Video Games and Violence

I could really use some help. I am writing a book about the benefits of video gaming. I just finished my doctorate and did a study that showed that video game playing in middle school and high school prepared students for college. I'm using my research to write a book that corrects many of the myths about violence and video games. I could use some real data from real gamers. If you could take a minute (maybe less) to answer a few simple questions, completely anonymous it would be very helpful.

https://forms.gle/BwGfEj2Go5nRpMPu5

Thanks in advance

I just took your survey and I'm glad you took the time to set this up and make a statement in your book.

I do have one thing I would like to mention, even tho I'm not sure how much it would add to your main points. I honestly think that having VR coming into the gaming world is great. Not only can people release their anger or stress in the virtual world, but they can also do it while being fully immersed in the gaming world, rather than just sitting down and staring at a screen. I have PSVR and when I'm feeling pent up or just energized, I can play fighting games to help me release all that energy while letting me just wail on someone with force.

PSVR is a good way to show people an idea of what VR is capable of, showing off games like Creed, where you are always in the gym, physically working out and using your body as if you truly there. Another game would be Gun Club VR, where all you do is shoot a variety of guns at targets. These two games alone could be enough to settle down someone who is feeling pent up and is looking to escape the real world. The best part is that its a budget headset, only coming in at $200-$250. While all this might sound like the perfect device, there are issues that hold it back.

For starters, PSVR does not have the best-looking graphics, and the design of the hardware isn't practical as some would like it to be. Not only that but, having to spend $200+ on a headset and 2 wands is a tough sell for anyone who has never really given PSVR any thought or who have has heard only negative things about the hardware. If people were to look past these issues, PSVR would a great introductory device.

Even though I'm only talking about PSVR, there are other options out there that might be more enticing to the public. The two that come to mind are The Occulus headsets and the Valve Index. Both are superior to the PSVR in terms of accessibility, design, graphics, and games. However, just like the PSVR, there are issues with these two as well.

One of the major drawbacks is pricing. Coming in at $400 for the Occulus Quest, a device that does not need a PS4, Xbox or PC to use, this is already a tougher sale to make, especially since the PSVR is $250. Not only that, the list of games that are featured on the Quest are not as vast as the Index or Occulus Rift, which uses a PC to be powered, meaning that more games are accessible. On the flip side, you have the Index and Rift, which are superior to the PSVR and Rift....starting at $1,000+ for new equipment, PC and VR. At this point in time, going to PSVR doesn't seem that bad in the end.

With all this being said, if money was not an issue, and there was a genuine interest in these devices by the masses, not only can there be a shortage of people taking their anger out on others, there will be an incentive for game developers to push out other games and encourage more people to try it.

Sorry for the long-winded post but, I thought I'd share my opinion on this matter. I hate seeing the news open up with mass shootings and gunmen going on a rampage, hurting innocent people. I'd love to see a more positive community in the real world, leaving all that toxicity, hatred and stress in the virtual world. I'll be sure to look out for your book and gain some insight from your point of view. Cheers!

Did it. My two cents: Violence in videogames and violence in real life have absolutely nothing to do with eachother.

A long time ago when videogames didn't exist, some people said DnD made players into satanists. Saying that violence in videogames makes people violent in real life is equally absurd.