Blame GTA

Last week on a birthday party the adults were having diner, music was filling the air and the kids were playing in something thats best labeled a playroom. Besides Lego, a doll house and some other toys there was also a television with game console. The kids between the age of 8 to 12 soon discovered daddy's gaming collection, which included GTA San Andreas. No one was really paying any attention to the youngsters playing GTA. Next time I sneaked in to see if the kids were alright, I had a glimpse of those kids playing the game. I was chocked! They were actually beating up hookers, half naked, with a baseball bat, no kidding.

I'm usually not that moralistic when it comes to video games, but young kids enjoying themselves beating up hookers?? So I confronted their parents, “hey look what you kids are playing? Shouldn't you forbid them to play this game? “This doesn't seem healthy entertainment for minors, right?” Their response amazed me... “nah, they don't play that much computer games, just let them... ” and “it's the responsibility of the guy having the party, if he let's them play, it's ok”. I tried again, “but your kids are actually beating up half naked women with a baseball bat, and afterwards that they just drive over them, you think thats normal?” They looked at me with anger... and I rested my case.

I'm not surprised the kids liked to play this game, really. Given the opportunity I know I would play this game when I was their age. But the easiness of the parents was a surprise, they just looked at me.. whats the fuss? It's just a computer game.

When I as reading the headlines this morning of GamePolitics.com I stumbled on the same game. This time they blamed the game for the “burgeoning gang problem”. Well I'm not sure if games can do this. But if kids get to play these violent heavy games often enough, I can hardly imagine it doesn't do anything with their mind. And as I stated many times already, it's not the fault of the computer game itself, but if the parents don't care ( or aren't aware these things happen in games ) who is protecting the children? Banning all games with violence, nudity and other “political incorrectness” is not the solution. Somehow we should educate parents, but there's a gap here. The kids grow up with video games, most parents didn't. So it will be hard to reach them. And most media, newspapers, magazines etc.. intended for mature people don't include game review pages, I guess they should.


Tags: gamers, Rating