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Do violent games like GTA create violent kids?

Globe and Mail Update

Latest comment posted at 10:34 AM EDT 12/05/08

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  1. roy f from van, Canada writes: If graphic murder fantasy games are harmless to everyone, whats to stop a comany from selling any other types of games like rape , child molester, terrorism fantasy games to adults and children?
  2. Caroline Johnson from Canada writes: Well the sad fact is that some of that already exists underground. X-Box would be creating it's own violent death if it were to put out a rape or molestations game.
    Violence is everywhere ... TV, radio, music, games.... the reality is it's unavoidable, like sex, it sells and they make big coin off that.
    What we can do is monitor what the kids are watching that is what the rating system is for. Be your child's advocate and help them decide what is age appropriate. Hell you can't even watch a child's animated movie anymore without catching some pretty adult comments that fly right over their head..WHY? because just like the kids we adults like a good cartoon and if it appeals to us we'll buy it.
    We own GTA and I have two young boys who want to play and we had to tell them ' NO' . It is for adults only. The game is kept in a safe spot and is only played while they are sleeping or out of the house.
    It is sad that with technology now my children are more exposed to these types of pressure and the stress is higher from seeing stuff, but they also adapt more and know what is right and wrong in society and how we treat people, the problem is the people that were not all there to beginning ,acting out on these notions that it is reality when in fact it is not. So the bottom line is know what your kids are playing, talk to them about it and be informed.
  3. Luke P from Vancouver, Canada writes: roy f from van, Canada writes: If graphic murder fantasy games are harmless to everyone, whats to stop a comany from selling any other types of games like rape , child molester, terrorism fantasy games to adults and children?

    You clearly haven't been to Japan. Those (not so much the terrorism) have existed for years.
  4. Jeff D from Toronto, Canada writes: nope..
    among other things domestic violence, letting bullies get away without proper punishment (public service, detention or what have you) create violent kids..
  5. Benjamin Smith from Canada writes: These games are NOT FOR KIDS!!!

    Discussions about whether GTA makes kids violent make as much sense as whether movies like Pulp Fiction make kids violent.
  6. Gary Nichols from Ottawa, Canada writes: Right on Benjamin.

    The problem with people who are 40 years old is that they didn't grow up with video games and have the preconception that all video games made today are for children. They are not. The biggest market for video games is probably male adults ages 20-30 and these are the people that GTA IV is made for.

    Parents, there are age ratings on games just like in movies. If you don't let your kids watch R rated films, then don't buy them Mature 18 games.
  7. Wicked Messenger from Vancouver, Canada writes: One of the biggest travesties in the entertainment business, and there are many, is the video game industry. I am a father of two teenage boys and they have never been allowed to play destructive or violent video games. the only ones they have played are EA Sports games. That being said, I loathe companies like EA. These companies are getting rich and turning their executives into billionares from selling trash and violence to kids. EA, Microsoft and other are socially irresponsible in doing this, not unlike film companies like Dreamworks who fill their animated movies with subliminals for both kids and adults. This form of "entertainment" is the just about the lowest form that exists.
  8. Benjamin Smith from Canada writes: Gary, you should have seen the comments I made last night. I guess they didn't put them up because they would hurt the writer's feelings, to say the least...
  9. Luke P from Vancouver, Canada writes: It's too bad, Wicked Messenger, that you're so paranoid, because you have deprived your kids of some fantastic games that aren't violent. Day of the Tentacle, Sam & Max, The Monkey Island series, Myst, Portal, Guitar Hero, Rock Band, most of the Mario series, the Sims, SimCity, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, Need for Speed, Gran Turismo, the Civilization series.....

    And then there's the ones like Rachet & Clank, Jak & Daxter, Lego Star Wars (and soon Lego Indiana Jones), although I suppose I can see how those might carry subliminal messages about sexual relations with furry animals or blocks of plastic.

    Does anybody remember You Don't Know Jack? Those were some of the funniest games ever made.
  10. Brendon E from Winnipeg, Canada writes: Does anyone else notice that our own politicians would rather use force over diplomacy in international disputes. Police turn to tasers, rubber bullets and tear gas before non violent conflict resolution measures. Networks are dedicated to extreme sports that glorify violence (UFC, WWF, MMA)

    Society and media has turned violence into status quo.

    Drop it, video games are the least of our worries.
  11. The Wight from Canada writes: Wicked Messenger:

    "This form of "entertainment" is the just about the lowest form that exists."

    Are you nuts? The lowest form, by far, is REAL LIFE.

    You can go, right now, and eat a steak from an endangered species in some underground restaurant or visit Bangkok and "entertain" yourself with a living, breathing 10 year old girl who was sold by her parents. There are underground bare-knuckles circuits with enormous betting, dog fights, cock fights, etc. Even in suburbia with swingers, drug addicts, spousal abuse, child abuse, etc. there are hundreds of real-life examples that make GTA IV pale in comparison.

    Read about Renaissance France if you get the chance and you'll see what I mean. Before "fake" entertainment like TV or video games, people entertained themselves with REAL prostitutes, REAL child lovers, REAL drugs, REAL slaves/serfs, etc.
  12. Will Hoaccio from Toronto, Canada writes: roy f from van, Canada writes: "If graphic murder fantasy games are harmless to everyone, whats to stop a comany from selling any other types of games like rape , child molester, terrorism fantasy games to adults and children?"

    Do you think people would want to play those? Humans always have delusions of grandeur. I am sure everyone on this board has wanted to be the cool criminal or heroic action hero or some kind of archetype, and surprise surprise that's what most video games allow you to (pretend) to be.

    Humans don't have delusions of filth, most kids don't want to become child molesters, so why would they want to pretend to do that?

    Ever noticed why most (all?) vWW2 video games position you as the Allies and not the Axis?

    p.s. Rape themed video games DO exist in Japan, I would direct you to the "BattleRaper" series. It is hardly "rape" though, I'm pretty sure it is just a joke.
  13. mandeep sidhu from Burlington, Canada writes: Some of the comments i have read are honestly the stupidest things i have read in a while to start im a teenager im attending highschool. now everyone taking about GTA causing kids to do certian things is false. in my highschool and in alot of them about 5 in 10 kids will have tried gateway drugs like Weed aka marajuana, about 1 in 5 will end up having sex under the age of 16. Now im not goana lie a teenager is pretty damn smart these days i probably have more street smarts than most of the adults posting on this right now. Also i play violent video games and sports games and I am honestly the only kid in my group of friends that hasnt Smoked , hasnt had sex , and hasnt done anytyhing stupid to this point . Youre all over reacting Movies are worse than GTA parents let their kids go see R rated movies but not get M rated games FYI Movies are more graphic than video games wacth the Saw movies all 3 of them than play GTA and tell me which is worse.
  14. Will Hoaccio from Toronto, Canada writes: Ohh, and as an aside, GTA IV is perhaps the singles greatest piece of entertainment I have ever enjoyed. I started playing the series in gr. 8, and have enjoyed every title with equal amazement at the depth of commentary, interactive nature, scale and sheer attention to detail. If you felt like asking, I tend to refrain from actually stealing cars & beating up hookers. If politicians and under worked soccer moms actually PLAYED these games as opposed to hearing soundbites they would immediately realize why they sell millions of copies.
  15. Crip Blood from Burlington, Canada writes: Violence happens everwhere and GTA has nothing wrong parents are paranoid , the only reason you guys aruge over this game is cause half f you dont even know it you just herd it on the news which is incredible biased if you wacth Fox but you made youre opinoin. Children dont buy this game to kill people alot of children buy this game cause of the sortyline it is a good story its fun and entertaining and you can make desciosion.
  16. Bernardus Z from Canada writes: You can also look at it from this angle: In videogames like the GTA series people can use their aggression in a virtual world, rather than in real life. Every male has aggression in him, this is just human nature. So better kill some virtual character than a real person, right? You can read your Bible, pray everyday and suppress your aggression. You can also let it out by playing GTA (btw. I'm not saying which alternative is better, but violence and aggression have existed since Cain slayed Abel).
    Ofcourse, the GTA series are a lot more than just hacking and slashing. You actually have to solve problems and think about how to get quests done.
  17. Charles the Great from Canada from Canada writes: I think they should really get a Xbox 360 or a PS3 and play the game and then make up their mind, I remember when the first GTA came out 11 years ago and they seem to say the same when every one of GTA's come out from one through to four.
  18. Jim Cohoon from Chilliwack, Canada writes: Excessive violence has been a 'normal' part of the human experience at least since the Bronze Age, when bronze weapons and warfare became increasingly common. That said, it does not follow rationally or ethically that excessive violence, whether real or imagined, should not be a very serious issue for any society. That is especially true now in the post-modern era where so many guideposts to a 'healthy' social environment have been swept away by the rise of a ubiquitous and pervasive video culture (of many forms) based in increasingly violent, sociopathic and apocalyptic imagery. Humans are primarily cultural animals driven by cultural symbols; we must therefore try to understand what our predominant cultural symbols are implicitly telling us about ourselves and our future, and where our most pervasive and powerful symbols are leading our society. Hans Toch (who studied violence before the current video age) wrote: "Violent men play violent games because their non-violent repertoire is restricted." If true, a great danger to our society is that a pervasive video culture based in violent imagery (and their violent meanings) will gradually drive out most competing non-violent imagery (and non-sociopathic meanings) and become the main source of meaning and symbols in society (for young and old). In other words, probably the only antidote to our 'free' society being swamped by the emerging video ethos of pervasive violence and aggession is for there to be a determined social effort to provide - especially for the young - respected cultural imagery based in a "non-violent repertoire" of normal social behaviour. This should now be a primary concern (and civic role) of all responsible adults, not simply parents. It is time to go to war against violence, not by outlawing its images (which is virtually impossible), but by forcefully demonstrating to the young that we adults are serious about creating a non-violent world they can respect and want to inherit.
  19. Jimmy K from Toronto, Canada writes: NO! They DON'T make violent kids, because only an idiotic, stupid, not fit to have children parent would buy their child a game called "GRAND THEFT AUTO" which is rated 18 plus, and says so right on the box!

    The problem people have is when they think Video Game, they associate that with children. They conjure up an image of a fat plumber in the mushroom kingdom bouncing around, and a crew of 7 year olds mashing on a nintendo controller. Wake up, things have changed. The average gamer is now 24, and just like movies, there are things suitable for children and things not. If you give a game like this to your child, maybe they'll become violent, but it's not the games fault, it's YOURS. I still remember when I was a kid the most popular game was MORTAL KOMBAT, I really really wanted it. My mom REFUSED to buy it for me, probably because it involved decapitating people, killing people, and splattering blood on the screen. No matter how much I complained, she wouldn't relent. That is called responsible parenting, people should try it once in a while instead of blaming everyone else for why Johnny can't read and why Johnny has ADD and is picking fights with everyone at school.
  20. Mierin Eronaile from Ajax, Canada writes: I fail to see the point of mentioning GTA. As someone already mentioned, GTA is rated M by the ESRB. This means that the player should be 17 or over. The problem is with parents who are too technologically illiterate to understand that not all games are good for their young children to play on the "magic electronic babysitter game box".

    As a player of Call of Duty 4, I can't tell you how many times I have been in multiplayer only to hear a child who is probably no more than 10 playing the game along with me. Where are their parents? Should an 8-year-old be throwing virtual grenades and shooting an M16? Probably not. Though that's bad, the parents' lack of attention will contribute more to a child becoming maladjusted and violent than any game, movie, music or television show will.

    I think the reason that people get bent out of shape about video games is because they do not understand technology and therefore are afraid. The people who complain the most were probably brought up on black and white television when rock and roll was considered uncouth.
  21. Julie Lalonde from Ottawa, Canada writes: I hate how discussions like these always end up polarized. You're either wanting to censor people or you think it has no effect.

    I obviously cannot dispute solid research, as is shown here, and as most people have said, GTA IV for example, is an adult rated game. So if you're 8 yr old is playing this, the fact that s/he has access to it is the problem, not the game.

    But I still think it's highly problematic that people look at GTA IV and see gang violence, car theft and drug use and fail to recognize the blatant misogyny. I don't think that games like GTA IV should be banned, as I obviously think that 20s-30s yr old ADULTS understand that you're not Nico from LibertyCity. But I also think that we can't deny the brutality of a game that allows you to run over sex workers to "get your money back". Violence against sex workers is rampant and I don't think GTA creates that problem, but I also don't think it helps.

    Discussions like these need shades of grey.

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