Sex and Violence in Video Games
Warning! Following pictures may be unsuitable for children.
As our society becomes more polluted with sex and violence so do our video games. TV shows and movies glorify bloodshed and inappropriate behavior and all of us just can’t get enough.
In the sex and violence category Grand Theft Auto wins hands down and each installment has gotten progressively worse. You can rob, steal and kill just about everything. If you’re in the mood you can get yourself a hooker and when you’re finished, kill her. The game pushes you to be as much of a derelict as possible.
First person shooters are almost always violent, full of blood, gore and headshots. Shooters like Resident Evil will reward you with a gory effect when you make a headshot. Games like these desensitize the mind making killing a normal action.
Sex in console games can only push the limit so far before it becomes porn. In God of War the opening scene showed Kratos in bed with two topless woman, which then turns out to be a sex mini game. By using the analog sticks, and buttons you get Kratos moving. As far as the action itself is concerned Sony was smart to cover it up. In the Fable games you can have sex with your wife, townsfolk or hooker but nothing is shown, not even nudity. Same thing goes for the Sims franchise, you can make out in your underwear, but when it comes to making “whoopee” all you see are sparks flying. Most console games will have flirting, sexual themes but nothing compared to what goes on in the PC community.
Certain PC titles go over the line, and end up being more then just a trashy game. The popular online game (which is more of a 3D virtual world) has been causing a lot of ruckus, and in some cases even divorce. This game goes beyond anything you’ve experienced before, by creating “virtual genitalia”. You can improve your characters looks by spending in game currency. There is even an adult store called Xcite, which is too graphic to even describe. The scenes are graphic and dangerous. Second life has been known to create in game affairs and real life divorces. In some cases there have been incidents of child pornography. By creating a character that appears to be “child like” and then having that toon have sex with an adult character. People absorbed in this virtual world end up having “virtual sex” with strangers and creating emotional attachments.
Other PC games like Singles: Flirt up your Life are specifically about sex. Your main objective is to flirt with your roommate and get it on. You can vacuum naked or just run around naked hoping your room mate will get turned on. In the sequel you have two room mates, and threesomes are encouraged.
The ESRB (Entertainment Software rating Board) is a non-profit organization that sets up guidelines for computer and video games. These ratings help the consumer (especially a parent) make an informed purchasing decision on what they are buying. Most parents don’t pay attention to the ratings and their kids end up playing games they shouldn’t. I’ve seen parents buy an eight yr old Grand Theft Auto and think nothing of it. By reading these ratings you can keep the trash out of the house, so to speak. If you pick up a title rated E (Everyone) know that your safe, pick up a title rated M (Mature) and you may be in for a surprise. For more information on the ESRB and their rating systems please see their website. http://www.esrb.org/ratings/ratings_guide.jsp
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