Question

What is the appeal of violent games?

Answer

I don’t think it has to deal with violence. If a game is intriguing, people like it. People generally find graphics and game play to be very important. Some aspects of the violence they may find enjoyable, but, for the most part, the graphics are gorgeous! Violence has always been a part of video games, even back when arcades were prevalent, a lot of those games included violence – even Pac-Man.

Q

If you enjoy violent video games, are you a “sick person?”

A

I don’t think so. If you play solely because you get off on the violence, then there may be a problem, but if you look at games like “Call of Duty” and other Army-related games, they are just as much about strategy as they are about violence.

Q

Do you feel that violent games can elicit violent behavior?

A

There was a report showing differences in brain activation between gamers and non-gamers when shown violent images. That’s the only long-term effect I’ve been aware of. There certainly is a short-term effect, however. After playing a violent video game, a person is more likely to exhibit violent tendencies.

Q

How do video games influence us?

A

They increase problem-solving skills, hand-eye coordination, and reaction time. Also, they are becoming more active and social. The Wii really emphasizes that point; the commercials always show it as a very active and social activity.

Q

Are video games good for society, or are they destructive?

A

I would say neither. They are enjoyable diversions, but you can’t let them take you over. In today’s society, we have seen a rise in video game addictions. Whenever additional violence is added to these games that people are playing continuously, that can begin to have a bad effect. Still, if an adult wants to play a violent game, he/she should be allowed, that’s freedom, but should we allow kids to play these kinds of games without permission? No.