Violence is Everywhere but People Are Quick to Blame Video Games

You know I don't ask much. After a long week spent cleaning my house, feeding my cats, cooking dinner, going to work and dealing with the every day stress of life. I just want to spend one day out of my weekend to play my videogames. It's what I enjoy, to play them and write about them.

Alot of times when people find out that I play videogames they are quick to tell me I'm immature and should grow up or they would tell me they don't like them because they are too violent and centers itself around the onslaught of killing every living thing in their path ... especially the ones their kids like to play.

First, I'm glad to say I'm not the only 37-year-old female that plays videogames. I have numerous friends my age or older still playing their videogames. It's our break away from the world we live in, even if it's for one day.
Second, too much violence in videogames? Especially the ones your kids play? Hello! Wake up!
It's called "Parental Control" and last time I checked there are ratings on the packages that alert "parents" just as their are rating alert on the movies that play at the local theaters.

I think the problem is parents are buying the games to silence the whinning instead of researching the games online or read game magazines that talk about the game before purchasing it for their children. Nine times out of ten, when I ask my non-gaming married friends about why they didn't just take the game away from their kids if they thought it was too violent. Their answer is they didn't know it was going to be above their tolerance level of violence in the media their children watch and play.

It's my own opinion that violence is everywhere, videogames are easier to attack because its what kids are attracted to the most these days the second being movies. And lately, children are not the only ones boosting the videogame industry as I said earlier, I'm not the only adult buying for themselves in the videogame store.

So instead of standing on my soapbox and screaming at the top of my lungs to stop attacking my form of entertainment, I'm going to try and help parents take control of the media their kids play by helping them understand how to read the ESRB ratings found on the package.

Entertainment Software Rating Board and You

When a movie is produced and is prepared for public viewing, it receives a rating has to be displayed on the screen or published on the back of its package to inform the public of which age group the movie is appropriate for, whether it contains extreme violence, language or adult situations. Believe it or not, so do videogames.

*EC (Early Childhood) rating - games appropriate for children ages three and older. Based on the ESRB review games in this category contains nothing that parents may find inappropriate.

*E (Everyone) rating - have content that may be suitable for ages 6 and older, but may also contain minimal cartoon, fantasy or mild violence and/or infrequent use of mild language.

* E10+ (Everyone ages 10 and older) - have content that may be suitable for ages 10 and older. Games with this rating may contain more cartoon, fantasy or mild violence, mild language and/or minimal suggestive themes.

* T (Teens) - have content that may be suitable for ages 13 and older. The games in this category may contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, simulated gambling, and/or infrequent use of strong language.

* M (Mature) - have content that may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older and may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language.

* AO (Adults Only) - have content that should only be played by persons 18 years and older. Games in this category may include prolonged scenes of intense violence and/or graphic sexual content and nudity.

Now that you know what the ratings stand for, lets look at the terms they use for describing the contents and what they mean.

ESRB Content Descriptors
* Alcohol References - means there are references to alcoholic beverages and or images of the alcohol in the game.
* Animated Blood - Discolored and or unrealistic depictions of blood is used to show injury or death in the game.
* Blood - Depictions of blood.
* Blood and Gore- Depictions of blood or the mutilation of body parts.
* Cartoon Violence - Violent actions involving cartoon-like situations and characters. May include violence where a character is unharmed after the action has been inflicted.
* Comic Mischief - Depictions or dialogue involving slapstick or suggestive humor.
* Crude Humor - Depictions or dialogue involving vulgar antics, including "bathroom" humor.
* Drug Reference - Reference to and/or images of illegal drugs.
* Edutainment - Content of product provides user with specific skills development or reinforcement learning within an entertainment setting. Skill development is an integral part of product.
* Fantasy Violence - Violent actions of a fantasy nature, involving human or non-human characters in situations easily distinguishable from real life.
* Informational - Overall content of product contains data, facts, resource information, reference materials or instructional text.
* Intense Violence - Graphic and realistic-looking depictions of physical conflict. May involve extreme and/or realistic blood, gore, weapons and depictions of human injury and death.
* Language - Mild to moderate use of profanity.
* Lyrics- Mild references to profanity, sexuality, violence, alcohol or drug use in the music used.
* Mature Humor - Depictions or dialogue involving "adult" humor, including sexual references.
*Mild Violence- Mild scenes depicting characters in unsafe and/or violent situations.
* Nudity - Graphic or prolonged depictions of nudity.
* Partial Nudity - Brief and/or mild depictions of nudity.
* Real Gambling - Player can gamble, including betting or wagering real cash or currency.
* Sexual Themes- Mild to moderate sexual references and/or depictions. May include partial nudity.
* Sexual Violence - Depictions of rape or other violent sexual acts.
* Simulated Gambling - Player can gamble without betting or wagering real cash or currency.
* Some Adult Assistance May Be Needed - Intended for very young ages.
* Strong Language- Explicit and/or frequent use of profanity.
* Strong Lyrics - Explicit and/or frequent references to profanity, sex, violence, alcohol or drug use in music.
* Strong Sexual Content- Graphic references to and/or depictions of sexual behavior, possibly including nudity.
* Suggestive Themes - Mild provocative references or materials.
* Tobacco Reference- Reference to and/or images of tobacco products.
* Use of Drugs - The consumption or use of illegal drugs.
* Use of Alcohol- The consumption of alcoholic beverages.
* Use of Tobacco - The consumption of tobacco products.
* Violence - Scenes involving aggressive conflict.

Now that you know what they mean, you will have a better understanding on how to read the warnings on the packages before buying the videogame for your child. But wait ... we're not done yet.

Researching Videogames
There are monthly game magazines published that review and explore games before they even hit the shelves that parents should read before they buy a game for their children. Other sources you can check include talking to other parents who have allowed their children to play the game your child is interested in and many of the game store clerks are more than glad to tell you about the games as many of them are also avid gamers.

Go online to videogame websites and look for game reviews by people who have actually played the game before making your decision. Talk to your children and find out why they want the game and then if you decide it isn't appropriate for them or they are not mature enough to understand what they are playing then tell them why you don't want them to play it.

If you need more information, visit the ESRB website at www.esrb.org.

My opinion on violence in games

I'm proud to be a gamer, I don't hide the fact that I still play videogames from anyone. But I also don't like listening to people bash videogames and blame the acts of violence in the world on the games. Especially by non-gamers who never even turned on or played a console game. Just like movies and television shows, even the news play violence, misery and horror on a daily basis. In fact, not long ago a little boy hung himself after watching the hanging of Saddam Hussein on the news.

Why was he allowed to watch something he didn't understand. I don't remember reading or listening to news about a kid driving a car on the sidewalk because he thought if he hit someone he'd get gold coins after playing Mario Carts or attack random people in a park with a wooden sword after playing World of Warcraft.

If they did, where are their parents? Why didn't they take time to read the package and research before allowing their kids to spend their allowance on a game? The problems people have with their children and have blamed videogames for, part of the blame goes to the parents. And yes, I don't want to hear a kid whinning and throwing a tantrum in the store because he didn't get the game he wanted. But at the same time, you would be nipping the problem in the bud.

Bottom line
Parents should think and do some research on the games your children want, ask other parents and game store clersk who have played the game and ask for a demo you could play yourself before blaming the gaming industry after you hand the game to your children only to find out later that its not something you want your children to see or learn.