20 replies to this topic

[Elric]

Reviving this thread, just figured I would make a entirely new thread for starting off anew.

So, the topic....

Does violent video games cause behavior problems?

Should there be a limit to how violent a video game can get?

Requesting this to be pinned.

Edited by superdarkyoshi, 19 December 2011 - 07:19 PM.

[Rasvita]

Violent video games, a rather interesting topic. I don't know if there is really anyway to prove or disprove the concept of violence in video games leading to behavioral problems. Personally, I think the problem has many causes related too various aspects of society and violence in video games may be an outlet of pre-existing violent tendencies. I think getting too involved in really violent video games can get to be a problem for people, and I do find it a bit weird that some people want to do things in video games that would be considered horrible and disgusting in real life. A certain amount of violence is acceptable as long as people are being cautious about not getting too into the violence of the game. I personally don't play games that have a rating higher than ESRB's T, and I am a bit skeptical about T ratings.

[Auzzie Wingman]

More violence doesn't equal stylish violence.

A developer should be allowed to put in however much violence they want to, but it if it doesn't work, than why bother.

Not that devs get paid for turning every gamer into murderous thrillseekers. They limit how much they put in anyway.

[Kardibask]

I think that they do trigger behavioral alterations, but not always in a bad way. I know when I'm stressed I enjoy a little virtual beatdown, it let's me take out my stress without yelling at people. I do think though that developers should control the violence a bit though, I've seen games that go over the top. I remember there was some kind of law in California (I think) that prevented game retailers to sell games depicting violence against law enforcement. So, do I think there should be limits? Yes. The limits should be mainly based on gore, I remember playing a game where full chunks of head would go flying. I nearly threw up the first time I saw it happen. Hopefully in the future though games change and become less violent and more artistic/creative.

[Turboblaze]

I don`t think violent video games can alter behavior too much, but they can certainly leave a negative impression on certain people. On the other hand, they can certainly be good stress relievers, as can most other games. As for a limit on violence, that`s really up to the developer and the game they`re making. For example, in an FPS the most violent thing you`ll probably see is headshots; in something like Mortal Kombat, however, the violence is much more extreme because of the game`s over-the-top nature.

[aaron]

I believe it does cause behavior ehh, issues, is it serious? No, it is not...
Should there be a limit to how violent avido game should get? I believe so.

[Elric]

Violent video games, a rather interesting topic. I don't know if there is really anyway to prove or disprove the concept of violence in video games leading to behavioral problems.

Are you saying there is no proof to show that there are signs of behavior problems caused by violent video games?

[Rasvita]

Are you saying there is no proof to show that there are signs of behavior problems caused by violent video games?

No, I'm saying that I'm too lazy to figure out if it can be proven. Any study about violent video games and behaviour is going to have to look very closely at all aspects of participants to determine if there is anything else that could be contributing to behavioural problems. Otherwise, the study could end up blaming video games for problems caused by something else.

[HaoSenVastForest]

IT DOES CAUSE VIOLENCE!!! My friend was a friendly kid and had straight A's then he got a Xbox which came with CoD and he now started acting violent and he is now out of the honor role. He is skipping school, got into three fights in the past month and well now I really do hate those games. They affect yo minz!

[Waller]

IT DOES CAUSE VIOLENCE!!! My friend was a friendly kid and had straight A's then he got a Xbox which came with CoD and he now started acting violent and he is now out of the honor role. He is skipping school, got into three fights in the past month and well now I really do hate those games. They affect yo minz!

I doubt that was caused by the videogames. Either your friend is facing some family problems, or he's extremely weak minded for him to let videogames affect his personality.

Do videogames affect people? Yes
Do videogames affect the general public? No

Only the ones who already had problems before videogames would be affected, and it wouldn't necessarily be negatively.

Should videogames have a limit? Yes, they already do, in fact. How many Ao games do you know of?
I'll state this. It's up the parents to take care of what a kid plays.

[HaoSenVastForest]

I doubt that was caused by the videogames. Either your friend is facing some family problems, or he's extremely weak minded for him to let videogames affect his personality.

Do videogames affect people? Yes
Do videogames affect the general public? No

Only the ones who already had problems before videogames would be affected, and it wouldn't necessarily be negatively.

Should videogames have a limit? Yes, they already do, in fact. How many Ao games do you know of?
I'll state this. It's up the parents to take care of what a kid plays.

Well he never had any family problems at all. He was pretty rich too. He was Mr. perfect until he got his Xbox.

[Waller]

Well he never had any family problems at all. He was pretty rich too. He was Mr. perfect until he got his Xbox.

Would YOU speak about your family problems with your friends? It's possible that he was feeling pressured to get perfect grades by his parents, and he simply couldn't hold the stress in any longer, which had coincided with the arrival of his Xbox.
Or he's extremely weak minded.

I play violent videogames, I have perfect grades.

[HaoSenVastForest]

Would YOU speak about your family problems with your friends? It's possible that he was feeling pressured to get perfect grades by his parents, and he simply couldn't hold the stress in any longer, which had coincided with the arrival of his Xbox.
Or he's extremely weak minded.

I play violent videogames, I have perfect grades.

By the way the kid would talk to me as if I were his Diary. (Which was most certainty not fun) and well I knew his parents too and I do know that they are very nice. They wouldnt do anything to hurt him. And are you sure that you get "Perfect" grades? So no I dont believe that it affects everyone just some more than others.

[AMAC]

I don't think that violent video games are to blame for behavioural problems. These games all have ratings and cannot be sold to young children. I think that the parents who ignore these ratings and allow their five year old son to play Call of Duty should be responsible if it leads to behavioural problems as they've chosen to ignore the age rating to keep their child happy, rather than doing what is best for him.

[Brian6330]

By the way the kid would talk to me as if I were his Diary. (Which was most certainty not fun) and well I knew his parents too and I do know that they are very nice. They wouldnt do anything to hurt him. And are you sure that you get "Perfect" grades? So no I dont believe that it affects everyone just some more than others.

Games don't really make a difference on anybody's grade and all that stuff; but they can change the way you think if you are introduced to 'em in the same way that AMAC says...

[Waller]

By the way the kid would talk to me as if I were his Diary. (Which was most certainty not fun) and well I knew his parents too and I do know that they are very nice. They wouldnt do anything to hurt him. And are you sure that you get "Perfect" grades? So no I dont believe that it affects everyone just some more than others.

That's an interesting thing you say there. So you don't talk to him anymore? For all I know, his problems could be fairly recent.

A videogame won't make you violent. I find it funny how they automatically blame videogames and not movies, TV, news, etc.

[Elric]

I don't think that violent video games are to blame for behavioural problems. These games all have ratings and cannot be sold to young children. I think that the parents who ignore these ratings and allow their five year old son to play Call of Duty should be responsible if it leads to behavioural problems as they've chosen to ignore the age rating to keep their child happy, rather than doing what is best for him.

Should we only be focusing on young children?

[Starrgrl24]

A videogame won't make you violent. I find it funny how they automatically blame videogames and not movies, TV, news, etc.

I AGREE. There are other variables to consider.

Though, I can still relate to Link with his friend's problem. My brother used to be a Nintendo gamer, until his friends introduced him to the Xbox. Now he's busy playing FPS. It's not so much the violence that makes the child go bad, but the culture of the mainstream FPS gamer. You gotta admit...FPS players tend to be very rowdy and competitive. The game cause stress instead of relieve stress because of the intense competition. This is why I'm glad to be a Nintendo gamer. It's not so much about the competition and trying to be the best. It's about having fun.

Parents are still doing a bad thing for buying rated M games for children though. The younger generations deserves something better than boring FPS games! xD They will miss out on the creativity of other games. I'm not just speaking for Nintendo. I still have high respect for Valve and Bethesda Softworks. Also, Xbox live is full of people with potty mouths. If parents buy their kids headsets for Xbox live...boy are their innocence gone the moment they log in. I don't know about PS3 network. If someone has experience about that, please let us know.

Well...I'm starting an entirely different debate already. xD

[Elric]

Should we only be focusing on children? I know that children are more prone to inception of violent behavior or bad behavior, but I know that the mature human has a more complex mind allowing them to gain more radical ideas.

Edited by superdarkyoshi, 21 December 2011 - 09:20 PM.

[Auzzie Wingman]

Violent video games do not create problems of violence in children, at least that's my belief. I reckon that these children already had the problem to begin with, and the video game only acts as a stimulant, if you will.

Chances are, the problems created relate to being, well, feeble children in reality. Children use the virtual world to escape it, and as such over an extended period of time, emerge thinking they an angel ( props for reference). The limiters they once had are removed, hence their behaviour. But if the problem didn't already have a foundation, then they wouldn't act like this.

Otherwise, about half the world would've ripped, torn and shredded everyone else already.

I've played years of CoD and other such games of violence for years, and yet I don't go around pretending I'm the kingpin of my trashy neighbourhood. Violence stems from something beyond video games, and that's the truth. I won't directly relate this to parenting habits, as they aren't the only source it can come from.