The Influence of Violent Video-Games on Children

What kind of effects do violent video—games have on our minds? Violent Video games change the thinking of children. New technologies have advanced the graphic content in video games. Video games were not violent in the beginning years. They had to advance to what they are now. In 1958 William Higinbotham created the first video game. This video game was named “Tennis for two” because it was a tennis simulation game for two players. This game was only able to be played on an oscilloscope. The development of the console took about two hours to design, and was assembled in under three weeks. In 1962, a man by the name of Steve Russell invents a game called SpaceWar. SpaceWar was the first game created for computer use in this game there would be two players that would play as starships and attempt to destroy each other. In 1967, the first video game that could be played on a television set was written by Ralph Baer.

Chase was a game that consisted of a “Light-gun” that was used to shoot at an array of objects on your TV screen. This plus all of Baer‘s other game ideas, began to get people excited about the possibilities. Video games have been around since the 1950‘s, but in 1976 a new kind of game was released. The game Death Race became a controversial arcade game in 1976, when it was released by Exidy in the United States. The objective of this two player game was to run down “gremlins" that are fleeing their vehicles. When a player would hit them, the “gremlins“ would scream or squeal and be replaced on the screen as a tombstone. Mortal Kombat is another game that is on the long list of violent video games. Mortal Kombat is a series of games that were launched in 1992 these games were known for taking graphic violence to new levels by animating actual photographs rather than cartoon images.

These images included sprays of gore, the removing of an opponent’s beating heart, and ripping spines out. Recently a horrific game called “Grand Theft Auto V" has been released. This game promotes alcohol abuse, drug abuse, Theft, and also murder. Teens around the world play this game and it is causing violent acts. All the violence that these games portray to children has influenced their thinking process. On April 20, 1999 the Columbine High School massacre occurred. The two people that committed the act of killing twelve students and one teacher are Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. These two young men were known to play violent video games such as modern warfare. Another horrific school shooting was at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012. Adam Lanza was the madman behind the killing of innocent elementary school students, school staff and his own mother. His past teachers described him as an intelligent young man that was also nervous and fidgety.

Order custom essay The Influence of Violent Video-Games on Children with free plagiarism report

450+ experts on 30 subjects Starting from 3 hours delivery

Get Essay Help

There has been 387 school shootings since 1992 and about half of them where caused by the influential video games of the past decades till now. These games consist of 1‘[ person shooters, role playing games, and strategy expertise needed to defeat you enemies. All this games consist of killing and strategizing to defeat your enemies. The sale of violent video games to minors or for minors should be unconstitutional and not allowed in this day and age. The fact is that we learn by repetition and by allowing children to play violent video games 3 hours a day it is reforming them into hate. The hatred that is put into children in the young stages of life soon comes back as a hatred for others. Therefore parents should advise the game before letting their children play it in this day and age there is violence everywhere therefore no one can shield their children from it all.

But in my eyes there is good violence as in smashing gumpas in Mario to save the princess and there is bad violence as in killing people to become the top dog in Grand Theft Auto. In both games you are killing something, but in Mario you are conquering the bad and saving the good and in GTA you are the bad conquering the good. All games have some sort of violence it just the level of violence that corrupts young minds. Some people will say that it’s not the games fault for causing violence but it’s the parents fault for allowing their kids to play violent games. In most cases children lie to their parents about the violent conduct of a game and the parents believe it without researching the game’s history.

But in other cases parents do not allow their kids to play violent games so the child goes behind their back and plays them at a friend’s house. This is an issue in parent to child trust and must be solved immediately. But in all seriousness it is not 100% the games fault it is a combination of violent games a person life style and the world around that single human being. Games may be for fun or to get anger out but it is not just the games. It’s the kind of life style the child lives and the connection with family at home. Video games have advanced and now we must protect kids from the violence. The violence that games portray causes some violence in children. Therefore certain games must be unreachable by children.

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Run a free check or have your essay done for you

Check my essay Hire Writer