Why Are Video Games Becoming More Violent?

All over the world, millions of children are addicted to video games. When they first came out with video games they were not as violent as they are now. They had innocent games like Pac-man, Asteroids, and Donkey Kong. Video games have landed themselves not only in amusement arcades but also in corner drugstores, supermarkets, and even gas stations. They now even have video games that are made just for girls. It is a proven fact that coin operated arcade video games have grossed double the amount that the movie industry makes in one year. You can just imagine how much time is actually spent playing these video games. It is not difficult to see that anything of this magnitude is bound to have some far-reaching effects on those that play them. Surveys show that 90 percent of the players are male and 80 percent of them are teenagers. Although the number of female players is slowly rising.

The majority of the games that are out today seem to be getting more and more violent. Some parents seem to think that these games have no affect on their children. This just is not true. Take for example the computer games that are used as teaching tools. They are even becoming more familiar sights in classrooms from pr-k through universities. This just proves that they can learn from these video games even the violent ones. The proliferation of arcade video games has triggered reactions ranging from strong parental protest to outright government bans.

Money is the major part of the video game industry. What do I mean by this? Well most young boys spend the majority of their money either at the arcade or on purchasing the latest video game. The thing that makes it even worse is the parents are the one supplying the money. And then you wonder why your child’s behavior slowly begins to change. Some parents tend to brush it off as just a phase that boys go through. But do you realize that 50% of the people who purchase these video games are grown men over the age of 30. Most of the violent games have adult rating anyway, so your child really has no business playing them. Part of the reason why this happens is because parents fail to pay attention to what their children buy or what their children play. The video game industry gives the kids exactly what they want. Kids with low self esteem use video games to give them the power and control that they want and need. The players themselves feel the immense power these games have over them.

Some kids have even become addicted or hooked on these games. If you ask kids many of them will tell you that it’s like a drug. Parents will tell you that it is v very difficult to try and wean your kids from these games. Video games can have a very damaging effect on children. A newspaper columnist commented that watching children play the games reminded him of compulsive, gamblers, sitting for hour on end pumping quarter into the slot machine. The games are made to fascinate a child at the point in the child’s development when mastery and control become the most important issues. There is also a large amount of war games. They work on the kill or be killed instance, they are violence oriented and they promote aggression without mercy. These games cater to instant gratification. This helps to make kids less tolerant and patient. They are cultivating a generation of mindless, ill-tempered adolescents. Many parents are becoming more concerned over what the arcade video games can do to their children. While some games may protect children from the undesirable elements at the arcades, the effect is largely the same.