Horrors on your PC coming to a mobile near you
Latest press releases"Parents should be more aware of just what they are putting into their children's Christmas stocking, Santa lists asking for computer games may contain material of a violent nature that they would not want their children involved with. Additionally, some so called violent video games are increasingly becoming available to download onto mobile phones," warns Warwick Business School researcher Patrick Stacey.
"Some parents may not be aware of the easy access to mobile violent games such as Doom, given that most computer games are marketed to the under 30s and anyone can download such games to their mobile", added Dr Stacey. This is a timely observation given that approximately 60% of all computer games are sold at this festive time of the year.
Dr Stacey and Professor Nandhakumar, who carried out detailed research amongst mobile game development studios in London and Dundee, found that many game developers did however have a sense of their corporate social responsibility; preferring not to simply leave it to the censors such as the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC). On the other hand, some larger PC/Console development companies seem to show the least concern, paying only lip service to their responsibilities to the public and shrouding themselves in secrecy.
The study recommends that greater communication take place between the games development industry and policymakers in order to promote a better understanding of the industry, particularly in light of recent comments by Jack Straw. Dr Stacey further suggests that more games developers need to speak up about the motivations behind their violent games, as his study identified a degree of reticence and even denial over the question of violence.
Dr Stacey explains, "Just like films, paintings and novels, computer games can be seen as an expression of cultural creativity; they are not just software. There is violence in much of what we see on TV and in film but when it is contextualised within the storyline it can be acceptable. With computer games the use of a 'backstory' is used to make sense of the way a game unfolds in a player's hands. Bringing these games into the mainstream of our culture rather than the narrow group to which many companies are guilty of targeting at present would be a great leap forward for the industry. Perhaps when the BAFTA video game awards become a top TV news story, the industry could be seen to be coming of age but certainly, more research has to be done.
Additionally, a recent Warwick Business School online poll resulted in 74% of respondents agreeing that violent games are too accessible to young people.
"Some parents may not be aware of the easy access to mobile violent games such as Doom, given that most computer games are marketed to the under 30s and anyone can download such games to their mobile", added Dr Stacey. This is a timely observation given that approximately 60% of all computer games are sold at this festive time of the year.
Dr Stacey and Professor Nandhakumar, who carried out detailed research amongst mobile game development studios in London and Dundee, found that many game developers did however have a sense of their corporate social responsibility; preferring not to simply leave it to the censors such as the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC). On the other hand, some larger PC/Console development companies seem to show the least concern, paying only lip service to their responsibilities to the public and shrouding themselves in secrecy.
The study recommends that greater communication take place between the games development industry and policymakers in order to promote a better understanding of the industry, particularly in light of recent comments by Jack Straw. Dr Stacey further suggests that more games developers need to speak up about the motivations behind their violent games, as his study identified a degree of reticence and even denial over the question of violence.
Dr Stacey explains, "Just like films, paintings and novels, computer games can be seen as an expression of cultural creativity; they are not just software. There is violence in much of what we see on TV and in film but when it is contextualised within the storyline it can be acceptable. With computer games the use of a 'backstory' is used to make sense of the way a game unfolds in a player's hands. Bringing these games into the mainstream of our culture rather than the narrow group to which many companies are guilty of targeting at present would be a great leap forward for the industry. Perhaps when the BAFTA video game awards become a top TV news story, the industry could be seen to be coming of age but certainly, more research has to be done.
Additionally, a recent Warwick Business School online poll resulted in 74% of respondents agreeing that violent games are too accessible to young people.
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