The ongoing conversation surrounding violent video games and the claim that said media leads to acts of terror has been resurrected following the recent shooting that happened within 24 hours of each other in both El Paso, TX and Gilroy, CA this past weekend. This argument even gaining the support from standing U.S. President Donald Trump, the topic of discussion further lead to potential censoring of violent-centered games at major retailers.
According to a report from Vice Games, storefront giant Wal-Mart is in the plans to removing any advertisements regarding video games inciting violence from retail locations as shared by an anonymous employee. This carries from “third-person shooter games” to even films that depict violence as well as hunting videos in the separated sporting goods department.
On Reddit, an image distributed from corporate Wal-Mart has emerged on the social forums which instructs employees in the electronics department regarding advertisements of games that fall under that criteria and respected demos to “remove from the salesfloor or turn off these items immediately.”
A statement from an employee asked to remove advertisements displaying violent depictions:
I went into work yesterday and they handed me a copy of the instructions to remove the violent signage and gaming displays. And I immediately threw it away because it’s obviously a way to shift the blame from the real problem regarding the mass shootings. I didn’t get to confirm this yesterday but they aren’t doing anything about the sales of guns and ammo in the store.
In the hopes to possibly resolve the current problems that society in the United States is facing with the increase of mass shootings, the probability to see some impact from the decision by Wal-Mart does not look to be the right answer. For many of us that have been playing video games for the majority of our lives, this conversation is just beating a dead horse in 2019. Ultimately removing advertisements only deems to be going against the incorrect issue at hand compared to other possibilities that could be accountable for.
Last year, Rectify Gaming’s Sergio Cazares wrote on the unlikeliness of video games directing the player to carrying out mass murder in today’s society. You can read his piece here.
Source: Vice Games
