Gaming is not a threat

Johannesburg, 16 Sept 2009

Violent content in games is causing concern among parents, but the director of the upcoming Rage technology expo, Michael James, argues gaming has more benefits than drawbacks.

James believes that managing a child's exposure to violent content is no different to managing what they are exposed to on TV and the Internet.

“Age restrictions are there for a reason - whether it's on a movie, book or computer game, they need to be adhered to, and parents need to supervise and guide their children irrespective of the medium,” says James, who believes gaming popularity is likely to continue growing.

Controlled exposure

James believes that gaming is conducive to problem-solving, strategy, and stimulation of logical and deductive thinking. However, excessively violent games have raised the concerns of parents, educators and medical professionals about the effect of extremely violent games and content on children.

“The bottom line is that in the same way you would not allow your young child to watch horror movies or X-rated films, the same principles apply to gaming content. Probably even more so with gaming because of the absorbing and engaging nature of role-playing called for.”

James says video games and consoles are now offering parental control options that allow parents to monitor their children's activities and even limit the amount of time they spend on gaming.

He adds that crime levels and the economic downturn have led to cocooning, where families are choosing to stay at home rather than go out. This in turn has seen considerable growth in purchases of home theatre and entertainment systems.

“The gaming industry as we know it is radically changing the world's definition of entertainment. Not only is it creating the setting for the family unit to spend quality time together as a whole, but it is also creating a means for kids to entertain themselves with something that is thoroughly engaging in the safety of their own home, keeping them safe from harmful, external influences,” says James.

The consumer gaming and technology expo takes place from 2 to 4 October at the Coca-Cola Dome in Northgate.