Gabriella Pinos/Staff Writer
The case for violence in video games has been argued back and forth for years. While some worry it may be linked to violence in real life, others contend that it’s nothing more than a form of escapism.
Like the latter group believes, the beauty of video games, and entertainment in general, is its ability to transport players away from reality.
With the flick of a switch, we can be immersed in a fantasy environment for hours on end, then return to the real world. The events unfolding on the screen aren’t real, which is what makes video games fun.
So, when the line between fiction and reality is broken, the game turns from entertaining to disturbing.
Recently, a game called “Active Shooter” was advertised on Steam, an online gaming platform, as a simulation of a school shooting scenario. Players could become a police officer, civilian or gunman in the game, according to The Washington Post.
On May 30, the game was removed after backlash from parents and victims of school shootings. Had it been released, “Active Shooter” would have profited off the horrible events that have been plaguing the country for $5 to $10 a copy.
Instead of immersing us in a fictional environment, games that romanticize the tragic scars aspects of reality and shove us into one that’s an all too familiar problem in America.
When used correctly, realistic themes can shed light on reality and comment on issues that need fixing. Entertainment can take our mind off the world while making us aware of the problems society has yet to solve.
In the case of “Active Shooter,” the game wasn’t made for immersion or to educate people on the importance of gun safety in schools. It simulates an environment of terror to profit off an epidemic in American schools. That’s not educational; it’s just plain wrong.
The creation of these kinds of games is an unfortunate side effect of online gaming platforms like Steam. While they give indie developers a spotlight in a saturated market, they allow users to publish inappropriate material with little to no monitoring.
The fact that kids can be easily exposed to these games is also worrying. Children as young as 13 years of age can make an account on Steam and purchase games with a credit card. And, as with social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, kids can easily lie about their age when signing up.
This also doesn’t account for streaming platforms like Twitch, where kids can watch adults play mature games with little to no restriction. Sites like these don’t do much to prevent this from happening, or from removing content that goes against their terms of service.
The unfortunate incident of “Active Shooter” reminds platforms like Steam to be more vigilant about the products they put up for sale.
While not every game can be analyzed under a microscope, using filters and moderators to check their content can prevent more controversy in the future. It’s one thing to use mature themes in a video game, but the way in which these themes are incorporated can define whether its entertainment or exploitation.
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The opinions presented within this page do not represent the views of Panther Press Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect individual perspectives of contributing writers and/or members of the University community.
Photo by Pawel Kadysz on Unsplash.
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