Should games like GTA take the blame for murder?

[Zanarkand]

Recently, a 19-year-old kid killed a taxi-driver in Thailand. The kid said he did it cause he wanted to know if stealing a cab was as easy in real life as in GTA 4. The game is now forbidden in Thailand.
So the question is whether or not games like GTA is responsible for these things? Any thoughts?

(This should maybe have been posted in the Off-topic forum..but oh well)

[Felch]

Well, stealing a cab is easy. The problem is the in real life the cops don't just take your guns away and let you go.

[DrSpike]

Re: Should games like GTA take the blame for murder?

No.

[General Ludd]

Maybe GTA should have perma death.


I

[Spaced Cowboy]

He sounds like such a bright lad, why do we want him locked away for the rest of his life.

Darwin's theory at work.

[Zanarkand]

Personally, I don't think games like GTA are to blame.. I think that those who commit murder after playing games like GTA have some form of mental defect. And if they have a mental defect, it doesn't take much to give them the push they need to cross the line and murder someone. But what gives them that push? It can be a million things..a song, a story, a game, a movie..etc..etc. So if you're gonna blame games like GTA for these things, you'll also have to blame music, books, movies.. But that's my opinion..

[flash9286]

Re: Re: Should games like GTA take the blame for murder?

Originally posted by DrSpike
No.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Re: Re: Should games like GTA take the blame for murder?

Originally posted by DrSpike
No.

[DrSpike]

[Adagio]

Originally posted by DrSpike
No.

[El_Cid]

No....but....

I suppose in an ideal world no under 18's would watch 18+ certificate films or play 18+ certificate games.

Having had first hand experience at just how useful a computer simulation can be as a 'learning' tool(as opposed to reading a book for example), and that certain government departments/agencies use them to train their employees, I think we just need to be careful or better at regulating the procedures already in place.

Should we maybe screen every person that is likely to play a violent computer game for possible mental problems? that obviously can't work, but what about if we(as creators of games) took that possibility into account when designing a game?
Maybe some kind of parental filter option(And I just know 'the kids' will hate this idea) that is activated by default, and requires someone responsible to remove it?

To my mind being exposed to excessively violent films/games/life does effect you. Some people more than others that is true, but if you take the approach that the whole point of games(talking historical+social reasons) is to help the young learn and develop skills for later in life, then maybe as an industry we should be more responsible?

No I'm not going to be the "insert american christian fundamentalist type here" of the forum, but as I get near to taking the plunge and starting a family I do actually find myself looking at certain games and thinking "no way in hell will little jonny play that until he's old enough".

That's my responsibility as a parent, but sadly 'most' parents are not as computer savvy as I am, or that interested in games other than thinking it's just another toy like barbie or WWF figures.

[Adagio]

Originally posted by El_Cid
Maybe some kind of parental filter option(And I just know 'the kids' will hate this idea) that is activated by default, and requires someone responsible to remove it?

And how do you propose this will work? The game has a quite hard time figuring out if the person sitting by the computer is over 18 or not
And even if you manage to make the game figure that out, it will be pretty easy to google "awesome game" disable parental lock to find the answer on how to enable the "full" game

[Zanarkand]

I assume that most parents who sees the 18+ stamp on a game cover understands that the game is not for people younger. I guess most of the responsibility lies on the parents.

[Nikolai]

I promise you, the 18+ stamp is not something most parents care much for. Not the shops either.

[Main_Brain]

Yes, people have no free will and will follow everything demonstrated in Violent Video Games and Movies.

Sheep! Sheep!