This article originally ran under a different banner/website in August of 2019 and is now being here re-uploaded for purposes of convenience and consolidation. Please enjoy.
Some days, I, the Video Game Doomsayer, feel like I am in a twisted Groundhog Day designed to torture my mind and soul. Within twenty-four hours, 34 people were killed between two mass shootings that took place in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio. Like clockwork, the talking heads came out of the woodwork to point the finger at vile video games like Call of Duty. As I wrestled with my feelings of anger and sorrow, a quote from the first Avenger, Captain America, began rattling in my head:
“Doesn’t matter what the press says. Doesn’t matter what the politicians or the mobs say. Doesn’t matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right. This nation was founded on one principle above all else: The requirement that we stand up for what we believe, no matter the odds or the consequences. When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth, and tell the whole world – ‘No, YOU move.’”
-J. Michael Straczynski, Civil War: The Amazing Spider-Man
About a year ago, I decided I couldn’t remain silent on many of the issues plaguing the video game industry. I donned the title, Video Game Doomsayer, mainly as self-mockery as many could see my shouting about the industry’s bad practices as the rambling of a mad man, but the idea was always concrete. The Video Game Doomsayer would be the stalwart defender for the art within video games. With the tired argument of video games cause violence being trotted out, I decided I couldn’t stand idle. I have decided to draw the line in the sand, plant my feet and present an argument of why video games do not cause violence.
Now many of you might be thinking I am about to wade into the murky waters of political discord, but let me assure you that I will excluding that from the discussion. My expertise is not on the political climate within American but on video games. You’re free to draw your own conclusion, but I would like to avoid the madness by sticking to a simple point. My message that I will focus on today is a simple one: video games do not cause violence.
My first point I would like to bring up is there are numerous scientific studies that prove there is no link between video games and violent behavior. The University of Oxford conducted a study and published its findings in the Royal Society Open Science on February 13, 2019. The study consisted of 1000 14 and 15 years old and asked them to complete the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire designed to measure aggressive behavior. Then participants were surveyed on if they played games, what games they play the most, what platform they played these games on, and whether they played single-player or multiplayer-focused games. They were to conclude that video games, in a healthy dose, had no correlation with aggressive behavior. The University of Oxford isn’t the only one performing studies. The University of York performed a study and was unable to link video games to aggressive behavior. Studies have been done at Virginia Tech that conclude video games can be an outlet for aggression rather than a precursor. Patrick Markey, a professor at Villanova University, even published a book, Moral Combat: Why the War on Violent Video Games is Wrong, where he argues only 13-20% of mass shooters have an interest in video games.
Along with the overwhelming amount of scientific studies done, we have the fact that video games are not exclusive to the United States. Video games have become a worldwide phenomenon, while the issue of mass shootings has been mainly a problem within the United States. I often point out that in 2017, China, the USA, and Japan each spent over $10,000 in video game revenue, but both China and Japan have significantly fewer gun-related deaths as compared to the United States. Even countries that have less video game revenue spending have significantly fewer gun-related deaths as compared to the United States. A popular chart, created by Vox, has been making its rounds throughout the internet. It showcases video game revenue per person estimated for 2019 vs gun deaths per 100,000 people in 2017.
While a lot of countries are spending money on video games, only the United States has a significantly large number of gun-related deaths. On top of that, Twitter user @keithedwards’ viral tweet outlined that in 2019, 18 countries have experienced zero mass shootings, New Zealand, Brazil, Netherlands, and Canada each had one mass shooting, Mexico had 3, and the United States has had 249 mass shootings alone. The fact all these countries have access to video games and low mass shootings should highlight the disconnect between mass shootings and video games.
Another thing I don’t believe gets talked about enough with the talking heads try to scapegoat video games is how much sense of community there is within video games. With video games becoming more popular and worldwide, more people are connecting over their passion. People are getting together at video game competitions similar to how sports fans get together to cheer on their favorite team. The act of trying to complete a game as fast as possible, often referred to as Speed Running, has fostered a community of people working together to develop tricks and strategies. Even I, the self-proclaimed introverted nerd that I am, was able to bond with a random GameStop employee over my purchase of The Last of Us. Many within the gaming community have taken the opportunity to mobilize to help numerous charities. That same speed-running community holds charity events for Doctors Without Borders know as Games Done Quick. Each year, this community continuously smashes the previous record in terms of money raised, with the Summer Games Done Quick 2019 raising $3 million dollars. This year alone the community came together for the St. Jude PLAY LIVE Summit to raise over $12 million for St. Jude patients and projects. It just becomes near impossible to imagine these are the same people walking into Walmart and shooting up the place. Video games bring people together, not tear them apart.
Does this all make the game industry perfect? Of course not. I wouldn’t be referring myself to a Doomsayer if it was. I often have to spend most of my time on my soapbox discussing the industry’s slow march to its own death due to its own greed. The same weekend that all these tragic shootings took place, the Entertainment Software Association leaked the personal information of two thousand journalists and influencers. While the media did try to cover this story, it was overshadowed by everyone rushing to defend the fact that video games don’t make you violent. So not only does this tired scapegoating prevent a real conversation on how to prevent mass shootings from taking place, it pulls time and resources from real issue plaguing the media.
We all must be tired of this endless loop by now. I know I am sick of the cycles of the media being blamed for something it is innocent of. Only for nothing to happen until the robotic thoughts and prayers get trotted out along with talking heads blaming video games when another mass shooting occurs. I don’t claim to have the solutions, but I do know nothing will happen if we continue to blame this interactive medium. The facts and the communities built around video games are proof that they don’t cause violence. I don’t claim to know the path to solve this problem, but I do know banning video games will not change anything. Removing video game displays in Walmart won’t change anything. Delaying an Apex Legends tournament won’t change anything. Let’s awaken from this nightmare, stop the bickering and work together to make the world better than a Bill Murray movie.
Sources:
Chang, Alvin. “The next Time Someone Says Video Games Are Causing America’s Gun Problem, Show Them This Chart.” Vox, Vox, 7 Aug. 2019, www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/8/5/20755092/gun-shooting-video-game-chart.
Edwards, Keith. “2019 Mass Shootings: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 3 249.” Twitter, Twitter, 3 Aug. 2019, twitter.com/keithedwards/status/1157740352838742016?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1157740352838742016&ref_url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12255818.
Markey, Patrick M., and Christopher J. Ferguson. Moral Combat: Why the War on Violent Video Games Is Wrong. BenBella Books, 2017.
“No Evidence to Support Link between Violent Video Games and Behaviour.” University of York, www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/2018/research/no-evidence-to-link-violence-and-video-games/.
“Violent Video Game Engagement Is Not Associated with Adolescents’ Aggressive Behaviour: Evidence from a Registered Report.” Royal Society Open Science, royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.171474.
“Violent Video Games Found Not to Be Associated with Adolescent Aggression.” University of Oxford, www.ox.ac.uk/news/2019-02-13-violent-video-games-found-not-be-associated-adolescent-aggression.