What messages do video/ computer games send about violence?

While I'm not a psychologist, there have been some events that can be linked to video game violence. While I'm doing this, keep in mind that societies definition of "violent" is really dependent on the realism. Back in the '80's, there was an Atari game called "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and the entire premise of the game was to just kill people, and you got points for doing it (keep this in mind, it will come up later). That was considered violent just because of the premise. The idea that you were killing someone innocent was messed up. It still is, but to a lesser extent. Let's face it though, the graphics on the Atari 2600 were poor, sound was bad, and the sprites barely represented what they were supposed to be. Today, games like Call of Duty aren't considered horribly violent (despite their M rating) because it's war, and war is about killing someone who portray is bad. A classic example of the "video games make you violent" argument is Grand Theft Auto. The entire game is based around killing people, being in gangs, banging prostitutes and doing drugs. These games have had some effect, although nobody has been directly linked to this. It has been proven in some studies that violent video games do make some kids and teens more desensitized to violent images. It disconnects you from the reality of what you are doing. At it's core, you are attempting to kill another human being. Yes, it's fake, and the mind recognizes that. So when you hear about something like that in real life, you are more disconnected from the reality. The big example a lot of people have brought up time and time again is the Columbine shooting. The kids who carried out that shooting spent most of their time building pipe bombs, watching violent movies and creating levels in Doom. Today, Doom seems like a super calm game, because everything looks fake, but understand that Doom was revolutionary in graphics and gameplay at the time. Am I sitting here saying, "had Doom not existed, Columbine would not have happened?" Absolutely not, but it was a major contributing factor. So, what messages do video games send? Very few. They desensitize people (this has been proven, same with movies) and it makes people almost accept violence, and it has had an impact on some people, but you have to take games (and movies) for what they really are, fake. 99.9% of people who play video games are not going to go kill someone because they are disconnected from the reality of killing. However, it does have an effect on some people. Realistically, video games don't send a message. And to dissenters who say video games have no effect, that's a complete crock. Video games DO have an effect on you because of their interactivity. Regardless, do they send much of a message? No, not enough to sway 99.9% of the population to do anything they wouldn't, but their effect is sort of remarkable in the sense that they can affect the way you think.

well if you take video games seriously then they send out messages that its ok to shoot down anything an everyone. but people with common sense know what these are jus video games an they arent real. in the long run most games are always about killing someone or something to save the world. so i guess they are also saying that you gotta do whatever it takes to save the world?

yes....video games do promote violence and wrong deeds...games like gta have violence,robberies,sex and also some language....so it does send a bad message to the society...but like evrything else you should do what u think is right..games are not to be taken too seriously... :) :)