There are some excellent games with a high-violent content. The thing to me, is that they must have a context to back the violence up. (War Games, Resident Evil for example).I like those the most. What bothers me is games like GTA for example which in my opinion promote very random violence against anyone. Also I think ratings indicating that it is a mature game are very necessary, but in my experience they're not really enforced. I've seen some friends of mine giving "Dead Rising" as a Christmas gift for their small kids for example.(?)

I think you have missed an option. There is: a) pro-violent video games b) meh! (aka. not-anti-violent video games) c) anti-violent video games I rate between B and C.

Anti

I don't really care. This is personal choice and up to the adult playing them (or the player's parents if the player is a minor). It isn't any of my business. Personally, I don't play violent video games; however, note that what one person categorizes as a violent video game, another may not. This categorization is largely subjective.

I am anti-viloent gaming, especially for kids. I'm not saying ban them, but I like the grading system. We are going to "pay" for the violence in these games. Desensitation and general apathy towards pain, violence and chaos will be the result. And it will affect everyone. Crimes will become more violent and violent crimes wil rise in number.

I am fine with violent games as long as they are used responsibly. A couple of preliminary points. *Violent games are not the sole cause for violent behavior. I have played them for years and have not once been in a fight or shot anyone. *Games focused around anti-social acts should be used with more care (i.e. GTA where the main character is fighting cops is worse then killing zombies) Appropriateness: It is not ok for a 4-6 year old to play a violent video game because they can not possibly be expected to understand why they are participating in the violent action nor separate it from reality. Parents must be responsible for deciding when their (I am going to say)teen is able to understand the concept that this is a game and is not real or what normally takes place in society. I think that most adults can play these games with little effect. Thus I think better questions are: *Should we ban these games because they may negatively effect a few adults? *What age should children be allowed to view/play violent content, if ever?

I am personally against, but I do not care about them existing. In general, I do not care about violence in the media, especially when it comes to things like News or horror movies. I do care when it comes to children watching said gory news shows of the latest car crash, or the latest horror movie of yet another chain-saw wielding manic. However, that simply comes down to good parenting, and keeping your kids away from something that could harm them. Another reason, is that as an artist myself, I cannot STAND censorship of anykind, especially when it comes to something done for arts sake. However, I do not think that Grand Theft Auto has the license to show off said artistic merit.

pro because there more entertaning

i myself am PRO ALL video games.... I believe its the parents choice on what they allow the kids to watch/play and if the parent wants there child to grow up being protected from EVERYTHING and then they try to go to the real world there to sensitive to ANYTHING. Ive seen people like this. I knew a guy in school who wasnt allowed to watch anything over a PG rating until he was 18...now hes this weird hidden guy whos scared of driving!!! he cant go out in pubic without fearing an axe weilding mad man, and he cant have a closet or a bottom to his bed because of his fear. Now if you want your kids to grow up like that then so be it. but shielding a child from things like this will not help society in ANY Way. Letting them play these violent games and watch horror movies isnt going to create a Axe weilding mad man who wants to kill everyone because he seen it in GTA...If you take the time to TEACH your kids the difference between right and wrong and show them what is fake and what is real. Then they will be very good citizens. ITs all up to parentinng...

myself personally .. i enjoy playing violent video games. There really isn't anything wrong with them .. and to all the people out there that believe that it is the violence in video games and rap music and television that is causing all of these people to do the outragiously violent things in this world ... People do the things that they do because they are raised thinking it is ok by their parents and people close to them ... NOT Tv or video games or music ... and its really funny how it is always the parents that blame everything for the violence in the world except for themselves....

Pro...it helps to release my murderous rage (sinister laugh). I think its up to the persons tastes.

Way way way way Anti- engaging in violence, even when far-removed, breeds violence in my opinion. You know what they say...a computer is only as good as its input..junk in yields junk out. If the brain is filled with violent images day after day after day after day it would tend to dehumanize the person engaging in it...just my humble opinion.

I've played them and enjoyed them.

Pro, there just games. I like first person shooters like the Rainbow Six series, or my fave Black. Black by far is the best and most challenging and most realistic XBOX shooter out there, way better than Rainbow Six, check it out here; http://www.ea.com/official/black/black/us/home.jsp

it is ok to play violent games as long as there is moderation and responsobility involved. if you were to spend too much time around violent games your fram of mind would cahnge to the point of you doing something rash in a situation. case in point: in the military, you are required in some training facilitys to play a certain amount of halo, counter-strike, etc. the reason being is to get the idea on being able to kill somone without a second thought and without thinking about the situation. if i don't step on too many toes here i will use the virginia tech shooting as a example. the shooter played so many violent video games that it affected his thinking in everday life causing him to do something rash for particuarly no reason what so ever. as long as you can control your thinking and moderate your time playing violent games and you are responsible enough to be able to tell the difference between reality and fiction, i think it would be just fine to play. of course there are age limits that are involved. make sure that if you have kids that you don't let them play the games if they are too young. my dad didn't even let me think about violent games until i was at least 13 years of age.

Sorry but I blame the parents. Kids have to be what, 17 to buy R rated games now?? I think that is a mature age. But now where I leave kids are just getting more irrisponsiable and lazy. But if they did want this game, someone besides them would have to buy it. And yeah, a friend could buy it for some kids, but a parent would know if they had it unless the kid had a tv in their room. I do think kids at a certain age shouldn't be introduce to them though.

Who cares. Parents have a responsibility to explain violence, why it happens and it not imitate it. The hell I know what or how I would explain it to a kid.

Anti-censorship. Parents need to know what their kids are up too.

I dont think it is any diffrent than tv and it wont change anything.Its mostly music and movies that makes people do the crazy shit they do.

Unless you're insane, there's no way it could lead to real-life violence. I know it's anecdotal evidence but I play plenty of violent videogames and I'm opposed to violence, war, and firearms.

I think it's funtabulous. Unless you try to emulate it. It you do, you should, and probably will, be shot. The gene pool doesn't need in it people dumb enough to emulate video games. Honestly...

I am watching the news right now and they are talking about a new game where this guy stabs another...really graphic and real looking. That seems to go beyond what is necessary for a game.

pro, its fantasy people wake up

woohoo! Im pro!

I love it, especially realism( thanks nVidia for realism) if parents dont want their kids playing them, then dontlet them have them. but stop trying to ban them, and ruin things for everybody

WAY too scrutinized. It's a game people!

Pro. If you have a problem with the violence in a video game, look the other way. I don't understand how parents can get so uptight with a game just because there are guns and violence. Just because you can hijack a car in a game doesn't mean you should do it in real life. People need to calm down and realize that it is only a game.

I say pro. What's wrong with violence in a video game? If a kid reenacts it, blame the kid. Jeez. Put 'em in the looney bin. They should have enough common sense not to randomly hijack a car and crash it then go around shooting people just because they saw it in a game.

pro it means i don't have to go out and kill a real person

Pro. Parents: monitor your children, when you can.

Against. I don't think it's good to be filling your mind with violence. It doesn't make for a good heart.

In stressful times, people have to let their energy out somwhere. Would you rather someone was violent in real physical actions, or in a video game? Where is the perfect environment on Earth for someone to express their violence and frustrations? Video games! Pro.

People who have a problem with "violent" video games are PEOPLE WHO DONT PLAY THEM! they have no F***ing idea on what they're talking about...... I'm a gammer, and i do know that somw games go kinda far.. but just because we as gamers aren't riding unicorns while saving candy land for a game dosent mean that you have to ruin it for us..... go read a book

Lets put this in Perspective. If one wants to "Kill" another person in life, they will do so. But, if you have a game, you can take it out on the characters of the game instead of killing someone and ending up in prison in which all the guys want you to drop the soap in the shower. What would you rather do? Go to prison for a crime? Or take it out on a character? The choice is yours. Make the right one.

Saying that one dosent like violent video games is like saying one dosent like cake.....?..well thats cool and all but keep it to yourself.. just cause someone dosent like something that dosent mean you have to correlate it to real life.. THEY DONT HAVE ANY CONNECTION.....you know what makes a fucked up kid.... fucked up parents... not holding down the "L1" boton and hiting "X" repeatedly to shoot some random space aliens.. hey you know what, maye its like training cause i plan to be violent against evil aliens that plan to destroy the universe.

PRO: What better way to escape reality then to go Buckwild on the Vice City police force?? EXACTLY

I am more interested in video games that contain no to mild violence. That's what I play. What everyone else plays is none of my business (I don't have children).

I don't enjoy playing games that are violent. I don't like hacking my way through levels or shooting everything in sight. I wish there were more games that didn't have to rely on violence to get people interest4d in them.

Pro, for the correct audience. There really should be stricter guidelines to purchasing though.

Pro for adults (competent, sane)anti for children and teenagers

I'm not necessarily pro violent games, but I'm against the people who are against violent video games. The arguments have no merit.

Depends on who's playing the games. I'd say it's not good for kids, just like I wouldn't let my kids watch any rated "R" movies or listen to any music that talks about killing someone or raping someone. But once they are adults or mature in thinking (provided that someone was around to raise that person correctly), I think that no matter what you are exposed to, good and bad, right and wrong, what is embedded in your heart will be intact.

I think censoring them would be crossing over in to a breach of freedom of expression and speech. I guess you could say I'm pro them. Currently all I play is NHL 08 which isn't really that violent.

I am exactly neutral. Meaning: I think there is too much fuss made about them and LESS fuss made about the root of social problems in society.* But to be "pro" would mean I thought they had some independent value, which I do not. I think they are brain candy and officially don't give a rat's ass. *The real reason more kids are in trouble and the rate of juvenile on juvenile homicide is so high is that nobody is watching kids anymore. If one is planning on having a baby and having the kid be raised in daycare, they are more at fault for problematic social behaviors than are violent games. We can keep pretending we can have it all, but we...can't...have it all.

violent video games are good to a certian point they are good to play but dont act the same in real life so be smart when playing video games

Very Pro. Bring on the GTA!

Okay so seriously this pisses me off more than anything. If there is violence and blood on the tv there will be in games FOREVER. Its the same thing except that your interacting to it. Im pro-violence because its fun and I don't take it seriously. I never have, not in my entire life. The first violence game I played was Grand Theft Auto and I didnt go steal cars, I didnt go buy hookers. People who havent played video games don't know what they are talking about. you people arent going to change things because if you could get rid of violent games than vioent games would be sold underground and still be made. people will do what they want.

completely pro they are a form of stress relief

I think there is a market for violent, adult and then kids and teens games as well. I wish people would quit thinking cartoons and games are only for kids. There are rating systems in place and it should be the parents jobs to review what their kids buy not the government blocking and censoring everything. Be need to quit being PRo or Con and start being Proactive in their kids lives and not so darned conservative.

as long if you don't become some sort of psycho and start running over prostitutes I also think that you should follow the ratings if it says 18+ don't let your 10yr kid play the game so i guess kind both?

I'm pro video games, whether it's Manhunt or Hello Kitty Cube Frenzy.

I am so Pro. I like to play them and I don't believe violent video games encourage real violence. I think the news channels promote much more violence than a video game. When there is a public shooting the news gives the nuts all sorts of attention and breed the copy cats.

Violent video games are good, just as long as the gameplay is also good. Otherwise, it's a shithouse game that's just using shock value to sell.

Pro. I like my video games oozing with gore.

Violent games are totally harmless. I have a few, and they have not affected me at all. I play, when I finished, that is it. Back to doing other things in my life

PRO TO THE MAX!

I am definately against such violent video games. How can people call that "entertainment"?

You won't find any in my house, but I think people should be free to choose, with the condition that the manufacturer declare (via rating or description or something) what the content really is in their game so that parents and players can make an informed decision on what they're buying/renting. I'm totally opposed to any industry that uses subtlety, manipulation, deceit or any form of dishonesty to get more people to buy their product.

I dont mind a bit of violence, such as war games with shooting in them. But games like GTA IV where you can just walk around and gun down innocent civilians....that's just going way to far.

seeing as i am playing one now i am pro yes some are excesive and over the top, but its not like playing a video game will make you violent, if you can say that about video games, what about movies? or how about our government blowing countries up, or real life crime shows like cops, if you cansay video games are violent,then you really cant say the rest of those arn't we live in a violent world. i dont think getting rid of games can stop that

Pro because sometimes if your really frustrated about something and you need to take out your anger playing a violent video game prevents you from taking your anger on someone else.

Pro. It's fantasy, it isn't real, and for those in a realistic setting, if you're child or yourself is influenced by what they or you see, then there's a real problem with your distinction of fantasy versus reality, one which still much occur if video games didn't exist.

I am neutral on violent video games. What I'm against is people choosing to commit violent crimes and trying to use violent entertainment as a scapegoat for the consequences of their decision. Video games do not have free will, and they certainly don't have the influence to override a person's free will. The bottom line is, no matter how much Grand Theft Auto you've been playing, if you choose to start spending your days stealing cars and shooting it out with the police, it's *You* behind the wheel, not the video game. It can be claimed, and rightly so, that violent video games encourage violence, but that doesn't shift the burden of free will and accountability from their players to the games themselves.

Very against. Children can't process this stuff and discern the meaning of it. Plus they're more likely to re-enact violent scenarios on other children and other ages of people. Granted, it's not the only source of violent behavior. I get that. But it's certainly a large contributing factor. And most of the violent game market is directed at children and teens.

There Ok to play but if youu like bring a gun to school and shoot people then yes Violent Games Are bad. But otherwise violent games are okay as long as you don't learn from it it's only entertainment.

I am anti-censorship. Therefore I must be pro violent games or something.

Violence is just plain... interesting. That's why there's violence in every creative form: books, movies, plays, songs, etc. How many people are killed in the Bible? In the story of Noah, nearly every human and animal on the planet is killed by God. That's way more people than are killed in any video game I've ever seen.

Can be quite a bit of fun!

For them, I don't care what anyone says about "Grand Theft Auto taught my son to kill" or other BS like that, chances are they were already f**cked up in the head in the first place.

Personaly i am pro violent. but i can see where people can get angry bout there kids playing violent games. I believe as long as the person has the mental capicity to realize that that is not how you behave in the real world then its perfectly fine.

Pro I think that you just have to make sure whoever is playing the game is not to young for the game and is very responsible.

It depends on the user, I suppose. Sometimes it can also depend on the age demographic and the person's personal interests. Mainly, I think users approve... those games tend to get higher ratings on game reviews (ex:http://www.everhype.com/?utm_source=bc)

Pro. im 21 and if wanna play violent games i should be allowed to. There is Age restictions on games just like movies. So if parents dont want there kids not playing violent games then dont buy the games for them. Major Game stores have become very strict on age of games. Parents if your worryed about what your kids playing certain games then look at the covers for the Age resriction. Also if your kid buys a violent game and you find out take it back to the Shop where your kid bought it and complain. people dont want to ban violent DVD's so why games.

I'm all for video game violence.

PRO PRO PRO

700xpro violent +gore=+fun

Im am a person that is 100% against censorship, I don't think anyone on this planet has the right to tell me what to do and what I can play and watch. I have played games since I was a little kid, I have never committed a crime, I am a nice person who does not go round causing trouble. I play GTA and I have played loads of games where I shoot people in the head. Games are in no way responsible for violent behaviour because if they were I would be in jail by now. Games are rated for people of certain ages just like films, if kids play adult games then it's the fault of the parent and only the parent. I don't see why I should suffer playing a cut game just because of some stupid kid who thought it was fun to copy a game.

I am Pro. I play violent games like god of war and I think that people should make there own disitions on what to play. Though I never could play god of war in the dark and in god of war2 when I had to pick up that guy that was asking me for help and throw him under those rolling gears to break them. That made me feel sad, But the grafics on that game are amazing! The ending was great. Anyway I think people should have the chance to experience these games and see how they feel about them.

Anti! My husband plays all night and the loud explosions and people dying and guns firing, well it makes me less than perky in the morning!

Go Violent Games!!!!!!