Ban on Violent Video Games?

It is not the governments place to determine how people raise their children.

Also, I think that the ESRB rating system exists so that we don't have to entertain a serious discussion of banning violent games. If GTA V is rated M, then maybe you should think twice about buying it for your 12-14 year old son or daughter. IMO, this is just a much better system than somebody or group arbitrarily determining what does and does not get banned.

Drawing a literal line of 'can't and can', in my opinion isn't the answer. While kind of an old tune, I'm more for informing parents and other parties associated with guiding our world's minors. In my experience kids (my definition is 12 and under) get access to games I don't think they should be playing (grand theft auto, GoW, Dead Space, etc.) because the parents in question didn't know any better, and it comes to a shock when they finally see these games in action. Occasionally there are those who don't care ("it's just a game"), and simply leave their kids to the games as a sort of babysitter, an interaction to keep the kid occupied as they don't have because of work or exhaustion.

tl;dr Need informed guardians not a government sanction.

Wow, Thank you all for giving your opinion on this topic. Wasnt expecting to get paragraphs

No. It is not better to shelter than to instruct. You must ADDRESS the issue before it manifests itself, hence, violent video games should be used as a tool. It should be impressed upon children that the behaviour such as is seen in these games is NOT acceptable in society. However, we appear to be doing the opposite and sheltering children and trying to never let them see it. Well, if they do not know this behaviour is wrong, it´s a small wonder they commit it.

Violent video games shouldn't be banned because it all depends on the player. Video games do not cause violent acts within kids and teens. The kid's personality has everything to do with it. Every minor doesn't absorb details from the game, some play it for fun or use video games to get away from the real world.

I voted no.

Every video game has a degree of violence (for the most part). Mario for example is featured recklessly squashing small animals and kicking turtles hiding in their shells for fun.

Football games display the same violence that exists in the game (Note: EA Sports' motto: "It's In The Game")

Some games may not be as overtly graphic as COD and Halo and GTA but to some extent, the violence is always there

I cannot support the ban on violent videos games because we as gamers are already well settled in the games we play and if the government or whatever organizations start banning games over simple statements like how Pokemon is a light interpretation of Animal Fighting (I'm not trying to insult anyone but this could be a silly reason to ban it) and how GTA V influences youth to engage in illegal activites (I have watched playthroughs and while its amusing you are pretty much doing so but you get what I mean.) That's my reasoning as to why supporting the banning of violent video games would not be a proper solution unless fully clarified and such.

isnt that already the case?

What we're doing right now is fine. Minors should not be able to purchase a mature rated game. The parents can do this for them (hence all the 7 year olds on Call of Duty), and that's it. Minors should not be able to buy games with violent content in the same way they can't buy R rated movies and pornography.

This is actually a complicated issue. A minor can range from 7 to 17, and the maturity gap in between these two numbers is quite large. To show scenes that could potentially traumatize a sheltered 7 year old could spark outrage in the parents. We all know that the violence is not the central part of any game and violence must be absorbed by someone who can understand and interpret why it is happening.

I am not saying that for this reason, games such as Gears of War should be banned from sale or play in a commercial market; however I am saying that finding the thin line between those who will best receive the message in a violent video game and those who will not is very difficult.

For this reason, giving a yes or no answer does not do this issue justice. Finding the degree of violence versus understanding is what should be sought after.