Video games have been evolving over time. They went from nice, calm games of a little man running away from mushrooms to people shooting one another. In 1983 the Super Mario Brothers game was introduced. 354.04 Million people first bought this game, and in 2020, about five shooting games came out. One of them was COD (Call Of Duty). In the first 24 hours of release, 25.5 Million people bought it, most being children. In my opinion, these brands do not do a good job at marketing as they show these games are recommended for adults but show kids playing them in their advertisements. These games are available for kids to get their hands on. The graphics in these games can scare and scar children and take away their childhood as they continue to play.
Throughout the years there have been many articles written on this topic. But an article I scrolled on stood out the most. This was an article linking mass shootings to some kids who were said to be very attracted to graphic games. In addition, many underage people who have caused much chaos and worry have played video games, actually more than 50% of them. Video games are a danger to kids and society.
One reason that video games are perilous for kids is that when kids play these games, it is now in their heads that the motive of the game is to commit a series of crimes. Once they get these thoughts in their head, it is hard to get them out since they most likely enjoy the game. Did you know that 214.4 million people in the US play video games? This means 214.4 million opportunities for your child to be subjected to dangerous situations. They can also be subjected to dangerous people who can speak about things children are not old enough for. Something else to think about is that 38% of people who play video games are adults. Adults should be playing these shooting games, not children. So when children play these games with adults who can handle them, they are exposed to the thoughts and words that they are not yet ready for.
Another reason that video games are perilous for kids is that when the kids play these games every day, it becomes normal in their minds. We make murder a normal thing for kids to think about. For example, 92% of parents say they always watch what games their kids play. What about the other 8%? It doesn’t seem like a lot but it is. Without parents watching, these kids can be subjected to games involving crime, murder, and worse. Then, they get dangerous images in their mind, and soon start building scenarios. In addition, 86% of children buy games WITH parent consent. This may seem like a good thing. But when parents ALLOW them to buy these crime games, they think it’s okay. The kids think “Oh it’s okay because my mom let me play that one bad game” or “Yea if they let me do this I’m sure they would let me do this”. They start to think it’s okay to watch bad movies and play bad games.
In conclusion, kids should not be subjected to these games. They make them grow up faster than they should. The graphics make them worry about things they should not have to worry about. And not only is it violent, but it’s also opening a door for adults and others to put other things in their minds. Be safe when playing these games.