Panic and Video Games: Is It Over?

   Ever since I have been playing video games, I have known that there has been public outrage over the content in some of these games. As part of the gaming community, we can all remember the Grand Theft Auto III media panic that ensued when the game was released. Looking back and playing GTA III again, I can hardly play it as the graphics are sub-par when compared to today's titles. The graphics make the game lose its realistic touch. Video games are so realistic now you could mistake Madden for a real football game or war video games for movies. But, with this level of realism, why have we not seen huge cases of media panic in a while? Are we desensitized? Has the media realized there is no link between video games and violence unless someone is predisposed to that type of behavior? Will there ever be another title to push the boundaries?
   After examining cases of media panic involving games from when I was growing up, it is clear that the first instances of gore, guns, and "realistic" depictions of death worried parents and the media. Maybe this is so because this was the tail end of the arcade era and some of these games were showcased there, such as Mortal Kombat I. If the arcade was still popular, I wonder if Mortal Kombat 9 would cause outrage. We will now take a look at Mortal Kombat  and the trouble it stirred.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOEUKBQIpjk

   In the 90's, this game caused much parental and media outrage. In my opinion, it was groundbreaking and gave birth to the serious fighting game. Without the immense popularity of Mortal Kombat, fighting games may not be around today and I would not be a fan of the genre.
   I owned Mortal Kombat in the Super Nintendo era, and it never bothered my parents and the media outrage soon died down. This makes me wonder if Mortal Kombat 9 was the first in the franchise, what would have happened? How would Fox News have reacted to this?
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FYI0-TF6uo
   Maybe as a culture we are desensitized to graphic violence, or maybe the media has realized that the video game industry is a key component to our failing economy and to disrupt the flow would be a bad idea. Or maybe the media is satisfied with the ratings system or just feels powerless in the situation since video games are so popular.
 
   In my opinion, there will eventually be a video game that pushes the boundaries but not until the next generation of consoles. I feel that the next game will not push the boundaries with graphics, but with content, just like in the mid 90's and early 2000's. Whether it is interactivity (such as the potential for built in social media and full web browsing) or just disturbing content, the boundary will eventually be pushed again. But who will do it and how?