What Exactly is “Violence” Anyway?

Many different politicians, parents, and journalists have attacked video games for being violent, but how is “violent” actually defined? It is one thing to say that games like Grand Theft Auto, Manhunt, and Halo are violent, but many attackers fail to draw a line between games like these and games like Tetris.

To really make the case against video games, opponents must first define which games are violent. It is ridiculous to say that games like Tetris, Wii Fit, and Brain Age are violent. In fact, these games are often praised for helping children exercise and develop problem-solving skills. It is also very easy to point to games like Grand Theft Auto, Quake, Halo, and Manhunt as violent. After all, these games involve shooting other characters and many feature realistic blood and death scenes.

But what about those game in between? Where, exactly, can the line be drawn as to what is violent and what isn’t? Let’s look at a few examples. The first is a classic: Super Mario Brothers. Nintendo’s flagship series has been around since the classic Nintendo system. But how does Mario defeat his enemies? Most often, he jumps on top of them! That is kind of violent, isn’t it? However, it is not realistic violence, so, according to rating boards, it is okay.

Then, there is the role playing series, Final Fantasy. In this game, players watch their characters attack enemies with swords, axes, bows, guns, and magical attacks. Violent? Yes. The more recent games in the series contain very realistic looking characters, so it is not the same as Mario jumping on top of a turtle. But is it violent? Again, groups like the ESRB consistently say no and often rate the games teen at most.

So, what is violence? When it comes to video games, it appears that violence, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.