ban video games first

if a kid has access to the internet alone

he's got access to everything

things the parents had no idea existed

And the parents of NOW were the kids of the 80s...and the games of the 80s were "Innocent fun" so THEIR parents saw NO HARM in it.

But it HARDENED those kids to KILLING..even if it was just dots on a screen...then they slowly upped the graphics..bit by bit..slooowly dragging everyone into it.

Those kids grew up...met a nice girl..and started a family.

These same group (In their 20's now) though it was COOL when battledfield 1942 was released..NOT gory..but more..IMMUNISING.

As their kids grew they saw as toddlers their parents playing these games..BF42..URT..all those..they saw it from a YOUNG age..and were IMMUNISED against shock and killing and gore.

These toddlers are now in their TEENS...and the graphics have been UPPED and UPPED..the parents themselves..already immunised..think its GREAT..because AS kids and teens themselves they just could not WAIT for the games to get more realistic..

THATS THE CRY..get more REAL..REALITY DOOM..the parents are into it..as are the kids.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?

THE BLOODY POT with the SLOWLY HEATING WATER in it.

WHO RUNS THE BUNSEN BURNER UNDER THE POT??

THE ILLUMINTAI!!!!!!!!

WHY???

TO IMMUNISE an ENTIRE GENERATION against SHOCK and KILLING.

KILLING IS NOW THE NORM!!

But..its all the parents fault...

THATS HOW THEY PLANNED IT..they WANT you to NOT BLAME THEM..even though THEY are the ones MAKING THE POISON so SUBTLE and TASTY.

It is absolutely desensitizing youth to the actual consequences of violence.

Uber realistic violent video games tap into the fight or flight instinct and encourage fight with no real consequence.

So when conflict arises in real life, this is what happens.

No one should be surprised.

It's Psych 101.

Were training or brainwashing our youth

I absolutely love GLP and I've been lurking here for a long long long time. Anyway, I've been in game design for 14 years and have been involved in the game industry for more than two decades. I've worked on about a dozen triple A titles. Tens of millions have (hopefully) enjoyed my work. So I'm not just some guy who made a web game or two for his CS class. Anyway, topics like are usually enough to draw me out.

Gamers are getting old and the games industry has gotten really, really big. 10+ years ago I kind of laughed at the idea we'd by surpassing the movie industry in sales but that actually happened. It makes sense though because my generation was weened on video games and generally, people don't give up their hobbies when they get older. They tend to refine their tastes in them as well as spend a whole lot more money on them.

Now first person shooters aren't my favorite genre and I've never worked on one. I enjoy RPGs, fighting games and other action games. Those are the sorts of game I've made. But when people spit the word "VIDEO GAMES" with that snotty church lady voice, they really mean first person shooters. They are not talking about Angry Birds or Sonic the Hedgehog.

Now with that said, the 18-25 male demographic are the ones most buying and playing first person shooters, followed secondly by the 25-40 demographic. These games are not for kids and that's why they all carry an M rating.

Asking to ban VIDEO GAMES (i.e. First Person Shooters) is like saying "ban R rated movies". They promote violence and stuff. We should also ban damn near everything shown on TV after 8pm on a weekday really.

Instead of banning, how about we enforce what we already have? How about we have tougher laws against stores that sell M rated games to kids? Or how about punishments for parents who let their kids play M-rated games?
What you're advocating here is trampling on the rights of grown adults to enjoy the kind of entertainment they prefer. It's a great topic starter for a Friday night but a bad idea generally

if a kid has access to the internet alone

he's got access to everything

things the parents had no idea existed

The sad thing about video games is that parents are letting their kids play at younger and younger ages...Kids are then desensitized to murder, blood, violence, death. Same with movies...the younger a child is when sex and death on tv are normal, the worse off they are.

True story...I know a parent who let their child play video games since the time he could walk. When this child was about 8 or 9 years old, he got a butcher knife out of the kitchen and tried to commit suicide...Thank God his mother found him as he had the knife to his throat and only ended up with a surface scratch...Wanna know what was going on in his head??????

The kid thought he could just regenerate...have another life...

My older kids are 15 and 16. I am very careful about what they watch. If it has sexual anything in it, they can't see it. I don't mind blood and violence now, but I never let them play video games til they were older nor let them watch violent or bloody or scary movies. I also have an 8 year old...Same rules apply to him.

It's extremely important that kids know that their actions affect other human beings before they should be allowed to indulge in violent, bloody awful video games or movies...

Once they KNOW the difference between real life and video games and movies, then it's on! I am addicted to WoW, myself and see nothing wrong with playing games...sometimes we all need to blow some shit up in a game so we don't blow shit up IRL, but kids sometimes don't know the difference if they're missing the empathy and compassion genes...

yep.

and what does a parent think they are raising when there kid stays locked in his room playing the GTA series since he was 8?

Violent video games are a young male response to disempowerment. Men need to be re-empowered to enforce law within their communities and defend their loved ones. Encouraging gun ownership would help.

Banning video games is not the answer. Returning power to local communities and empowering young men is the answer.

That's what I'm saying, modern First Person Shooters aren't just "video cames" any more. They are training simulators. Hyper realisting "combat simulators".

It changes what was the old "don't blame videogames" argument somewhat.

I've played GTA and many games like it from childhood until present.

Does that mean I'm next?

Am I going to be 'switched on' and become the next mind-controlled weapon?

Explain all the wars and killing before Video Games?

no, it doesnt mean you are next. but you are probably more numb to violence then someone who didnt.

i played GTA too but i was probably older than you when i did.

I was playing Atari 2600. Pitfall and River Raid must have programmed me.

Were training or brainwashing our youth

Were training or brainwashing our youth