The army uses games likes this to train people to kill people. What more of a study is needed?

Take a look at the behavior of a child near you after that child has been playing such games for a few hours. Samples will demonstrate an increase in aggression.

Check it out.

Madmac, I don't know where the heck you're pulling your information from, but maybe you should "check out" some of the actual, real research that has already been done on this.

Many studies show that there is no correlation between violent video games and real world aggression, like this one:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/08/15/video_games_and_aggression/

Yes, the army uses simulations, so do airplane pilots. However, I don't think the fact that I used to play Pilotwings on Super Nintendo has qualified me to become a pilot.

Furthermore, I think this study is flawed in that it is comparing two fictional mediums and trying to say that it says something about "real world" violence. Does video game violence tend to shock me? No. Why? Because I know it's not reality. Does movie violence tend to shock me? No. Why? Because it's not reality. If I saw someone getting beaten up or shot in real life, would it shock me? Of course.

It's not about graphics or using realistic looking people or realistic combat, it is only about being able to separate the real world from fiction. If you can't do that, then you have bigger problems then just what video games you play.

The whole violent video games as the root of all contemporary evil theory has been done to death. Ghengis Khan, Adolf Hitler, the Inquisitors and the Khmer Rouge were perfectly capable of commiting their own evil without any influence or inspiration. Evil is as evil does. And evil does not need an external source. Bad people do bad things.

We can't blame Grand Theft Auto or Mortal Kombat for the Way Things Have Gone Nowadays. It's a standpoint held by the backward-thinking Luddites who haven't tried it before they've knocked it. Who will probably write "What's the world coming to!" and then turn on a good violent murder-mystery film. Hypocritical, no?

And finally, I agree with imaduck. The reality gap is crucial. If you're missing that, then a marginal increase in irritability is the least of your worries. I play Halo, but I hope someone will do the humane thing if they find me wearing cardboard armour and claiming to be a UNSC Spartan or a Space Marine.

The whole violent video games as the root of all contemporary evil theory has been done to death. Ghengis Khan, Adolf Hitler, the Inquisitors and the Khmer Rouge were perfectly capable of commiting their own evil without any influence or inspiration. Evil is as evil does. And evil does not need an external source. Bad people do bad things.

We can't blame Grand Theft Auto or Mortal Kombat for the Way Things Have Gone Nowadays. It's a standpoint held by the backward-thinking Luddites who haven't tried it before they've knocked it. Who will probably write "What's the world coming to!" and then turn on a good violent murder-mystery film. Hypocritical, no?

And finally, I agree with imaduck. The reality gap is crucial. If you're missing that, then a marginal increase in irritability is the least of your worries. I play Halo, but I hope someone will do the humane thing if they find me wearing cardboard armour and claiming to be a UNSC Spartan or a Space Marine.

Other commentors also said great things, but video games and violence, hmmm nope. Thats like saying someone who works with hazardous chemicals will eventually use them to hurt people. Their bad...they hurt people...my Lord someones going to use them to kill everyone. Sounds far-fetched and extreme...and DUMB. If anything I think video help calm the violence. When I have a bad day at work or am just generally in a crappy mood. I'll play a couple games. Now whether or not I'm in the mood to play a violent game or like guitar hero...well depends on my mood. But if I'm pissed and at someone and take my anger out killing video game characters...hell sounds more healthy than picking a fight in a bar. It's all about interpretation. How many kids get bullied at school and don't turn into Columbinesque shooters. How many people own guns and don't kill people. How about this, we get parents to inform out children that hurting other humans is bad. Killing them is even worse. Knowledge is power, and the right knowledge will either A) keep you alive or B) keep you from killing someone because you did it in a videogame.

Studies produce data. That data has to be interpreted to have any meaning. Looking at this study, it produced two indications.

1: violent video games seem to make people more "galvanized" in response to violence. Like the report stated, this is not necessarily a bad thing. We don't see a kid maturing and toughening to the point were the school yard bully 's taunts are ineffective as bad. An increased ability to weather violence could aid individuals in harsh situations, such as being penned down in a school shooting.

2: violent video games decrease the arrousal of violence. This is indicative further of how real world evidence runs against widely espoused theories. decreasing the arrousal of violence would make violence less appealing to people who play video games, thus making violent video games a deterent to violence.

On other matters, there is a great deal of real world evidence out there that disproves the liberal crap that uses video games as its current scapegoat for society's ills. Previous to that was rock n' roll; before that, alcohol(Prohibition).

several people have already addressed madmac48, but i want to take the time to say your comment is ignorant, so i would like to help edify you. First off, the Military uses video games to increase response times and teach basic military reactions. it is not used to increase aggression. In fact, our military focuses on being calm, rational, and effective. We don't employ beserkers. Second, video games DO increase reaction times, hand eye coordination, and relieve stress. There are multiple, extensive studies on the subject. Check them out with and open mind(which i doubt you will) and you might sound less ignorant in the future.

If a child is maleable enough to be made more violent by a video game, they were fragile to begin with and needed help far before they became violent. Many children can play violent games and be fine but for those few kids that are violent the liberals blame video games for that aggresiveness. Those kids were violent and always will be, stop blaming video games.

Zerin Sakech

I say that it is a true fact of life that Violent video games does insensitize one to violence. Sure this will not be enough to encourage us to go out and kill anyone we see, but it will affect us greatly. It has been proven that the army uses these games to make immune their soldiers to heartfelt feeling and mercy. That is what observing and interacting with violence casues us to do. It's proven. Say a child who plays everyday such video games and one who doesn't are put to witness a quick murder. One would probally yell, or cry as the other simply observes. This is mentioned in the article but I felt it nessercary to mention again. I afdmit we live in a world that is dominated by violence, but that doesn't mean we should encourage it.