https://i.imgsafe.org/6cd7aaa170.png
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A 43-year old ex-Mormon friend of mine told me last week that video games encourage violence.

Watch this mesmerising 2017 PS4 games preview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyPzOrrLmWk

How do you feel? Is my friend right? Let's rewind a boy's life.

I played video games as much as possible growing up. My parents were scared of them but accidentally bought an Atari 130XE from a friend. He had used it for 'business'. But this was my games console. It had a 'Start' button for God's sakes. I played <a href="http://www.2600online.com/poleposition.html">Pole Position</a>, <a href="http://www.2600online.com/moonpatrol.html">Moon Patrol</a>, <a href="https://www.scirra.com/arcade/action-games/robotron-2084-1600">Robotron 2084</a> and <a href="http://www.2600online.com/donkeykong.html">Donkey Kong</a>.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/Atari_130xe.jpg
<center>Atari 130XE</center>
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Over the next few years my dad accidentally bought a Commodore Amiga 600 (bundled with <a href="http://playdosgamesonline.com/lemmings.html">Lemmings</a>) and finally a Windows PC (<a href="https://youtu.be/goQiwNZzoVA">Command & Conquer</a> dominated). All of these machines were bought with the sole intention of doing  'work'. I had little pocket money and  a low-paid paper round, so I've no idea how I accessed so many games. Much to the chagrin of my parents, however, I played until my fingers bled. <strike>It was the summer of '69.</strike>

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/Amiga600.jpg
<center>Amiga 600<sup>1</sup>. No keypad.</center>
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In 1998, when I finally had a classic job at <a href="https://youtu.be/ggOa9aSG-Ow">Argos</a>, and at the height of <a href="https://youtu.be/fmHKr1yIRBQ">Goldeneye64</a> fever, I bought a Nintendo64. What a glorious day! My top picks, apart from that 007 masterpiece, were <a href="https://youtu.be/2C3m5Lno_20">Banjo-Kazooie</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/PIwZOPIGF-c">Shadow Man</a> and of course <a href="https://youtu.be/ejaWq2TXRXE">The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time</a>.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/N64-Console-Set.png
<center>The Nintendo64</center>
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In my nihilistic early 20s, with no ambition or prospects, I climbed up a multi-storey car park with a sniper rifle and rocket launcher. I targeted people and vehicles in the street below until the army arrived. Then I tried to escape. This was <a href="https://youtu.be/738L_0uA9dw">Grand Theft Auto III</a><sup>2</sup>. At the other end of the country, my future friend @matrjoschka was stamping on a man's head for several minutes, even after his pixelated heart had stopped beating. This was also in Grand Theft Auto III.

Later, after a particularly hearty breakup, I enjoyed a drunken week of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAfkLsKXdKk">Burnout: Revenge</a>. Then three months in <a href="https://youtu.be/LkCNJRfSZBU">World of Warcraft</a> as an incredible Night Elf druid called Ichabod.

After a long, consoleless hiatus I bought a PS3 and died a hundred times in Call of Duty: Black Ops' <a href="https://youtu.be/CmM5_BgZbog">Nuketown</a>. Very stressful. At this time I also had <a href="https://youtu.be/0WmMpI0Cbho">Portal 2</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/0nwyn3rFxno">Skyrim</a>, the latter of which was ultra-violent (one time I punched an old lady through the floor) but at least offered a sense of humour and the chance to take a wife.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Sony-PlayStation-3-CECHA01-wController-L.jpg
<center>PlayStation 3</center>
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Why am I telling you all of this? It's because although some games gave me nuanced emotional solace, many were—and still are—highly focussed on **rage**. Even Mario is a <a href="https://thetop5five.wordpress.com/2012/11/29/6-horrible-truths-about-super-mario-bros/">serial killer</a>. With this in mind, I told my friend he was wrong. I was surprisingly drunk at the time. And I felt surprisingly articulate. No one had spoken that opening gambit to my face before, but suddenly the whole thing crystallised:<br><br>

<h1>Violent video games do not encourage violence. 
Violent video games are a *symptom* of violence.</h1><br>

Let's look again at a small boy's life.

We live in a society where the majority of children are treated as second-class citizens. Respect your elders, we are told. We are seldom, if ever, told to respect our children. As a result, most children are told what to do, how to act and what to feel, upon pain of shouting, spanking or worse. Parents and carers who were victims of similar trauma feel compelled not to blame their own carers, but instead to act out the same abuse on their children.

Personally I was spanked, emotionally neglected, and placed into the role of problem child, for no more—as I see it—than trying to make my life in any way comfortable. This would not be tolerated. I must do as I'm told or be punished.

Consequently, I was a withdrawn child with poor social skills and no support network. I was angry and upset almost all of the time. I was bullied at home and at school by people who were physically stronger than me. In turn I bullied some who were weaker than me. That was an outlet I regret.

My other outlet was video games.

Again, I didn't *only* like violent video games. I also liked games where I had to use logic. (I was in disbelief at the majesty of <a href="https://youtu.be/Trl0cvBFgCk">The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening</a> that I was lucky enough to play on a friend's Game Boy.) This was a result of not having my logic respected at home. If I asked a question my parents struggled to answer—religion was a particular flashpoint—I was belittled and told to stop being difficult.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/hOmKssPR-yk/maxresdefault.jpg
<center>Sim Tower<sup>3</sup> was a lot better than it looks.</center>
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Back to violence though. I concluded to my friend that video games are a conduit for rage. This rage could otherwise be used to hurt real people. It is sometimes so strong that video games are not enough. The vent is too small to control the internalised abuse. In these relatively rare cases it *appears* that video games encourage violence.

Violent games are played by people who need the fantasy of violence to subdue their real world pain. Game developers create these games to deal with their own pain. And there is a proven market. They provide the illusion of power and control in a seemingly uncontrollable world.

In the opening video, almost every shot includes a weapon or attack gesture. It overwhelmed me. But one shot stood out. It showed humanity, curiosity and vulnerability. These qualities are rare in games, but occasionally break through from the indie to the mainstream. Did you spot the shot?

It was at 2:11. The only part that made me feel calm. It was from a game called <a href="https://youtu.be/dJJmajUHmQA">Rime</a>. I knew nothing about Rime, apart from that I must own it. A potential diamond in the rough.

http://cdn4.twinfinite.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/rime.jpg
<center>Something about a keyhole in a tower?</center>
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I'm mainly done with violent video games. I never really liked the *very* angry ones anyway. I will still buy the new <a href="https://youtu.be/1rPxiXXxftE">Zelda</a> and I'm currently being pummelled by <a href="https://youtu.be/PwHgNxF7v9c">Bloodborne</a>, but I much prefer the thought of games as art. 

Society is becoming more connected. It's becoming self-aware. It feels like children are slowly being given respect. One day I hope that titles like Rime, <a href="https://youtu.be/--fbwMuvShQ">Journey</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/Brd0F7rlXCI">The Witness</a> become the norm rather than the exception. There is hope.

**Final thoughts:** There is clearly a lot more to say about all of this. There are countless games I have not mentioned. I welcome discussion.
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<sup>1</sup> <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Augiasz">Augiasz</a>

<sup>2</sup> "Gud vido i love tanks," says one person in the comments, there.

<sup>3</sup> Developer: OpenBook Co., Ltd.