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Computer and video games have been the subject of frequent controversy and censorship, due to the depiction of graphic violence, sexual themes, racism, advertising, eavesdropping, consumption of illegal drugs, consumption of alcohol or tobacco, propaganda or profanity in some games. Among others, critics of video games sometimes include parents' groups, politicians, organized religion groups, and other special interest groups.

Video game censorship is defined as the use of state or group power to control the playing, distribution, purchase, or sale of video games or computer games. Video game controversy comes in many forms, and censorship is a controversial subject, as well as a popular topic of debate. Proponents and opponents of censorship are often very passionate about their individual views.

Historically, this type of controversy and criticism is not unique to video games. The same situation has been applied to Comic books, music (most similarly rock and roll), and motion pictures. Moreover, it appears to be a question of age. Since these art forms have been around longer, the backlash against them occurred farther in the past, beyond the remembrance of today's youth. In previous cases, the attempts at censorship in the United States were struck down as a violation of First Amendment rights, and they have gone on to become fully integrated facets of society.

A brief history of notable criticism

In 1976, Death Race became one of the first controversial video games; based on the film Death Race 2000, it allowed players to drive around in a car, in order to run down "gremlins." However, many players and critics inferred that the game actually simulated vehicular homicide—particularly considering that the game's original title was Pedestrian. Its implied violence was immediately decried.

Criticism waned in the early 1980s when less representational, more kid-friendly games, such as Pac-Man and Donkey Kong, became popular in arcades. However, with the advent of the Atari 2600, more production companies resulted in more controversial material. In particular, a video game company known as "Mystique" began producing sexually explicit games which contained images of exposed genitalia and sexual acts. From a modern point of view, it may seem laughable that the blocky graphics could be construed as being obscene; however, at the time, these games did receive some media attention for their ribaldry (see "Criticism of sex in video games" below).

As more sophisticated video game consoles were released, some measures were taken to ensure the moral quality of games. Nintendo had a licensing system that required games to pass their various tests of blood, nudity, and religious themes to be licensed. All licensed titles for the Nintendo Entertainment System featured Nintendo's "Seal of Quality" and were produced on cartridges compatible with the 10NES lock-out system, nearly disabling the production of unlicensed titles, though some companies managed to break the code and produce their own unlicensed games. Some of these unlicensed titles were adult or violent titles, including various strip poker or extremely violent titles. This practice was dropped when the rating system was later implemented.

As the video gaming industry grew even further with even more advanced graphics, it faced increasing pressure from concerned special interest groups. In 1992 Mortal Kombat, an arcade and console fighting game, was controversial for its copious amount of simulated violence and blood; US Senator Joe Lieberman spoke out against the game during a Senate investigation into video game violence. Another game under public scrutiny was Night Trap, a game using filmed footage of actors such as Dana Plato, criticized for its sexual themes and often implied violence. Night Trap is often considered the catalyst for the establishment of the Entertainment Software Rating Board, which employs an age-based ratings system, not unlike the MPAA system for movies.

The ESRB silenced many critics, or at least reduced the exposure of the controversy in the media for about four years, until games such as Postal, Carmageddon and the afore-mentioned Grand Theft Auto were suddenly released in 1997, attracting the attention of the general media to the issue again. The commercial success of these titles (especially of Carmageddon and GTA), combined with the "free advertisement" provided by tabloids and detractors opened the market to violent games in the following years.

Video games received scrutiny in 1999, following the Columbine massacre, as some commentators accused violent first-person shooter games such as Doom and Quake as playing a causative role in that massacre and others, sparking heated debate between proponents and opponents.

In October 2001, Grand Theft Auto III, a console and PC game, was released, allowing the player to control a criminal whose Mafia-related jobs often required him to steal cars and murder rivals. The game revived ongoing video game controversy in the public eye for its violent and anarchic nature. Furthermore, in August 2003 the Entertainment Software Association reacted against these accusations and began to battle against governmental regulation of video games.

In early 2006, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund petioned to ban the Eidos game "25 to Life" for glorifying the murder of police officers. Although the NLEOMF's exact demands are vague, and the game has not been a commercial success, this may represent the first attempt by a police organization to legislate video games.

While the criticisms of video games resembles, in particular, criticisms of television programming or movies, it also differs in important respects. Video games present the player with an increasingly wide range of possible activities. Unlike a scene in a movie, a scene in a video game may not neccesarily be experienced by every player. This element of choice is itself controversial. Proponents see it as making the game experience more real and engaging, while critics see it as allowing players to 'act out' antisocial fantasies.

Criticism of violence and crime in video games

File:Quake3 Blood.jpg
First person shooters such as Quake III Arena portray seriously violent and brutal behavior.
Critics say that games such as Grand Theft Auto III advocate real-life crimes, like carjacking.

Video and computer games are periodically criticized in the media by some parents' groups, psychologists, religious organizations, and politicians for the level of violence, cruelty, and crime that some games allow players to act out, and often glorify. Examples are common, including Mortal Kombat and its sequels, a series of fighting games by Midway. Since 1992 the series has rewarded players for beating up an opponent with martial arts moves, and then for executing a graphic "Fatality" move.

A common focus of criticism is that some video games allow children to act out crimes, and reward them for doing so. A frequently-cited example is the extremely popular Grand Theft Auto III by Rockstar Games, in which a principal game activity is carjacking. The player may also run over pedestrians, or shoot at and kill rival gang members (or pedestrians) as he completes missions for crime bosses. Grand Theft Auto III also became a center of controversy concerning attitudes toward women, because the player is able to pick up a prostitute, have sex with her, then kill her to take back the money spent. These activities are not primary objectives of the game, but they are certainly part of the game's appeal.

The game's immediate sequel, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City came under similar criticism, also for implying allegedly racist hate crimes: The game, taking place in Florida in 1986, involves a gang war between Haitians and Cuban refugees; the names of the gangs, eponymously, are "the Haitians" and "the Cubans". The game contains phrases such as "kill the Haitian dickheads," and drew critcism from Haitian and Cuban anti-defamation groups. After the threat of being sued by the Haitian-American Coalition, Rockstar removed the word "Haitians" from this phrase in the game's subtitles.

A later game in the same series, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas goes a step further, with levels that require the gamer to murder police characters before the game will advance. An example is the Reuniting the Families [1] mission, in which the gamer kills several regular members of the SWAT team when they respond to the scene of a gang meeting.)

These concerns have led to voluntary rating systems adopted by the industry, such as the ESRB rating system in the United States and the PEGI rating system in Europe, that are aimed at educating parents about the types of games their children are playing, or wish to play. Games such as the Grand Theft Auto series are rated rated as "Mature" or "Adults Only" in the US, or given a "Certificate 18" rating in the UK. The packaging notes that these games should not be sold to children. If a parent or legal guardian buys a mature game for a child and the parent/legal guardian gives permission to a child to play said mature game, it is by the parents' choice and is not considered an offence. Critics contend that this system is an insincere effort to reduce liability, while mature games are still marketed to a younger audience.

Lt. Col. David Grossman, a former West Point psychology professor, has written several books that pertain to the subject of violence in the media, including On Killing and Stop Teaching Our Kids to Kill. During heights of video game controversy he has been interviewed on the content of his books, and has repeatedly used the term "murder simulator" to describe first-person shooter games. He argues that video game publishers unethically train children in the use of weapons and, more importantly, harden them emotionally to the act of murder by simulating the killing of hundreds or thousands of opponents in a single typical video game.

Video game violence critics generally agree that violent video games are at least as bad an influence on children as are television shows with the same level of violence and cruelty, and most seem to believe that video games are more threatening to a child's well-being, because the video game player uses the controller to make an on screen character act out the violence personally. It was widely reported that the killers in the Columbine High School massacre were, like many teenagers, fans of first-person shooter games. They had recorded a videotape before the massacre in which they said they looked forward to using their shotguns just as in the game Doom.

Some studies have shown that children who watch violent television shows and play violent video games have a tendency to act more aggressively on the playground, and some people are concerned that this aggression may presage violent behavior when children grow to adulthood.

Controversy of speeding and evading the authority in racing games has surfaced when a copy of Need for Speed (game version unknown) is found on one of the street racer's car in Toronto in January 26, 2006, when two street racers were involved in an accident resulting a taxi-driver's death. However, the police denied any connection between the game and the incident. [2]

Criticism of sexuality and nudity in video games

Western video game publishers have not explored sexuality in video games to nearly the degree seen in movies, books, or even TV shows. Almost no American video games display nudity. However, sexual themes are somewhat common in Japanese video games although companies such as Nintendo and Sony do not publish these games. The following is a list of the few American games containing sexual elements.

  • Custer's Revenge was a game for the Atari 2600, released by Mystique under the brand "Swedish Erotica" that featured a naked General Custer advancing across the screen, dodging arrows, until he could mount a naked Native American woman who was apparently tied to a pole or cactus. The game was controversial for its racism as well as its sexuality, and, while television news coverage on the subject featured game animation, parts of the screen were concealed with black rectangles in order to avoid showing nudity.
  • Sierra's Leisure Suit Larry computer games were popular tongue-in-cheek adventure games for adults in which the protagonist constantly attempted, usually without success, to convince women to have sex with him. The games did not excite much controversy despite showing partial nudity with increasing graphical quality over the years.
  • Eidos's Tomb Raider series were action-adventure games which featured a female protagonist named Lara Croft with improbably large breasts. The series did not explore sexual themes at all, but Lara was featured in video game magazines as a sex symbol, and it is generally believed that the success of the series over the years was due to the prominence of her appearance in the game's advertising and packaging.
  • Acclaim released a BMX game called BMX XXX in 2002 which included a topless woman as the game character riding a bicycle, and rewarded players with video footage of topless strippers. The game was originally intended to be a Dave Mirra title without nudity, but it is generally believed in the industry that the game was of low quality - its average review in the gaming media was about 55%, while in most gaming publications a 70% score is considered poor — and that Acclaim decided late in the game's development to attempt to stir a controversy and hopefully prop up sales by including some nudity. The attempt at publicity was rather successful, although the publicity achieved was of the wrong sort of Acclaim; with television reports that Wal-Mart, Toys R Us, and a few other major retail chains in the United States declined to carry the game in their stores due to the nudity. Consequently, sales were poor: under 100,000 copies were sold. The game was not greeted with controversy or with much sales interest in Europe.
  • In June 2005, an entire portion of unused code for an interactive sex mini-game was found within the main script of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The game could be accessed in the PC version via a modification, and through Action Replay codes in PS2 version. The fact that the mini-game was left on the disc and could be accessed by altering only a few bytes of the games code prompted the ESRB to change the rating of San Andreas to "Adults Only" on July 20, 2005. The game was pulled from many stores; Rockstar Games posted a loss of $28.8 million that quarter. (see hot coffee mod)
  • A related issue, address how the video and computer game industry has depicted gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender characters in software titles[3].

Response to controversies over sexuality is generally in the form of indignation that video games are singled out where movies, books, and television shows are not (despite the fact that Hollywood exercised the Hays code to ban any movie which violated its strict moral sense in the early half of the century). Retailers have sold "R" and "NC-17"-rated (and in some cases "PG-13" and older "PG") movies showing nudity for the past several decades without any moral problem in doing so, and the moral problem they claim to have over video games with nudity is seen as hypocritical by some. Because video games have a rating system roughly equivalent to the movie rating system, the two are analogous. Video games have also been seen to be singled out from other forms of entertainment when it comes, not only to violence, but also to nudity; hence the term pop culture pariah.

Over two hundred studies have been published which examine the effects of violence in entertainment media and which at least partially focus on violence in video games in particular. Some psychological studies have shown a correlation between children playing violent video games and suffering psychological effects, though the vast majority stop short of claiming behavioral causation. Critics to these argue that many of the studies involved fail to use standardized and reliable measures of aggression, and many selectively discuss findings that support their hypothesized link between video games and aggression, and fail to discuss findings that disconfirm this link.(reference neeeded) Craig A. Anderson has testified before the U.S. Senate on the issue, and his meta-analysis of these studies has shown 5 consistent effects: "increased aggressive behavior, thoughts, and affect; increased physiological arousal; and decreased prosocial (helping) behavior". (Violent Video Games: Myths, Facts, and Unanswered Questions) However, some studies explicitly deny that such a connection exists, most notably Anderson and Ford (1986), Winkel et al (1987), Scott (1995), and Ballard and Lineberger (1999).

On March 6, 2005, the TV show 60 Minutes took on the case of 18-year old murderer Devin Moore, wherein plaintiffs have argued Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City inspired him to kill three police officers that came to arrest him for stealing a car. This episode of 60 Minutes has been criticized by the video game community. In October 2005, the Alabama judge sentenced Moore to capital punishment.

Some psychologists and parents' groups have criticized video games because they believe they cause children to sit alone in the television room for many hours in a row, interacting with a machine rather than running and playing outside as they exercise and improve their social skills by playing with other children. They claim that video games can be even more addictive to children than TV, and therefore more likely to isolate them socially in this way. Some studies have purported that there is a correlation between depression and playing computer games.

Many respond that video games can enhance children's social interaction because many video games are multiplayer games, where two or four players can have fun competing on the same television screen, and that if a child is isolated and antisocial, this is not the fault of video games, but perhaps of the child's inborn disposition, or perhaps of the parents' lack of attention to making sure their child has enough opportunities for social interaction with other children. Additionally, with the advent of online video gaming, it is not difficult for children to find others to play with, although these experiences are often anonymous.

Perhaps the most blistering response came from social critic and author J.C. Herz, who suggested that some criticisms of video game violence come from distinctly Marxist and socialist viewpoints from academia, and do not reflect the realities of modern life:

That's what we do in America: glorify autonomous individualists. What else would we possibly glorify? The autonomous collective? One can only imagine the kind of arcade game that would pass muster with the leather-elbow-patch set (leap over the running dogs of capitalism, liberate the oppressed proletariat, and accumulate enough petition power to defeat the evil Murdoch). (Herz, Joystick Nation, 1997).

Specifically, Herz claimed that such things as a "lack of cooperative behavior" and "aggressiveness" are both necessary and useful traits in a capitalistic society, but that academic psychologists tend to ignore this.

Many video game players are upset and angry at these allegations, claming that video games do not lead people to violent acts, but a person's irresponsibility does. They say that a person should be responsible for what they do, and not be able to use a game to try to put a reason for their violence. Ctrl+Alt+Del, a popular web comic, speaks out against the media's attacks on games in several comics, most notably Jack Thompson, a media critic.

Criticism from religious organizations

Video games have also been criticized from a religious angle as well as a political angle. Much of the criticism of video games from outside the video game community originates from religious sources, often in similar response to claims of violence, crime, sexuality, nudity, rebelliousness, materialism, occultism, and unflattering references to religion in these games. Some gamers oppose their parents' church for these reasons.

Such references to religion found in games are often criticized by religious groups of specific denominations. Games such as Xenogears, Final Fantasy Tactics, Tales of Symphonia and Grandia II contain religious themes that some might find offensive. Often, RPGs in particular make use of a corrupt and powerful church as the game’s antagonist.

In response to potential criticism, religious content has been censored in some US releases of Japanese-origin video games. Nintendo in particular would censor many of its US releases back in the NES and SNES era. Castlevania, Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy and other games containing such references as crosses, the words holy, monk, and names of Biblical figures were censored for their US release. The game Terranigma was nevered released at all in North America, one of the stronger reasons for doing so being its religeon-influenced plotline. One trophy in Super Smash Bros. Melee Tamagon was locked out of the US release of the game, possibly because of religious reference and the title of the game he originally appeared in (Devil World).

See also Censorship by organized religion.


Criticisms of the gameplay in and of itself

Sometimes there has been criticisms of the gameplay in and of itself by non gamers. This primarily is focused towards RPGs, especially MMORPGs, whose level grinding gameplay critics feel causes obsession or addiction. Another criticized aspect of RPGs is the immersion factor, or virtual reality, which is seen by critics as escapist. Finally, as most RPG leveling mechanics allow for getting stronger by repetitive fighting of weaker enemies for a long time, this is seen as discouraging risk taking or instilling a fear of losing in the gamer.

The addiction factor of MMORPGs has led to horrifying stories of people who starve to death while playing games like Everquest or the father who locks his children in the closet so they do not bother him while he plays the game. Some versions of the story have the children starving to death in the closets. Many, however, are urban legends.

Non-critical points of view

Those who do not criticize video games regardless of plots often point to certain principles or theories.

  • Don't blame the mirror: Depictions that cartoonify or distort realities of society are part of the process of categorizing, developing terms for, coming to terms with, and developing ameliorations for such ills. The things complained about are truths of society and it is unfair and counterproductive to blame the mirror used to let us see them a little differently. Often these social problems are not being adequately addressed by conventional channels, and characterization in art builds awareness.
  • Bad examples in fiction are a necessity for learning ethics: Human learning processes require dramatic depictions of bad examples so we can learn not to emulate them. Removing the bad examples makes it significantly more difficult to understand and evolve past ethical failings. Bad characters and situations are essential to personification based processes of learning. Not being able to learn from bad examples or characters increases actual violence. Some variants of this theory, such as the Hays Code accept bad characters as long as they are vanquished by good before the end of the artwork.
  • Shifting antisocial behavior to fantasy equals healthy adaptation: This theory states that average people harbor both appropriate and anti-social outputs they need to send to their muscles and expel from their systems to not become actually twisted. Healthy adaptation is having means of expelling the anti-social impulses in fictionalized and gaming situations so as to be more able to behave appropriately in non-fictional social situations where it counts combined with recognizing the difference between the two situations.
  • To respond to evil we won't be fast enough without rehearsal play: This theory states that meeting or playing an evil or violent character in a game or fantasy situation prepares one to have evil persons walk up to you in real life, and without the fantasy play one would not be experienced or informed enough to recognize their scam and act fast enough to avoid being taken advantage of. Previous role play, as with so many things in life, means one is prepared to defend oneself against something that might otherwise be inconceivable and not on one's list of possibilities to be considered before it is too late.

Video game legislation around the world

Australia

In Australia video games are rated by the Office of Film and Literature Classification, which also rates other media. Unlike movies however, no R18+ or X18+ category exists for video games, and as such if they do not fit into the MA15+ category (suitable for 15 year olds and over), they are effectively banned. This means that games deemed unsuitable for 15 year olds are banned entirely from sale and distribution within the country, even for use by adults. This has been a point of much debate for many years now, and recently the Victorian government has announced plans to try and get an R18+ category introduced. A comprehensive list of games that have been banned in Australia can be found at http://www.refused-classification.com/. The argument for' states, that adults are allowed to see and hear whatever they like. The perception that video games are targeted for children is obviously mistaken, as modern video games target the 18-30 year old males.

In 2002, Australia banned Grand Theft Auto III for its actions against virtual prostitutes; the game was later reinstated when this action was removed. Similarly, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was banned in July 2005 following the revelation that sex scenes were included in the minigame unlocked by the Hot Coffee mod; these took the game outside the MA15+ category. The MA15+ rating was re-instated after a modified version was released by Rockstar Games, omitting the Hot Coffee minigame. In 2005 the game 50 Cent: Bulletproof was banned for encouraging gang violence. And in 2006 Marc Eckos Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure was also banned.

Canada

Individual provinces have officially adopted the ESRB rating system. Previously, retail and rental chains were encouraged to follow the system however, it was voluntary. Ontario adopted the system on March 7, 2005. In April 2005, Nova Scotia adopted the ESRB rating system and on June 1, 2005, Manitoba adopted it.

China

Through new laws the Chinese government has said it plans to restrict gamers to three hours of consecutive play, using a “fatigue technique” in games. Children and teenagers are strongly encouraged to play online games only 3 hours per day through this method. After 3 hours their character abilities will be limited. Gamers who spend more than five hours will have the abilities of their in-game character severely limited. Players will be forced to take a five-hour break before they can return to a game with the character back to full capacity. In some cases further playing is locked down through their IP identification number or account with the online game vendor. The operators face little choice as they need government approval to offer online gaming. [4]

The MMO genre of games is big business in China since subscription based games avoid software piracy, and most gamers use Internet cafes as they don't own a personal computer. The9, the company that runs the popular World of Warcraft in China is listed on the NASDAQ market exchange so they must release an annual report which includes much information on how MMORPGs work in China. For a somewhat abbreviated version there is an article and summary of their report. [5]

Germany

In Germany, video games, as with other media, are subject to censorship, or "decency standards", that are strict by the standards of other European nations. For video games there is the index, which is a list of video games, movies and other media considered having bad influence on children and therefore unsuited for anyone under 18. Articles not suited for anyone under 18 cannot be sold through mail order in Germany. Games showing the killing of humans with blood or severed body parts involved, or in general showing cruelty to humans, are examined by the BPjM (Bundesprüfstelle für jugendgefährdende Medien) and then in some cases placed on the index, at which point it becomes illegal to advertise the games, display them on store shelves, or sell them to anyone under 18. This of course dramatically impacts sales, so most video game companies selling games into Germany elect to create a special German version that narrowly avoids the index by changing the graphics. Instead of red blood coming out of a wound, green blood is shown, implying that aliens are being killed and not humans; or gears and springs are shown coming out of the wound, implying that the victims are robots. For example, the Contra series, known as Probotector in Europe, repeatedly replaced the heroes and many enemies throughout the series with robots.

The problem with the index is that games cannot be examined by the BPjM prior to their release, even if requested by the manufacturers, as that would be considered censorship by German standards, which is clearly illegal by the German constitution. However, this has lead to many publishers thinking with "scissors in their heads" and removing more content than would have been necessary.

Recently, the index has become a little redundant regarding video games, as the USK's (unabhängige Selbstkontrolle = independent Selfcontrol) ratings have been made obligatory and only games, that didn't receive a rating can be placed on "the index". Before 1.4.2003 these ratings had been merely suggestions for gamers.

Also, because of Germany's law banning public displays of Nazism and the swastika, several games have been banned for using these symbols, even if the rationale behind their use is clearly critical of the Nazi philosophy. Games such as Wolfenstein 3D and its sequel Return to Castle Wolfenstein, which involve American soldiers on missions to kill Nazi soldiers, are banned, and such software often reminds the player of its illegality in Germany. Although a censored version of Return to Castle Wolfenstein was released in Germany, the original Wolfenstein 3D remains illegal. The display of Nazi symbols in an accurate historical context is permitted nevertheless. Films, including World War II films of German origin, have proven this point, although the situation with video games is less clear-cut. There are few World War II video games that are deemed to be historically accurate, but the backgrounds of titles such as Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, Call of Duty and Commandos: Beyond The Call of Duty do operate on a historically true background, even if the stories central to the games are exaggerated or fictional for purposes of entertainment. Nonetheless, the symbols were removed, although all other references to the Nazis were kept.

Japan

Due to cultural preferences, Japanese video games tend to be less bloody than their American counterparts, though the gory and popular horror series Resident Evil (known as Biohazard in Japan) originated in Japan. Consequently, Japanese critics tend to focus instead on the brutal pornography found in some adult Japanese computer games (which have generally not been released outside of Japan). However, this does not mean the violence is welcomed. Both the Mortal Kombat and Grand Theft Auto series were highly criticized for lacking ethical reasons for their acts and they never became popular as in other countries. Since 2002, a non-governmental organization CERO is reviewing games and issuing an age recommendation for all products that have been submitted. On another interesting note, it is illegal for a Dragon Quest game to be released on a weekday in Japan due to the large amount of people who cut school or work to buy and play it.[citation needed]

Violently pornographic games came to national attention in Japan in 1986 with the release by dB-soft of 177, a game where the player takes the role of a rapist. (The game's title originates from the number of the Japanese law criminalizing rape.) 177 was not actually the first game designed around this premise, but it was unusually explicit for that time. The game caused debate in the Japanese parliament and was eventually recalled and re-released with the most controversial scenes removed. In 1992 the pornographic game industry formed the "Ethics Organization for Computer Software", setting industry guidelines for acceptable content and packaging. Those games deemed inappropriate by this organization for minors are released only to people 18 years or older.

See also bishōjo game and hentai game.

United Kingdom

The introduction of controversial games featuring photo-realistic images, such as Mortal Kombat and Night Trap, led to calls from the tabloid press for games fall under the Video Recordings Act. The UK games publisher trade body ELSPA responded by introducing a voluntary age rating system in 1994. The ELSPA ratings were succeeded by the pan-European ratings system, PEGI, in 2003. However, although games are generally exempt from the Video Recordings Act, those depicting sexual content, or gross violence towards people or animals, must still be submitted to the BBFC for consideration.

Carmageddon, in which the gameplay involved mowing down innocent pedestrians, was the first game to be refused classification in 1997 (effectively banning it). The game's publisher, SCI, had a modified version created where the pedestrians were replaced by green-blooded zombies, but entered a successful appeal against the BBFC to overturn their decision. The uncensored, unmodified version was later released under an 18-certificate.

In 2004, the parents of a murdered boy blamed the game Manhunt as having been "connected" to the murder (It was later found not to be, as the game was found in the victims home, rather than the killers.) [6], however, Leicestershire police "did not uncover any connections to the computer game." [7] The accusations prompted some retailers to remove the game from their shelves. [8]

United States

File:ESRB M.png

In the United States, the ESRB ratings system was established in 1994 as the video game equivalent to the MPAA film rating system. The ESRB was created as an industry response to criticism from politicians, notably Senator Joe Lieberman, over the easy availability of violent video games such as Mortal Kombat to children, and over the resulting alleged corruption of public morality. At the time, some politicians who lent their voice to this cause threatened legislation relating to video game violence. Nearly all video games are now rated with ESRB ratings, which are primarily intended to inform parents about the content of the games that their children have purchased (or want to purchase). Some important retail chains, such as Wal-Mart, have a policy to check the identification of young purchasers of games rated "Mature" to ensure that the purchaser is at least 17 years old, as recommended by the "Mature" rating. Senator Lieberman stated in 2002 that in his opinion, the video game industry's rating system had become the best rating system of any medium, including the film industry. However, many video game players have criticized him, citing his work as too broad and unaware of the industry as a whole.

From time to time, local officials attempt to restrict the playing or selling of violent video games. Predictably, video game publishers always oppose this, and retailers usually do as well. For example, the city of Indianapolis, Indiana in 2000 passed an ordinance barring children from playing arcade games with graphic violence unless parental consent was given. It was generally thought that this law was intended to target the game The House of the Dead, in which players use plastic guns to shoot at the game screen in order to mow down hundreds or thousands of zombies that have returned from the dead and try to kill the player. The ordinance was struck down at the appellate Federal court level, on the grounds that in the United States, video games enjoy some measure of First Amendment free speech protection because they contain real expression of ideas, and children have constitutional rights before the age of 18, and given this, the city did not demonstrate an overriding public interest in passing the ban. Recently, Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich passed a law banning the sale of "violent or sexually explicit" video games to minors under the age of 18. The new law would have taken effect January 1, 2006, but was struck down by District Court judge Matthew Kennelly. About three months later, similar laws were passed by Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm and California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The California law, as California Assembly Bills 1792 & 1793, was sponsored by Leland Yee, the Speaker pro Tem of the Assembly and a child psychologist. Both of these laws were given temporary injunctions pending further court review, but are likely to be ruled unconstitutional by the federal court.

On November 29, 2005, Senators Hillary Clinton, Joe Lieberman and Evan Bayh introduced the Family Entertainment Protection Act. The act is intended to protect children from inappropriate content found in video games.

Elsewhere

Video game violence is similarly controversial in South Korea, and similar "no blood" regulations apply.

In July 2002, the Greek Parliament passed Greek Law Number 3037, entirely outlawing electronic gaming. This controversial law has been frowned upon, not only in Greece, but elsewhere in Europe and in the United States, and petitions were made against it. In December 2003 it was restricted to only affect Internet cafes in accordance with a letter from the European Union.

In December 2003, Manhunt, a PS2 and PC game, was banned in New Zealand.

In 1999 the sales of three games were forbidden by the Brazilian Ministry of Justice: Carmageddon, its sequel and GTA.

Typical criticism from within the industry

Within the video game industry, there is not much self-criticism about excessive sexuality or violence, as it is generally believed that video games are not exclusively for the consumption of children, and that video game publishers have as much right to explore adult-oriented, mature themes as do movie studios or book publishers. Some developers and publishers find some of this type of content distasteful and do not produce it, but in general there is not much agitation to set limits on adult content for the industry as a whole, beyond the presence of the ESRB rating system, which has come to be viewed by most people as a good move for the industry. There is some criticism over the use of violence in games as a crutch for creativity; it is alleged that if a developer cannot invent an original, fun activity for the player, he'll end up giving the player the time-honored task of shooting a monster, usually in a violent manner.

Uninteresting and uncreative games

Critics of movies, and books as a group look down on video games as an inferior form of entertainment. Most criticism of video games from within the gaming community also relates to quality. This is probably because of the observation that most video games have a linear story structure with very little plot and even less character development, which may or may not be true. A frequent counterargument is that this is like complaining that a game of football does not contain much plot or character development, and that although video games include a narrative, they are really about acting in and against a virtual world, which is not primarily based upon passively seeing and hearing. Another point of view compares video games to the movies, which during the silent era were also considered mere entertainment.

Other criticisms include unrealistic aspects of graphics or gameplay, games that are simply not fun to play, an apparent lack of games that appeal to women and girls, and a strong and increasing tendency of video game publishers to avoid risks and originality, and only fund games which are already safe bets before development begins. In particular, there has been a perceived increase in:

  • sequels to, prequels to, and enhanced remakes of previously successful games;
  • games which use a licensed intellectual property from some other medium, often movies, comic books, television shows, or books;
  • games whose game play is more or less copied directly from previously published games that were successful. It is generally agreed that in the early days of video games there seemed to be an explosion of creativity with genuinely new types of game play appearing in some new game every month, and now a new type of game play is seen only a couple of times per year.

Some of these problems in low creativity are also seen in the movie industry, with movies being based on older TV shows, and the many sequels that come out every year.

Notable controversial video games

Main Article: List of controversial games

Video game rating systems

Video game censorship around the world

See also

Rating systems

Legislation

Neutral

Opponents/Proponents of video game censorship

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