Why violence in games is bad for the industry

[benbenthegamerman]

I truly believe that violence in games is bad for the industry. It alienates people who wouldn't like violence, which is a huge margin of the possible new gaming population. Also, the last media form which had the same exact problems as gaming fell into obscurity: comic books.

What do you think?

 

[MajorKris]

Well..arn't the most extreme violent games rated M? Just stick to the E-T rated ones. I enjoy violence, but you don't need it to have fun.

 

[SUPA FRANKY]

1.) There are games without violence. They are even quite prevalent.

2.) Oh well, if they don't like games, nothing will change there mind. No one is making games strictly for them, so they should pull their head out of their ass.

3.) What was the highest grossing movie this weekend? Expendables? A Movie about tons of action stars blowing shit up and killing dudes?

 

[The Geek Lord]

Oh no! You have a different opinion than the general gaming population! Duck and cover! I SAID DUCK AND FUCKING COVER

... Okay, they stopped firing. Anyways, rating system. Most of the uber-violent games, as in anything that contains more than two little scenes of blood, ends up rated M anyway. It's like taking a kid to an R-Rated movie and then bitching about it afterward.

 

[The Procrastinated End]

Sorry but I like it when the person I just shot/stabbed/punched/magically obliterated bleeds realistically, and when that's not available I'll take over-exaggeration to none at all.

 

[Skorpyo]

Have you missed the "Casual Games" uprising in the past couple years?

Bejeweled, Plants vs. Zombies, and Peggle are making EMBARASSING amounts of cash.

 

[Naheal]

I like my strategy. I like the fact that my choices have consequences.

Sorry but I like it when the person I just shot/stabbed/punched/magically obliterated bleeds realistically, and when that's not available I'll take over-exaggeration to none at all.

Also, this. I'll take my violence when it's part of the story, thank you very much.

 

[Luke5515]

If you really think that violence is a big deal, then don't play games with extreme violence. Some games just need that little extra bit of blood to feel complete.

 

[NeutralDrow]

I truly believe that violence in games is bad for the industry. It alienates people who wouldn't like violence, which is a huge margin of the possible new gaming population.

"Like" violence in what sense? I'm not a violent person, myself, but fighting games are one of my favorite genres.

Are you talking just hyperviolence or something? Even if you are, it hasn't really seemed to have much effect.

Also, the last media form which had the same exact problems as gaming fell into obscurity: comic books.

Comic books are obscure? The lowest they ever fell into obscurity was mid-Silver Age, I think. They got a little more popular at the beginning of the Dark Age and seem to have flatlined, really.

 

[LightOfDarkness]

I truly believe that violence in games is bad for the industry. It alienates people who wouldn't like violence, which is a huge margin of the possible new gaming population.

"Like" violence in what sense? I'm not a violent person, myself, but fighting games are one of my favorite genres.

Are you talking just hyperviolence or something? Even if you are, it hasn't really seemed to have much effect.

Also, the last media form which had the same exact problems as gaming fell into obscurity: comic books.

Comic books are obscure? The lowest they ever fell into obscurity was mid-Silver Age, I think. They got a little more popular at the beginning of the Dark Age and seem to have flatlined, really.

Comic books have gone the way of the adventure game genre.

 

[Billion Backs]

Have you missed the "Casual Games" uprising in the past couple years?

Bejeweled, Plants vs. Zombies, and Peggle are making EMBARASSING amounts of cash.

Plants vs Zombies is pretty violent if we're going strictly by terms. Sure, they are "undead" or what not and plants lack nerves to feel pain (but are still alive), but bodies get visibly maimed and plants chewed on and eaten. Not to mention that fly-trap type of plant that ate zombies, whole and (un)-alive...

Violence is the core part of interaction with the world. Imagine all the poor bacteria you're mercilessly massacring whenever you brush your teeth or wash your whatever.

 

[Lust]

I truly believe that violence in games is bad for the industry. It alienates people who wouldn't like violence, which is a huge margin of the possible new gaming population. Also, the last media form which had the same exact problems as gaming fell into obscurity: comic books.

What do you think?

I think that video game violence is better than actual violence.

"Remember: It's only fantasy."

Besides, there are many games that are non-violent. You don't have to subject yourself to anything you don't want to. We aren't forcing people to play violent games. That goes for any form of media.

 

[ultrachicken]

And excluding violence will alienate all the bloodthirsty "macho-men" who think they're too old for Mario. Frankly, most of the people who are against violence in games I've seen would never play a $60 game anyways.

 

[Jaeriko]

There are plenty of non-violent games.

People who don't want to play a violent game shouldn't buy them, it just pure common sense.

 

[coolman9899]

Have you missed the "Casual Games" uprising in the past couple years?

Bejeweled, Plants vs. Zombies, and Peggle are making EMBARASSING amounts of cash.

OIIIIIIIIIII there aint nothing bad about pvz dude its an awesome game

 

[Drexlor]

They make games without violence. I have never seen a game called "Tetris Chainsaw Massacre."

 

[Enigmers]

Video games are about problem-solving. For the solutions (or rather, the failures) to have consequences, there is usually violence. (at least, in any serious context.) I.e. if you're bad at the game, your character gets hurt. If you're good, the bad guy gets hurt, end the good guys cheer for you. Yay!

There are some exceptions, of course. Mostly in the casual games market. But most of the more immersive games are violent to some degree because violence is something every animal (including us) understands on a very basic level.

 

[Treblaine]

More like hypocrisy of the public is bad for the games industry?

Sex in movies? "Fine"

Violence in movies? "no problem"

In games? "OH JESUS GOD NO!!! Video games are ONLY for children, even those games explicitly rated as for 18+ where the average age of gamer is in his 30's... but I have my prejudices BWA AUAH UAHH!"

We're all grown ups here, nothing wrong with violence in video games. This is not a popularity contest anyway, we don't live in Nazi Germany where art forms must have approval by the general public to be displayed (yep, they used to do that).

You say: "the last media form which had the same exact problems as gaming fell into obscurity: comic books."

Comic books have ALWAYS BEEN OBSCURE but the reason for them being marginalised (other than video games) was the terrible hackneyed writing as Linkara will tell you. I can tell you know LESS THAN NOTHING about comic books, as the little you do know is clearly false.