker is also the maker of Grand Theft Auto--a violent and sexually graphic video game.
I grew up playing fantasy computer games, but they had no sexual content, were always good guys vs. bad guys, and were not so graphic in their violence. Do today's games cross the line? Do video games create violent tendencies in kids? What do you think?
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7 comments:
You are really good at hitting topics that involve me ;)
Growing up I played video games, and to this day I do the same. I've played every Grand Theft Auto, I've played all the contreversial games... what have I taken away? Well, nothing much, they are just games and it ends when I hit the power button :P
When "Bully" was first announced months ago, EVERYONE dived all over it saying you were going to be a Bully, and it was going to be a virtual Columbine, it was like a wildfire fueling activists in a "Video games are bad! Down with em!" frenzy. And now it doesn't seem like that is the case.. defending yourself happens every day at school.
To answer your 2 questions, Do I think todays games cross the line? Of course I do. There is no need for beating hookers, stealing cars, and performing drive bys. But, you see these things day after day in the news, and just like that.. we can't shut down the news, so I don't expect developer Rockstar will be going anywhere.
Do these games create violent tendencies in games? Kids shouldn't be playing these games ;) Be a parent, don't blame something because you don't want to watch Timmy or be an active part in his life. It was the same case with D&D and other games, same case with Music(KISS, NWA, etc), and now its video games turn. Instead of talking on your phone in the game store line when your kid hands you the game to buy for him(with the TEEN or MATURE sticker), be active and learn about the game. The clerks are more than willing to explain a game.. trust me.
True story: I hung out at a GameStop when my roommate worked there. Parent came up with Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. I told the parent what her 9-10 year old kid was purchasing. She told me to stop telling her how to raise her kid. Made me sick.
I'm also a firm believer that if someone TAKES something from a video game, and uses it.. there was something wrong with the person in the first place. Nothing can make someone do something violent... unless there was something else there.
I think we've seen in the past few months from all the cases being thrown out of court because they are attacking the game developers rights to free speech, that this isn't going away.
Unfortunately, you can always play the game of Rape, Murder, Deciet, Lies, Theft, and more.. its called turning on the news. All we can do is ignore what we need to, and hopefully teach our kids.
Matt,
I believe that video games that are incredibly graphic and violent can be damaging to young kids. At the same time, they can't be a scapegoat for everything that goes wrong with a child.
Most definetly. I saw a lot of things under the age of 10 that I wish I had never seen. Stuff that video games show can be very damaging, as I live with some of it every day.
What is the phrase?...GIGO? (Garbage in, garbage out) Video games, movies, books, blogs...be careful little eyes what you see.
Mrs. C.
Good point, Mrs. C!
Dude,
Sorry I haven't been to your blog in a while and I wish I had as this is a subject that hits close to home with me as well.
In college I was introduced to a game series called "Resident Evil" on the Playstation. It's been called easily one of the best (and I would agree, Resident Evil 2 being the best in the series) and since it's coming, game companies like Rockstar have tried to duplicate what Capcom (RE's maker) have capitalized on somewhat successfully.
I feel drawn to games that often have an M rating not because of their graphic content but because I'm not interested in playing in a "Mario" world. And while I've never had an interest in nor played Grand Theft Auto, I am an XBOX owner and I'm a huge fan of Halo 2 (rated M) and am anticipating the release of Halo 3 next year.
First and foremost, Matt said it best, kids having games, movies, comic books, music, etc they shouldn't isn't a manufacturer or retailer problem, it's a parental problem. Many parents hide behind the "I can't be with them 24/7" or "they have to make their own decisions" but growing up that's not how it was for me. My parents wanted to know where I would be, who I would be with, what time I'd be home and what I would be doing. Granted, I tested the waters and many times completely crossed them early in college, and my parents "reassured" me of who was in the driver seat.
Second, while I get together frequently with my buds to play Halo 2 in a four person, split screen setting, it usually does one thing - bring us closer together. We have fun and we leave the game in the game at the end and go our separate ways.
Games like Resident Evil, Silent Hill and Halo 2 are completely unbelieveable from a fantasy perspective thus making them easier to put away. Games like Manhunt, Grand Theft Auto and True Crime contain real people (often using real actors voice the characters) in real settings doing really bad things.
Finally, I don't buy the "music or the video game made me do it" excuse but I believe different games and music play to different parts of our id and ego which can be dangerous to an impressionable mind.
Bottom line, if I'm 9, playing a game I shouldn't and my parents don't hassle me about it, what makes what I'm seeing not right in my eyes? Right?
Hey Matt. Thanks for commenting and sharing your experience with this.
I agree with the parenting problem. Parents should take more responsibility for what their kids watch and play. Some things young children just can't handle.
With the brokenness found in so many families today, I wonder what video game distributors' responsibility should be.
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