Eight months after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on December 14, 2012, perpetrated by Adam Lanza, investigator Michael Mudry was assigned to figure out the reason why Lanza committed such a heinous crime. Upon inspecting Lanza’s house, Mudry found a multitude of violent first-person shooter and fighting video games, such as Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty. These games allowed Lanza to simulate real-life murder prior to his shootings on December 14. There was much speculation in the media that it was from playing such violent games that Lanza became a killer who took the lives of young children and their teachers. It has been said that seeing graphic violence in video games desensitized Lanza to violence in real life. There was
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One such demand is for the video game companies themselves to make more age appropriate games for their younger audiences (Casey). There are already a multitude of games designed for young children, even some innocent ones that appeal to older audiences as well, but in a scandalous, action-driven society such as America has, the population quickly bores of these diversions. To be sure, companies like Nintendo, which is based in Japan, create a great variety of games with audiences ranging from young children to middle-aged adults. On the other hand, many American-based video game companies, such as Electronic Arts (EA), Valve Corporation, and Bethesda Softworks, create first-person shooter games set in post-apocalyptic scenarios. The basis for these settings lies in the fact that the American public is enthralled with the morbid idea of the apocalypse, as seen in other forms of media as well. Video game companies will continue to create what their audience wants, or else they would not generate enough profit to stay in business …show more content…
Some claim that simple parental control is necessary to implement this solution; however, this would entail a restriction placed on the child that may or may not be needed (Kelly). Knowledge of video games in general would be a much more effective way for parents to “control” the gaming experience their child comes into contact with. Parents could research specific games on sites such as the company’s homepage or retailers before purchasing them, or even play with their children for a little while to better understand the content. They could also encourage their children to find other ways to spend their free time, so that video games do not become their only source of entertainment. Most importantly, parents must know the limitations and maturity of their child. While a game may be rated Teen, some eleven- or twelve-year-olds are mature and responsible enough to play it and still maintain a distinction between fantasy and reality. Other gamers may be in their twenties, but if they have a tendency to get lost in digital worlds, then it would be advisable not to let them play video games of any sort. Only a parent can have the judgment required to accurately gauge the level of violence that their child can handle
One such demand is for the video game companies themselves to make more age appropriate games for their younger audiences (Casey). There are already a multitude of games designed for young children, even some innocent ones that appeal to older audiences as well, but in a scandalous, action-driven society such as America has, the population quickly bores of these diversions. To be sure, companies like Nintendo, which is based in Japan, create a great variety of games with audiences ranging from young children to middle-aged adults. On the other hand, many American-based video game companies, such as Electronic Arts (EA), Valve Corporation, and Bethesda Softworks, create first-person shooter games set in post-apocalyptic scenarios. The basis for these settings lies in the fact that the American public is enthralled with the morbid idea of the apocalypse, as seen in other forms of media as well. Video game companies will continue to create what their audience wants, or else they would not generate enough profit to stay in business …show more content…
Some claim that simple parental control is necessary to implement this solution; however, this would entail a restriction placed on the child that may or may not be needed (Kelly). Knowledge of video games in general would be a much more effective way for parents to “control” the gaming experience their child comes into contact with. Parents could research specific games on sites such as the company’s homepage or retailers before purchasing them, or even play with their children for a little while to better understand the content. They could also encourage their children to find other ways to spend their free time, so that video games do not become their only source of entertainment. Most importantly, parents must know the limitations and maturity of their child. While a game may be rated Teen, some eleven- or twelve-year-olds are mature and responsible enough to play it and still maintain a distinction between fantasy and reality. Other gamers may be in their twenties, but if they have a tendency to get lost in digital worlds, then it would be advisable not to let them play video games of any sort. Only a parent can have the judgment required to accurately gauge the level of violence that their child can handle