With the press attention being attracted by the tragic actions of those two America teenagers as of late, and the inevitable criticism being made of violent videogames, we discuss if there is any weight behind some of the more hyperbolic condemnations being made?

Violence in games; is it a problem?

Iun: Violence isn't a problem in games: I'll kill anyone that says different.

James: Violence is not a problem in games at all - in my opinion the opposite in fact. I think games are a great way of de-stressing. If some kid has some problem and is angry at something, which would be better - to play some violent video games to take out his anger on some character on a screen, or to go out and kill someone? My point exactly.

jayseven: The current theory is that it isn't violence in games that sends people crazy and tells them to go on killing sprees, it's the fact that these people were crazy anyway!

As a player I don't find violence too much of a big deal -- I mean aren't games meant to be about doing things that you couldn't (or in this case, shouldn't) do in real life?

But, of course, there's a level where extreme violence just seems tacky, gimmicky or just plain lame. The only thing I can think of at the moment is Mortal Kombat. The overuse of blood means the situation turns from perhaps gruesome to amusing; "omg hahaha you see how much blood comes out of your kneecaps when I do that?!"

By the way -- My favourite game ever ever, Blast Corps, is that a violent game? Destroying buildings? with a truck? anyone?

Svt4Him: Yes it is. I believe we can't take serious what we find amusing, and violence is serious. Do violent games reflect real life or seek to influence it? I don't think it's a reflection, in that I don't know very many places where there's a mugging outside my window every night, or someone goes on massive killings, or drives over people. But at the same time when you have that in front of you enough, it does change how you act. How many times have you sped down a road with a video game in your mind, wondering what it'd be like to do something from the game.

Granted most of us are wise enough not to, but for the weaker ones, is it societies responsibility to help them, or is it each to their own? I would hope, in a civilized society, that we would want to help people. To say it doesn't affect us makes me question why companies would spend billions of dollars to get their product in our faces if, as most would also say a 30 second ad also doesn't affect us. That said, do I think one video game will ruin someone's life? No, but we are not just exposed to one video game.

Javid: Violence in games is well certified with the appropriate age ratings I think, the problem lies in kids getting these games because, lets face it, there are loads that play and talk about games like GTA and that's a game they shouldn't be playing. But even so, I don't think violence is that bad, they see it all the time in films and such and they know the difference between a game and reality. Violence in games I think is only a problem to those who can't seem to make the distinction between the two but in all honesty you have to have a few screws loose to attempt anything you do in a game in the first place.

Freddy: There are two types of gamesplayers; those who can tell the difference between the virtual world and the real world, and those who can't. Unfortunately, those who can't tend to be the ones with a history of mental ill-health, who will blame a videogame or a film for the crime(s) which they commit.

Again, as somebody pointed out, it's why games have age ratings, and why these laws should be adhered to. I blame the parents.

Tom: I find that a violent game works out all my tension and anger. It doesn't highten the anger or agression I feel. However, I think that if you were someone who did had extreme agressive tendancies then any agressive stimulus may highten those problems. I don't think that this would be an issue with the vast majority of gamers though.

Sam: The media influences people: fact. If it didn't, why would companies spend billions a year on advertising? They are, after all, trying to make money. If adverts were a fruitless endeavour then surely the whole shebang would've been dropped years ago?

But how does this control translate to violence in videogames? Can simply playing a game make you into a killer? Probably not. Can it wake the dormant killers among us? Maybe so.

We've all seen cases of games being blamed for all types of illegalities, and I don't deny that games are usually dragged into the fray by the most tenuous of links. However, we have to be careful that this doesn't turn into a boy-who-cried-wolf situation. We are so used to seeing the mass-media's accusations against our pastime, we routinely dismiss such allegations without a second thought, switching to autopilot as we skim-read the Daily Mail's latest outburst.

This leads me onto my next point: desensitisation.

Just as we are no longer affected by the latest rantings of anti-videogame lawyer Jack Thompson (who can be found at the subtly titled stopkill.com), it is feared that violence in the media can go a long way to distancing people from the effects of real violence. I'm sure you've heard the reports of the US army installing Xbox stations in selected barracks. Despite the militaries claims of being a form of tactical training, I see it as a simple form of conditioning�enhancing a soldier's already aggressive mindset. Did you know that in the 1930s violent scenes in comic books were scene as against the 'comic code'? I'm sure it wasn't a coincidence that during the Second World War violent and aggressive panels in comic books were encouraged by the US government, with free copies of such publications sent straight to the frontline. I'm I the only one noticing a parallel here?

Of course it is also possible that killing things in a virtual world is a good way of letting off steam. The Catharsis hypothesis suggests that partaking in violent media can let our aggressive emotions in a safe, socially acceptable manner. I myself subscribe to this theory, but that doesn't mean I ignore the points I have already raised.

The way I see it, violent videogames can have either positive or negative effects depending on both the situation and the person consuming them. Just because some negativity exists does not mean that all games that feature violence should be banned�as long as there is a good side there is always a bad, so we should try to nullify the latter rather than decimating both. What I suggest is that developers and publishers should sit down and think�really think�about the effects their software could have on its consumers. Is what they've included really necessary or are they just pandering to ill-informed public's wants and needs, who, quite frankly, don't know what's good for them. It is up to the media to grow up and accept its responsibilities as a third parent to families of the world.

Knowingly or not the people do as they are told. It's time to make sure they're being told to do what's right.

Conor: Have to say, Sam covered the topic pretty comprehensively there, leaving me to try and follow it.

First of all, I don't see why violence is a problem in games. I mean, there's violence all around us; from films, to comics, to television, to newspapers, to the evening news, to the hard-hitting documentaries we see, to even those all too familiar scenes happening in our streets and towns. In this respect, I don't see why games alone should be singled out for criticism. Have these people ever watched Saving Private Ryan or Kill Bill?

Of course, the argument trooted out every time is that the person is in control of the action ands so it is he/she who decides to kill a person. But..so what? I don't believe that pressing X or A is at all akin to pulling a trigger on a real person, it just doesn't make sense. In special cases, when the person has a mental problem to begin with, then the games can have damaging effects of them, but surely this is in the extreme minority. Just compare the millions of people who regularly play games to the select few who are inspired to commit acts of violence. Case made.