Individual+Research+Assign

Angelo Macatangay- 996108411 - CCT 205
 * Angelo Macatangay**
 * CCT 205**
 * Prof Gail Benick & Prof Michael Jones**
 * Feb 5, 2009**
 * TUT 6PM-7PM**


 * Video Game’s Double Edged Sword**

Video games has seen developmental changes in its content and technology. Advancement in technology allowed video games to tighten the gap between imagination and reality. Improved graphics, increased interactivity and high definition quality sounds allowed video game developers to allow its players experience fantasy or reality with the help of a video game controller. These advancements allowed its game developers freedom on creating art. Craig Anderson explains that the active role required by video games is a double-edged sword,” (Craig Anderson, October 2003). He explains that video games has its positive and negative aspects in society. Video games exposed different positive themes and opportunities in video games such as teamwork, opportunities to think, and network with many people from around the world. These positive aspects created realism to make video games believable. Themes of negativity also has been used such as violence, profanity, sexual themes, and nudity to enhance realism within the video game. In particular, violence in video games has currently been a well discussed issue with its game developers, its players and society.

Video games has experienced different changes in the use of technology within the game and the actual content. One of the earliest violent video games ever developed is titled Death Race. Death Race is an arcade game released on 1976 by the game publisher and developer, Exidy. Lauren Gonzales explains that it is “slightly more advanced version of Pong was to earn points by running over as many "gremlins" as possible within a given time frame,” (Lauren Gonzales, 2008). This particular game exposed violence at an early age of the video games. Exidy managed to display the theme of violence with the use of black and white, Tetris block style graphics with mono sound. Death Race is driving game which allows players to run over other characters in the game. It’s main objective is to kill the other players within the game to win the game. Lauren Gonzales adds that “Death Race was so aggressively rejected by the public that shortly after its release, Exidy pulled the game off store shelves,” (Lauren Gonzales, 2008). Even with its minor detail in graphics, the public expressed their problem with the violent content within the game. Death Race has become one of the early pioneers of violence within video games on which a lot of current generation violent games such as the Grand Theft Auto series re-enacts a few years later.

During the early years of video game when games like Death Race released, there is no forms of control or authority to limit or censor violence or other content such as profanity, drug use or sexual content in video games. Andy Chalk explains that “[i]n July 1994, the IDSA (Interactive Digital Software Association) presented to Congress its proposal for an industry-controlled rating system; in September, the Entertainment Software Rating Board was unveiled,” (Andy Chalk, July 2007). During that year, ESRB established five ratings to control the content exposed to the consumers of video games. These ratings ranged from kid-friendly game to mature rated games for players 17 years or older. These ratings are accompanied by descriptions on why these games are rated as such. Descriptions such as Aggressive Themes, Mild Violence to Blood and Gore accompanies each game cover to communicate to its buyers on the video game’s content. IDSA had to react quickly to censor the increasing violence in video games found in video games in the early 1990’s. Mortal Kombat, a fighting arcade game changed video games when its developers added blood and gore to add realism on the game. The development of the ESRB rating is caused by the increasing violence content in video games such as Mortal Kombat where the players are allowed to fight with one another with blood and gore. This advancement continues through with Mortal Kombat on the third generation video game consoles such as the XBOX 360. Although games contain ESRB ratings, violent content in video games continue to have presence in the game itself. Violence in video games has become a popular issue due to many incidents that has happened throughout the years. One of the major issues in video games is the people’s reception of the content. James Potter analyzes in his book that “[t]here are five notable contextual variables of characteristics in the portrayals of violence,” (James Potter, pg 31). He explains that exposure of realistic violence to media illiterates such as children can have negative effects on their actions outside the video game world. Becoming media literate will allow the people to gain a better understanding on violence in video games. A person who is not media illiterate may confuse reality from fantasy. It is evident that video game is not the only reason to exposure of violence. As mentioned, there are other variables such as production techniques through advanced graphics and realism can attract and hold people’s attention to the video game that can affect aggressiveness. A radical emotional reaction may trigger aggression when playing video games. Also, the person’s identity can affect the person’s exposure of violence in video games. Prof. Johnathan Freedman also explains that “parents assume that the violence caused the aggressiveness but it is generally due to the fact that violence gets them excited,” (Prof. Johnathan Freedmon, Jan 2009). Video games will certainly influence people with aggressive identity to become more aggressive and violent while or after playing video games. These variables need to be analyzed more since there are other reasons besides the content in the video game that influence violence.  The main stakeholder on this particular issue are particularly the parents. The demographic who play video games are children age 7 to adults. The part of society that has the most concern on the violence content in video games are the parents of the children and the teenagers. Anderson explains that “[p]arents have an important role to play. Psychologists have found that when parents limit the amount of time as well as the types of games their children play, children are less likely to show aggressive behaviors,” (Anderson, 2003). Parents are concerned and should be concerned on this issue since it involves the levels of aggression of their kids. It is the parent’s responsibility to be aware on the ratings when purchasing video games. There are already many actions parents expressing their opinions on the violence found in many video games. In a news article, Marc Ward discussed the Columbine incident, it mentions that the “Relatives of people killed in the Columbine massacre are seeking damages from computer game makers, claiming their products helped bring about the killings,” (Mark Ward, May 2001). These relatives are mostly parents of the students who were affected on the Columbine incident. Legal action from the parents has been more evident as violence in video games continue to be playable. Although, in the Columbine case, the judge overruled the case explaining that there were other factors besides violence in video games that caused many tragic deaths in the Columbine tragic incident.

Violent content in video game increased due to the advancements in technology and creativity. One dimensional block graphics from Death Race to three dimensional graphics from Mortal Kombat added realism to the video game showing blood and gore to the public without any age ratings. Both these games portray and exposed violence to the public. It allowed the public to access violence through a video game controller. Although there are other variables causing aggressive behaviour, video games continue to be a problem with parents. Many parents have taken action to prevent violence in video games through support of ESRB ratings and lawsuits against video game developers creating violent video games. There are cases of violent games cause violence since there are other factors as mentioned by the judge from the Columbine legal case. Continuous advancements in technology and creativity in the future will no doubt increase violent content but becoming more media literate will help resolve this social issue.
 * References**

Anderson, Craig, Psychological Science Agenda, Violent Video Games: Myths, Facts and Unanswered Questions, October 2003  anderson.html> Referenced on Jan 30, 2009

Chalk, Andy, The Escapist Magazine, Inappropriate Content: A Brief Histoy of Videogame Ratings and the ESRB, July 20, 2007  articles/view/editorials/op-ed/1300-Inappropriate-Content-A-Brief-History-of-Videogame- Ratings-and-the-ESRB.2> Referenced on Jan 30, 2009.

Freedman, Johnathan, The Bulletin, Ten Questions: Johnathan Freedman, Deputy Provost, University of Toronto, News Article, Jan 27, 2009.<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">

Gentile, D. A. & Anderson, C. A. (2003). Violent video games: The newest media violence hazard. In D. A. Gentile (Ed.), //Media violence and children.// Westport, CT: Praeger Publish.

Gonzales, Lauren, Gamespot: A History of Video Game Controversy: The Major Offenders, 2008 <http://www.gamespot.com/features/6090892/p-2.html> Referenced on Jan 30, 2009.<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">

Potter, W. James, On Media Violence, Effects of Exposure to Media Violence, Sage Publications, 1999. Page 31.

Ward, Mark, BBC News: Columbine families sue computer game makers, News Article, May 1, 2001 <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/1295920.stm> Referenced on

Feb 1, 2009<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> Angelo Macatangay- 996108411 - CCT 205 7