by Patrick Degoey

Created on: December 16, 2009

Video games have been a topic of controversy for only a few years, but arguments against them have become more and more common. With the modern age of video games coming in, the games have become more complex, and more graphic. Many people are worried that games displaying violence have a negative effect on teens, though these cannot be proven.

First person shooters, commonly known as FPS games, have become more and more popular among teens. These games almost always entail in the player shooting at another person in the game. These cause many concerns among parents, and other adults. They believe that these actions in video games will relay into real life, but no evidence has been shown to prove that. For example at Columbine High school in 1999, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris committed what is known considered to be one of the most heinous acts of violence to take place in a school. It was revealed that both enjoyed to play video games, specifically first person shooters, and this became one of the commonly known factors that led to their act of violence. It was believed by many that these games that they used guns in caused them to use the guns in reality. Though,this could have had nothing to do with the crimes the committed. Many people believe that many of the mass murders that occur are committed by teens, who play games such as first person shooters. When in reality, the most violent school crime to take place, The Bath School bombings, was committed by an adult, and did not use guns, but bombs. And this was decades before video games were even made.

While many people believe that violent video games have caused the violent crime rate to sky-rocket, almost the opposite has happened. Crime rates among teens have not gone up drastically since the introduction of video games. This may be due to the fact that many teens are able to even "let out anger" by playing these games. While it may not be healthy to take out anger by shooting people in a video game, it is much safer then to go around and harming real human beings.

Video games will always be a large topic of debate, and until further research is done, their psychological effects on teens will remain unknown. Though they are not particularly "good" for a teenager, and their are better in healthier ways to spend time and have fun, it would be a stretch to say that video games are bad for them.

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