Do the Games 'Grand Theft Auto IV' and 'Call of Duty- Modern Warfare Coursework

Do the Games 'Grand Theft Auto IV' and 'Call of Duty- Modern Warfare 3' Promote Violent Behaviour or are they Harmless - Coursework Example However, as games have become a more powerful industry, some people have suggested this may also have some negative effects. Games such as Grand theft auto IV have been reported as being responsible for adverse effects on players and various tabloid newspapers have said that violent games are deliberately based on reality. In general, the impact seen from video games has been credited to the mimicking of violence seen and played during the games. Studies also indicate how gamers playing violent video games are also more likely to act aggressively or engage in violent or aggressive behaviour towards other people. These gamers, especially those of younger ages, would be more likely to fight with their parents, their peers, or with their classmates. They would also be less likely to have executive control over their temper or emotions, making them easily prone to angry outbursts and aggression. Video games also have a desensitizing effect to violence, making players less reactive or les s likely to be shocked by violence they would see in the news or in their daily life. When games such as Grand Theft Auto IV are closely analysed, it is easy to see why they can be accused of encouraging violent behaviour. Grand Theft Auto is the video game notorious for allowing a player to hire a prostitute, kill her, and then retrieve the money giveniii . This game also gives the player a chance to shoot cops, run over pedestrians, and bludgeon passersby with a baseball bat. To many gamers, this series is gripping because not only does it allow the player to perform violence, but it also offers an immense environment where all violent possibilities can be played outiv. These games also seem to reinforce gender stereotypes, that of men being the natural aggressors and women being the submissive personalities. In other words, there is a disconnect between reality and gaming fantasy for these gamers. These gamers explore the fantasy world of aggression and play out violent scenarios – kill prostitutes, beat-up bystanders, hijack cars, and kill rival criminals. The challenge during their games is on how fast and how clever they can be in pulling out these acts. Translating these acts to the real world has not become a distant possibility for these gamers. The Daily Mail reports that Grand Theft Auto IV was pulled out by Nintendo after a Bangkok teen murdered a taxi driver apparently because he wanted ‘to see if it was as easy as it was in the game’v. Incidents like this indicate a lack of moral responsibility on the part of the gamer, and also on the part of the creators of the game who create an environment where killing a taxi driver is judged for its speed and efficacy, not for its moral implications. Medical experts have cited various studies that reviewed the impact of video games on human behaviour. In one of their studies, they observed that adolescents who were exposed to longer hours playing violent video games usually manifested be haviour that is more aggressive and were more likely to be confrontational with their teachers or to engage in fights with their peers. The repeated nature of the