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Ask HN: Why are video games violent?

2 points by morphir ↗ HN
I was thinking of picking up a ps3 since the price of the console has dropped so significantly the recent months. I was looking for what games that might be interesting to play with when I realize that pretty much all games recommended (with scores greater than 90%) where violent games. I have been playing shoot em up since the my amiga days and of course Duke Nukem 3D/quake/doom, but after playing Battlefield 2 in clan, I grew tired of all the Shoot'em up. So now I'm looking for something that does more than put a weapon in my hands, stimulates my narcissism, and pretty much dumb me down.

My question is this; why is violent games so dominant? Do we yearn so bad for reptilian behavior?

2 comments

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mbrubeck
I think it's partly because the game market has segmented by console; you might find more high-quality non-violent games on the Nintendo Wii.
ddemchuk
Reptilian? What about human society isn't violent?

Violence is (generally) illegal and because of that, it's taboo. Allowing people to do something that is taboo without threat of repercussion sells. Allowing someone to say, race each other to see who can buy the most groceries fastest, can be done in real life without getting in trouble, so it's boring. If games could have gratuitous sex and drug use (beyond Grand Theft Auto), they would sell just as well if not better.

You don't get continues in life if you catch AIDS...