Video games no longer a safe option of entertainment for young children – Video games special
Over the last few years, video game publishers and developers seem to have forgotten the market that they are catering to.
Video games are immensely popular among children, especially the ones who are not very athletic or out-going. It enables them to done the role of a soldier than takes down an entire army single-handedly, or race through the jungle at lightning speed while
collecting gold coins, or taking on the role of a plumber who accomplishes things far bigger than his size.
Being so young and feeling so weak, a child is naturally going to become fond of a platform that allows him to do stuff beyond his capabilities.
The video game publishers and developers have been well-aware of this since the start and therefore design games in such a way that they continue to hold children under their spell.
There was no harm in this before, aside from the fact that children were beginning to give more importance to completing a level or beating a boss than doing their home-work or getting out of the house to do some physical exercise.
Lately, however, the children have found themselves exposed to a much more serious harm.
Video game publishers and developers seem to have forgotten or gotten confused about the market they are making games for.
While a lot of work is being done on the quality of games such as improvement in graphics, better textures, faster frame rate, multiplayer experience, etc. the moral values of game makers seems to be disappearing at an alarming rate.
In the 80s and 90s, the only type of games that were of some concern was fighting games such as Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat due to the depiction of violent acts in them.
However, those games and the violence in them have been put to shame by some of the recent franchises such as God of War. Ripping bodies apart like they were meant to be ripped and spraying blood all over the screen is one of the core reasons for the immense
popularity of the franchise.
The recent Mortal Kombat titles have also taken violence to a whole new level, with the fatalities becoming more gruesome and sick than ever.
If that alone was not enough to corrupt the innocent and naïve minds of children, developers have begun to treat sexuality as an integral part of gaming experience. God of War, Mass Effect and the Devil May Cry reboot are just some of the titles that leaves
very little to imagination.
The rating system is in place to indicate which games are appropriate for kids and which are not, but these rating hardly prevent the games from landing in the hands and eventually consoles of children.
Even the most responsible parents cannot successfully monitor the games that their children buy or become aware of the content before the child is exposed to it.
Some of the most celebrated franchises such as Call of Duty are warming children to the use of guns and war, which is extremely dangerous considering the easy access to illegal arms these days.
The government is hardly taking any action against game makers who are ignoring their moral responsibilities to make money. As a result, video games have reached a point where they are no longer a safe option of entertainment for young children.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely of the writer’s and do not reflect bettor.com’s official editorial policy.
Tags: