Detroit Area Prosecutor Releases Outdated Top 10 Violent Game List

[Junaid Alam]

Detroit Area Prosecutor Releases Outdated Top 10 Violent Game List

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, who presides over a city with the second-highest violent crime rate in the country, has released a list of what she has billed as the "top 10" most violent videogames to be avoided.

Worthy urges parents to refrain from buying the games, directly linking them to murder and mayhem.

"It's no wonder we're seeing the crimes we're seeing lately. ... Please do not buy these videogames and bring them into your home. It desensitizes [children] to violent acts," she said.

Worthy's list, the third she has released, appears to be somewhat out of date, however, as it includes titles released as far back as 2005.

Game politics gave the following breakdown for the top 10:

1. Grand Theft Auto (last released on consoles 2004; PSP, 2006)
2. Manhunt (2004, we assume she means 2007's Manhunt 2)
3. Scarface (2006)
4. 50 Cent Bulletproof (2005)
5. 300 (Feb, 2007)
6. The Godfather (PS3 - March, 2007; other versions, 2006)
7. Killer-7 (2005)
8. Resident Evil 4 (Wii, PC 2007; other versions 2005)
9. God of War (2005; we assume she means 2007's GoW2)
10. Hitman Blood Money (2006)

Some, if not all, of the more recent and prominent titles featuring violence were also left off the outdated list.

Worthy was assisted in compiling the list by the Detroit-based organization Hood Research, whose co-founder, Theo Broughton, warned that parents who don't even play the titles are not immune from the infection of violent games.

"Even if adults don't play videogames, they should be aware of the messages many violent games are sending," he said. "It can affect you, too. The word 'game' doesn't make it safe."

Source: Gamepolitics.com [http://gamepolitics.com/2007/12/04/detroit-prosecutor-issues-outdated-list-of-10-violent-games-to-avoid-for-the-holidays/]

Permalink

 

[dan_the_manatee]

"Theo Broughton, warned that parents who don't even play the titles are not immune from the infection of violent games."

So if they can make you violent even if you don't play them: isn't that pretty persuasive evidence that it doesn't affect you at all?

Is there any game on that list that is certified for anyone under 18 though? That should be guide enough for those parents worried about a game's content - outdated lists like these aren't any more effective, and whenever I hear "games are killing our kids" type arguments I roll my eyes and wonder when the next election is due for the politician on the soapbox.

 

[Prof. Monkeypox]

If, just because you don't play them, you're not immune, how exactly are you suppose to avoid being corrupted? May as well play 'em -you're going to go on a murderous killing spree anyway.

Actually, I would avoid 50 Cent Bulletproof, but for completely different reasons (it's shit).

 

[Dominic Burchnall]

May I make the point that two of these games, God of War and Resident Evil, feature weapons, creatures, and scenarios that it would be impossible to transmute into a real-life scenario? Not to mention more recent games which would also make this list, such as Prototype, inFamous, Dead Rising 2, ad infinitum. The whole point of these games is that they are a source of escapism. They allow you to visit other worlds, see extraordinary creatures, perform physics-defying stunts, and entertain you.

I'm never going to be able to lift and throw objects with my mind, or cross swords with orcs, but I can in a game. They allow an acceptable release for violence and socially unacceptable deeds, the GTA series being pretty much the personification of this. If violent games in turn influenced people to be violent, games reviewers would make up a large portion of our prision populations. And all the games are clearly marked with age limits and content stickers. If you don't think a certain game is suitable, don't buy it, but don't try to restrict people who will find enjoyment from it.

Reviews like this also seem to miss out the games which lack direct violence, and instead reward skill, patience, and diligence, such as the Portal games, Shadow of the Colossus, Mirrors' Edge, to name a few. None of these games has combat as a central focus, but they do not suffer for that. They provide an enjoyable experience to the player, and show that blood doesn't have to be splashed across the screen to achieve this. Games are not primarily violence based, as these games show, but lists such as the ones above tend to use blanket statements which percieve the whole gmaing genre as a negative, corrupting influence.

 

[JMan]

You do realize that you're talking about games being released within the last two years not being on a list that was made four years ago. Why bring up a four year old thread?

 

[BoogieManFL]

I'd like to ask for the scientific evidence to back up that claim, but it doesn't exist because if a game "desensitizes" you to violence in the real world, you were already messed up in the head in the first place.

But this is a necro bump from 2007.