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We’ve all been there. It’s Friday night, and you’re happily ploughing your way through another heroic. Everything goes well, and 20 minutes later, you’re back in Dalaran admiring your new shiny emblems, lusting over the many treasures you could spend them on. However, all of a sudden, you get an urge to visit that store clerk who was a jerk to you last week, and give him a lesson in manners. So with your 25mm XM25 in hand, you jump in your car, cackling like a madman, and get ready to dish out the pain!

Yes, if you haven’t worked it out yet, I’m talking about the effects of violent video games. Exciting stuff I know, but let’s breathe, and tackle this is in a sensible manner.

The whole idea of violent video games having a negative impact on people’s real lives isn’t new. Back in 1999, Eric Harris and his favourite chum Dylan Klebold killed 13 of their fellow students at Columbine High School. How is this linked to violent video games? Well apparently they played DOOM. Seeing this as indisputable evidence, the media insisted that the reason these two boys committed such a horrific act, was because the game had influenced and inspired them, warping their fragile minds and turning them into cold blooded killers. Step back into 2010, and it seems you can’t go a month without games being linked to some monstrous act of human indecency.

The good people of Switzerland have noticed this and said enough is enough! No longer will these vile games plague our lands and corrupt our children! And so, Switzerland has passed a law that will ultimately lead to the complete ban of any violent video games in the country. Even though the full implications of the bill will not be known until the Government reveals its exact requirements, it’s likely that any game rated PEGI 16+ will be affected. This is any game that:

“Depicts violence (or sexual activity) that reaches a stage where it looks the same as would be expected in real life. Extreme bad language, the concept of the use of tobacco and drugs and the depiction of criminal activities”

I wholeheartedly agree that these games shouldn’t be played by children. That’s the whole reason PEGI age ratings were introduced for games in the first place. However, if I’m a fully grown adult, and recognised as such by my country’s Government. They have no right to tell me what I can and cannot watch. Yes there are lines that shouldn’t be crossed, and those lines are in place, rightfully so. But within the currently accepted terms of interactive media, you have no right to tell me what I find acceptable, that is called censorship.

It’s Just A Game

I’ve been reading through a fantastic article over at Gamepolitics, and some of the stories based around violent games you couldn’t make up. Take this for example. Picture the scene. Father and son sit down to play a friendly game of Fifa09, they get into a conversation about tactics, and not too soon after, that conversation turns into an argument. So the kid, thinking he knows better than Dad, goes into the kitchen, grabs a knife, stabs his dad in the neck, then proceeds to go and clean said bloody knife in front of him mom. She didn’t know anything was wrong until her husband staggered into the kitchen, covered in blood. When she was asked about the incident later she replied “…we bought him FIFA 2009 because we didn’t want him playing violent games.” I mean please! This kid stabbed! Yes stabbed his dad in the neck over a game of FIFA! Can you seriously point the finger at Mr Pixilated soccer dude, and blame him? No of course not. Yet I can promise you, if they had sat down to a game of CoD and this had happened, you know damn well where the blame would have been aimed. The fact is: if you’re crazy enough to stab your dad in the neck in the first place, I don’t think video games are the “problem”

Regardless of my thoughts on whether violent games can affect young children, it really falls on the parents/guardians shoulders. If you choose to let your 11 year old son kill prostitutes, steal cars and behead people in a game, that’s your choice. Is it right? Meh, it never hurt me, but you know how some kids can be. The thing is, a lot of parents look at PEGI ratings and think “It’s just a game” Unless they are avid gamers themselves, they would have no idea what sort of content some mature games have, and that in my mind is a parenting fail. I know you can’t keep and eye your kids 24/7, but if you know they are playing these games, then it’s your responsibility to wise up on them, and decide whether it’s suitable for them or not.

If this bill comes in to play, it’s unlikely to affect WoW, unless of course the bill does exactly as it says, which is to ban any game that

“Requires cruel acts of violence against humans and humanlike creatures for in-game success”

“Humanlike creatures” Is a very broad term, and it will be interesting to see, just exactly what that encompasses.

What are your thoughts on violent games? Do you think Governments should have the right to “protect” their citizens? Or is this whole argument just getting blown out of proportion?

Leave a comment, and let us know your thoughts!

Eulixe

For a quick chuckle, be sure to check out this video of Alan Titchmarsh, holding a debate talk show on violent video games. This guy used to be a TV garderning presenter here in the UK, but has obviously moved on to bigger and brighter things. CVG editor Tim Ingham joined Alan, and other guests to discuss the effects of violent games on children.

For a taste of what to expect, consider the following comment made by Mr TITmarsh.

Titchmarsh: “But they (movies) have certificates on them…”

Ingham: “The videogames have exactly the same certificates…”

Titchmarsh: “But they are at home…”

Ingham: “I’m sorry?