Has the violent video game fiasco cleared up since the pandemic? Or are video games in 2022 still negatively influencing this generation? Since the pandemic, we haven’t heard much in the way of violent video game studies.

Violence seems more prominent now than ever though, as the pandemic has thrown the population for a loop. However, few are calling on video game makers to stop contributing to the violence.  So are video games no longer causing the development of delinquents in this generation?

Studies online claim video games do not increase aggression, and increase brain activity in other ways. Personally, video games have always been a release or, “get away” from the many stresses of life. Playing “violent” video games has stimulated many pieces of my brain that aren’t promoting violence, but gratification and stress-relief, seemingly the opposite effect many claim to be happening. At Greeley West, students who play the most popular violent video games such as, Fortnite, Apex Legends, and the Call of Duty and Halo series seem to be more distracted from doing violent actions.

Video games seem to be more of a distraction than encouragement for violence, where they provide virtual gratification, and allow teens to express their violent desires behind a screen, rather than enacting them in the real world. Teenagers across Greeley, and the United States, may not be encouraged by violent video games after all, and it just may be beneficial to this generation to boot up some “Call of Duty” and have fun instead of going out and committing crimes.