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VIDEOGAME VIOLENCE
Even though the media has only taken note of violent videogames during the past decade or so, they are almost as old as the medium.
"Death Race" was released in 1976. It was the first game that the media immediately decried. In this game, you drove around in a car in order to run down"gremlins." The original name of the game was "Pedestrian."
DeathRace
As games increased in popularity, Nintendo required their games to pass a "test" to earn a Nintendo "Seal of Quality." When companies were able to break the "lock-out" codes for the Nintendo console, some unlicensed titles featuring nudity and graphic violence were released, but were never popular.
Violence in videogames hit the forefront in 1993 when Mortal Kombat was released. This game featured button combinations that initiated "Finishing Moves" that allowed the player to decapitate his opponent, rip their arms off, impale them, and other graphic acts. This game was an instant hit and was soon in arcades all across the country.
MK1 and MK2 Fatalities
Around the same time as Mortal Kombat, a game was released called "Night Trap." This game caused quite a stir due to its depictions of violence and scenes that some considered close to simulated rape. The uproar about this game was made even worse because the game used actual "movie-like" footage instead of the digitized images that the general public usually associated with Video Games.
Night Trap
After the public outcry and Senator Joe Lieberman's urging, the video game industry decided to police itself and developed the ESRB (Entertainment Software Ratings Board). This self policing organization gives out ratings to video games in a similar fashion as the Motion Picture Industry.
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Teen : Content may be suitable for persons ages 13 and older. May contain violent content, mild or strong language, and/or suggestive themes. (Equivalent to "PG-13" in movies)
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M — Mature : Content may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. May contain mature sexual themes or more intense violence or language. Congress wants all retailers have a policy of not selling games with this rating to minors. (Equivalent to "R" in movies)
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AO — Adults Only : Content suitable only for adults, not intended for persons under the age of 18. May include graphic depictions of sex and/or violence. (Equivalent to "NC-17" in movies) As of May 2003, no games have been marketed for a Sony, Microsoft, or Nintendo console with this rating. However they have been available for personal computers.
In 1999, games such as Doom and Quake were blamed by some for the Columbine Tragedy. Lawyer Jack Thompson (www.stopkill.com)filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit on the behalf of the Columbine Victims in 1997. Thompson claimed that the game producers had trained the videogame players to enjoy killing. The case was dismissed in 2002.
Doom and Doom 3
The usage of the ratings system silenced most critics until Grand Theft Auto III was released. In this game you played a small-time criminal who was sent on tasks from various criminal leaders. The tasks often included carjacking, drugdealing, and murder. This game has rejuvenated the uproar against violent videogames, and it has placed the ESRB at odds with Congress.
Grand Theft Auto 3 and San Andreas