Just came across an interesting article on gaming

[carlvs]

Considering the uproar on GD concerning GTA-SA, this article on www.economist.com caught my eye. A few choice exceprts:

Ironically, the “Grand Theft Auto” episode has re-ignited the debate over the impact of video games, just as the industry is preparing to launch its biggest-ever marketing blitz to accompany the introduction of its new consoles. Amid all the arguments about the minutiae of rating systems, the unlocking of hidden content, and the stealing of children's innocence, however, three important factors are generally overlooked: that attitudes to gaming are marked by a generational divide; that there is no convincing evidence that games make people violent; and that games have great potential in education.

Start with the demographics. Attitudes towards gaming depend to a great extent on age. In America, for example, half of the population plays computer or video games. However most players are under 40—according to Nielsen, a market-research firm, 76% of them—while most critics of gaming are over 40. An entire generation that began gaming as children has kept playing. The average age of American gamers is 30. Most are “digital natives” who grew up surrounded by technology, argues Marc Prensky of games2train, a firm that promotes the educational use of games. He describes older people as “digital immigrants” who, like newcomers anywhere, have had to adapt in various ways to their new digital surroundings.

...

In June, Senator Charles Schumer held a press conference to draw attention to the M-rated game “25 to Life”, in which players take the role of a policeman or a gangster. “Little Johnny should be learning how to read, not how to kill cops,” he declared. True, but little Johnny should not be smoking, drinking alcohol or watching Quentin Tarantino movies either. Just as there are rules to try to keep these things out of little Johnny's hands, there are rules for video games too. Political opportunism is part of the explanation for this double standard: many of gaming's critics in America are Democrats playing to the centre.

...

Like rock and roll in the 1950s, games have been accepted by the young and largely rejected by the old. Once the young are old, and the old are dead, games will be regarded as just another medium and the debate will have moved on. Critics of gaming do not just have the facts against them; they have history against them, too. “Thirty years from now, we'll be arguing about holograms, or something,” says Mr Williams.

[MadAsHellNewYorker]

1. Someone had a great graphic in their sig line:

I cant find it, nor remember who it was, but it was a graph of violent crimes with points like "PS1 comes out" "GTA" "PS2" "GTA San Andreas" etc. all along the decreasing slope of number of violent crimes.

[brainshrub]

2. I was just thinking of that sig-line.

Next time I see it, I'll be sure to save it to my computer.

[MadAsHellNewYorker]

3. im gonna save it too!!!!

its a good one

:hi:

[carlvs]

4. Actually, they do have a similar chart with the article.

It doesn't show the release dates like the one you're referring to, but it does show just how little relation there is between game sales and crime rates.

On the other hand... just when you think the GTA-SA mess couldn't get any more absurd, I came across this story during a scan of slashdot.com. Actually, this protest (which was sponsored by a D.C. group called "Peaceholics") was in part due to a new game Rockstar is about to release called "Bully" (which, according to what I been hearing is actually an anti-bullying game that will likely be rated "M",) most of this group's demands seem directed towards GTA:

# Not to release Bully under any circumstances
# Volunteer to sell its violent and sexually explicit games in adult video stores only.
# Let parents return Grand Theft Auto for a full refund until they do a national awareness campaign to educate parents of content and possible effects.
# Create a fund for victims of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and car-jackings, etc.
# Make a national apology for misleading and lying to children, parents, and legislators about their intentions and causing insurance premiums to sky rocket.
# Give a written response within five business days of receipt of these demands.

A few observations:

- What kind of group would call themselves "Peaceholics;" to me, any word that includes the "-holics" suffix would be indicating something BAD...

- Are they saying that there were NO "unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and car-jackings" before the GTA series came about (remember, the first GTA game came out in the 1990's.)

- And I would love to here their rationale for stating how exactly GTA caused "insurance premiums to sky rocket."