Mark has taken all the words out of my mouth, lol. I personally think that it’s a combination of factors that has contributed to a higher rate of crime, drug abuses and etc in the world, not only limited to the United States. Perhaps in the US where the average wage of a working adult is higher than many countries around the world, allowing people to spend more on leisure (such as video games and etc), the depiction of violence in video games does play a larger role than in many other countries. I think improper, or the lack of it, parenting is the main factor behind this social malaise. Parents can use violence in video games as the basis for education against violence and abuse – the same way how parents educate their children on safe sex and STD prevention. This is the more effective method, rather than simply banning such games outright – as a popular saying goes, the more you ban someone from attaining something, the more he wants to have it. That also applies for teenagers whose choice of games have been hugely affected by government-imposed age ratings. Yes, I don’t deny that a top-down, regulatory approach is needed, but there is also a bottom-up approach that is sorely in need – education and guidance from parents and teachers, as well as the elimination of negative influences imposed upon by their peers.

GTA finds itself in the media spotlight because, like what Mark has said, depicts scenarios in a very realistic manner, such as hiring prostitutes and going on a chainsaw rampage. Oblivion escaped the onslaught, although it has an almost equal amount of bloodshed, gore and violence, is because it bases the storyline in a fantasy, not in a pseudo-world.

@Mark – No problem about the rant buddy and I’m glad you took the time to add some really good thoughts. And I think there’s something, no – Probably a lot to be said about the desensitization of all of us due to media and specifically in video games.

I think one of the issues there is you have this game industry (which is still relatively young) whose average consumer is like 25-34. So naturally products are going to come out that have mature themes and gameplay. Moreover, this consumer base wants the latest and greatest graphics and such so everything you see is going to look much more realistic.

And another problem about the realism angle is that as possibilities increase, gamers want their games to be more interactive and free roaming. … That’s to say, games nowadays aren’t considered fun if the player is forced to do things in the order A, B and C and forced to stay on the same road to do that. … You know, the rest of my comment is turning into a post so why don’t I just do that instead? (#):)

But then, another part has to do with the video game industry itself. Not the entire industry because there are some really good games out there. No, I’m talking about the ones that produce games like GTA. Honestly, what’s the entertainment value in mowing down innocent bystanders or killing law officials? The answer: the value is zero. It only serves to “train” or desensitize our kids to morals, to decency, to the difference between right and wrong.

Someone might say, “But it’s all fantasy. It’s only existing inside that little cartridge.” Nope, not buying that. It’s also running through a person’s mind after they put down the game controller. It’s called “training”, but under the guise of “video entertainment”.

What’s the difference between wielding a sword at Mario in Smash Bros and shooting a gun pointed toward a policeman in GTA? Easy: one is fantasy and the other is more closely related to reality.

Think of it this way, would the military or law enforcement agencies be spending millions of dollars to train their personnel if video games weren’t effective? Sure the content may be slightly changed, but the result? No difference. It’s all meant to make you better at what you’re doing in the game, which, in turn, can make you do that same thing better in the real world.

Should video games be banned? No way. Should video game manufacturers be more responsible in the content they peddle? Absolutely! Nothing wrong with raising the bar of standards.

Whew! That took a lot out of me. Sorry for the rant, buddy. This just touched a nerve with me.