Since video games entered homes in the 1970s, their popularity has increased exponentially and the different varieties of games have become very diverse, from apps on a mobile device to large-scale worlds viewed on 4K televisions (Entertainment Software Association). The rapid increase in technological advancement over the past four decades has led to a previously unimaginable era of gaming. Games have become more realistic graphically, physically and emotionally. What started as 8-bit pixels scrolling across a screen has expanded to almost real-life characters and situations. However, critics of the video game industry have begun to fear what could be a negative influence on people who play violent video games. From war shooters like Call of Duty and Battlefield to the criminal violence depicted in Grand Theft Auto and Saints Row, people like violent games for adults. The exposure of these video games has led many concerned parents and courts to use violent video games as scapegoats in mass murder trials. But video games are not the problem and should not be treated as such. Game developers have done everything they can to reduce the stereotype of violent video games causing violent behavior by implementing gameplay that promotes pro-social, cooperative play and not violence for violence's sake. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay There has recently been a heated debate over whether or not video games actually cause violent behavior. Studies have been conducted on both sides of the argument with conclusive results that support each point of view but do not prove them. In 1999, David Satcher, surgeon general of the United States, stated that media violence played only a small role in aggressive behavior compared to other factors. Satcher said, "We clearly associate media violence with aggressive behavior. But the impact has been very small compared to other things. Some may not be happy about it, but that's where the science is" (Wright). However in 2009, Craig Anderson, PhD, director of the Center for the Study of Violence, concluded that “there is a significant relationship between exposure to media violence and aggressive behavior. Exposure of children and adolescents (or 'youths') to violent visual media increases the likelihood that they will engage in physical aggression against another person” (Anderson). These are two conflicting but credible polls that support each end but clearly do not prove either side a fact. Games like Grand Theft Auto where your character indulges in very lewd behavior and the chaos of being able to blow up vehicles and kill people at will could definitely be some sort of inspiration for someone capable of such large scale violence or some sort of catharsis for someone who doesn't want to hurt anyone in real life but can do so in the game. A study using MRI concluded that playing violent video games increases activity in the amygdala and decreases activity in the frontal lobe (Kalnin). The amygdala is the part of the brain responsible for emotional responses, while the frontal lobe is the part responsible for decision making. These results would lead one to believe that after playing video games one would become less responsible and more emotionally driven, particularly by anger. In 2008, Pew Internet and American Life Project conducted a study that concluded that youth who participated in gaming experiencesmunicipalities had higher levels of civic and political engagement. Two points that are also in conflict, but are both credible studies that support both ends. There is currently no conclusive evidence that video games cause or reduce violent behavior and no correlation has been demonstrated (Pew Research Center). Game developers themselves have different views on the situation, whether positive or negative. One of the former game developers at Rockstar North, the makers of the Grand Theft Auto series, says he's not proud to say he was part of that team. He thinks back to all the violence in the game and when he has to explain to his mother what he does he feels guilty (Brightman). One developer is especially fond of exercising his gun rights and is calling for gun laws to be removed from the conversation when it comes to the violence video games can cause (Kotaku). Developers don't just phase out the criticism they receive about the maturity levels of their games, they strongly advocate for what their careers have to offer the world. A group of these developers known as the Independent Game Developers Association wrote a letter to the Vice President, Joe Biden, asking that research funds be allocated to study the positive aspects of video games, not just the negatives, which their First Amendment rights are respected, that the fact that players are also offered non-violent options is highlighted when evaluating violent video games, and that video games are a “unique artistic medium” just like any other source of entertainment (CNET). Developers use all the negative feedback as a challenge on how to reduce the stigma that their video games cause violent behavior. The developers are adapting the game mechanics to tempt players away from the path of senseless violence. For example, Hitman Absolution is a game where you play as a bounty hunter who aims to kill his targets (Hitman Absolution). There are several ways to complete missions. You can go without surprises and just try to shoot everyone, however this is the least efficient way to play as dying becomes easier and lower scores are produced. However, when you play tactically by sneaking around innocent people, knocking out guards instead of killing them, and causing as little damage as possible, the game is easier, more rewarding, and less violent. In her vlog Feminist Frequency, Anita Sarkeesian talks about how Hitman Absolution is about senseless violence and shows a clip of the protagonist dragging a dead ballerina around and then putting her in a bin (Sarkeesian). In the actual game, you don't even need to enter the room with the dancers and points will be deducted from your score by damaging them in any way. The developers do not limit the options available to players during the game, but reward you for the less violent and more stealthy way. Call of Duty is a major source of criticism because you can become this unstoppable super soldier who can single-handedly kill an entire militia. The Call of Duty franchise is a war-based first-person shooter collection featuring massive violence. Some believe this is justified violence based on the implication that you have to kill because you are a soldier in the army fighting for your country and survival. These games don't hold back on gruesome scenes either. So, to curb the "senseless violence", they included the zombie game type and many objective-based game types instead of killing. The zombie game type allows you to play with up to three other players to survivea zombie epidemic (Call of Duty Black Ops). The use of an inhuman enemy and the idea of ​​cooperation are key to promoting those pro-social behaviors as teammates have to talk and strategize as the rounds get more difficult. Call of Duty multiplayer is dominated by team deathmatch lobbies, but there are plenty of other choices that aren't kill-based, such as domination where you capture designated areas to hold, capture the flag, circle and destroy where players are limited to only one life per try to defend or destroy an ammo depot and many other options that require strategy instead of simply killing opponents (Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2). In their seventh installment, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3, killstreaks have been converted to streaks. Previously, players received special benefits when they got 3 or more kills in a life. Now, along with kills, players are rewarded for teamwork such as capturing objectives, reviving, and defending (Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3). It's clear that the developers have provided players with more opportunities for strategic, cooperative, and prosocial play rather than trying to be the player with the most kills in each match. Battlefield is Call of Duty's rival in the video game market and therefore receives the same amount of criticism that Call of Duty receives regarding being a one-man army. The Battlefield franchise is another war-based first-person shooter collection that is more of a simulation style of game than an arcade one like Call of Duty. Battlefield is about working together to win. Unlike Call of Duty, team deathmatch is not the most popular game type in Battlefield. The Conquest game mode, which represents the dominance of Call of Duty, and the Rush mode, in which players must defend multiple areas from enemy explosives, are the two most played game types. The developers of the Battlefield game designed large-scale maps of thousands of square meters where playing alone is as useless as not playing at all (Battlefield 3). Thirty-two man teams are divided into five-man squads that reward all members for cooperative play (Battlefield 4). There is also the possibility of being the commander who does not have a character in battle. The commander tells people where to go, what to do and provides them with ammunition depots and vehicles. Healing your teammates, supplying them with ammunition, spotting the other team, and repairing vehicles are all ways to earn experience points for your soldier. It is possible for a player to complete a round with no kills and no deaths and become the MVP solely through altruistic play. In a chapter that will be released in 2015, players will be able to play as policemen or criminals (EA Digital Illusions CE). Criminals try to get away with money and cops can interrogate and even arrest criminals. Battlefield developers are giving their players the ability to play the game the way the user finds most useful. They may not be the most skilled snipers, but they are really good at flying helicopters and could be the designated transport pilot for the team. This type of play encourages cooperation, altruism, role playing, and camaraderie. The Grand Theft Auto franchise has been the most controversial gaming franchise when it comes to violence in video games. Numerous court cases, including the recent Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. One of its chapters, Grand Theft Auto San Andreas, had to be changed from rated M to rated AO for adults only due to some codes being disabled in the game.