BBC Argues Games Don't Cause Violence

RandBlade writes "BBC News has an article on the argued link between violent games and real violence. It examines both scientific evidence, different theories and the facts in order to conclude 'that it is trite and irresponsible of ill-informed commentators to claim that games like Grand Theft Auto are central to terrible crime.'" It's good to know that gamers are not all killing machines lying in wait, or that E3 is not the most potentially dangerous convention ever.

Comments

Nonsense.

[grub]

I can't agree with their conclusions. Three days after I bought Thief: The Dark Project I was out shopping for a blackjack, dark cloak and rope arrows.

The rope arrows were a bit hard to find..

Re:Nonsense.

[Xpilot]

I can't agree with their conclusions. Three days after I bought Thief: The Dark Project I was out shopping for a blackjack, dark cloak and rope arrows.

The rope arrows were a bit hard to find..

Hey that's nothing. Three days after I bought Tetris, I started laying bricks in the garden like crazy.

Re:Nonsense.

[AllUsernamesAreGone]

But do they disappear when you complete a line?

Re:Nonsense.

[Xpilot]

But do they disappear when you complete a line?

After the first 12 hours of doing it nonstop, yeah, they do!

Re: Nonsense.

[Black Parrot]

> Hey that's nothing. Three days after I bought Tetris, I started laying bricks in the garden like crazy.

And three days after I got my first compiler, I was writing crappy code!

Re:Nonsense.

[SUB7IME]

Please... Instead of 'completing a line,' the preferred nomenclature is 'doing a line'. And yes, doing lines will make most anything disappear.

Of Course

[pagaman]

Of course games dont cause violence. Man do I want to kill those people who think it does....

Quote

[Anonymous Coward]

"These media types make us out to be dangerous, violent, ready to snap and kill people on a daily basis; which is just a damned, nasty lie - I haven't killed anyone in weeks."

Re:Sorta apology from BCC?

[fafaforza]

C'mon. If you're a gamer, Linux is the last platform you look to, right after Windows, consoles, handhelds, cards, dice, and watching paint dry.

True!

[Anonymous Coward]

"If computer games had affected my generation as kids we'd be running around in dark rooms, munching pills and listening to repetitive music."

Re:True!

[PakProtector]

The Correct Quote is: "Videogames don't affect kids. If Pacman affected us as kids we'd spend all our time running around in darkened rooms muching magic pills and listening to repetative electronic music."

I'm told its attributed to the VP of Capcom's Marketing Department circa 1989.

I've been playing.....

[Pure Diluted Reality]

Solitare for years. No violence to date.

Re: Wrong

[Black Parrot]

> I was once a fervent KILLER in 3D on-line multiplayer blood&splash games. And let me tell you - it DOES influence you. Negatively.

Yeah, now you're a Slashdot poster!

Sums it up nicely

[dberton]

"There's so much comedy on television.
Does that cause comedy in the streets?" -- Dick Cavett

Re: It's just a bunch of BS

[Black Parrot]

> I've herd these arguments all my life and I just have one question. What video game did Hitler or Stalin play ?

Panzer General.

Games Don't Cause Violence.

[Jameth]

I Do.

In other news

[tommck]

"Masturbation does NOT, in fact, cause blindness!"

Story at 11!

Video games, violence and golf

[Killswitch1968]

Video games cause violence as much as golf video games cause me to shoot a 60 over 18 holes.

Re:really

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah, but if you stole both the PS2 and the GTA, does that make them responsible for your actions?

Precious, anyone?

Its all so obvious

[t0ny]

Now it should be abundantly clear to everyone that Video Games do not cause violence: rap music does.

Re:really

[Kierthos]

Tell me about it. I mean, if video games did cause violence, there should have been two Polynesian guys in my dorm enacting Mortal Kombat out on Humanities majors at least once a day. I can't recall a day in two whole semesters where I didn't see them playing that game.

Kierthos

Easy way

[Jesus IS the Devil]

The best way to rid ourselves of violence? Castrate little boys before they reach puberty. What has the world come to?

Re:I know what you mean

[drinkypoo]

I had a similar experience after playing descent for 36 hours straight once. I kept finding myself hovering upside down in the corner right above the doorway.