Press Pause on Assumptions: Reevaluating the Connection Between Aggression and Violent Video Games

Gaming demographics

Globally, almost 3.5 billion people (and growing) are estimated to be active video game players. In the U.S., more than 60% of the population plays video games, equating to nearly 200 million individuals. Many participants engage across multiple platforms, the most popular of which is mobile gaming (phones and tablets) across all generations. Popularity of gaming on personal computers (PCs) versus dedicated gaming consoles follows generational lines, with younger generations slightly preferring consoles, while Gen X and older generations prefer PCs.

As the Entertainment Software Association reported in 2024, the age distribution of gamers in the U.S. showed that only about 24% of gamers are under 18, and roughly 29% of gamers are over 50.  The largest percentage of gamers (47%) fall into the 18–50-year-old age range.  The average age of a U.S. gamer is around 36 years old. Players that identify as male account for 53% of the gaming population, compared to 46% of gamers that identify as female. 

News cycle

Video games have endured public, political, and academic scrutiny for nearly 40 years, with common claims that violent video games contribute to aggression, desensitization to violence and pain, loss of empathy, and were even accused of playing a part in some of the most violent tragedies in U.S. history, such as the Columbine and Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings. 

In the 1990s, the outrage against violent video games led to the creation of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), which evaluates video game content and provides ratings with age guidance recommendations that are visible to consumers.  Other countries have implemented similar review boards. Though not legally enforceable in the U.S., video game retailers are discouraged from selling M-rated games to those under 17 years of age. Complicating the challenge with limiting sales to minors is the rise of digital storefronts, which do little—if anything—in the way of age verification.

Research

Academic research regarding the impact of violent video games has been almost comically contradictory. Even entire meta-analyses (a statistical technique that combines the results of multiple scientific studies) using the same pool of available research have arrived at different conclusions. It is important to note, however, that even the most critical meta-analysis—performed by a task force for the American Psychological Association—concluded that a link exists between violent video games and aggression, but not violent, criminal, or delinquent behavior (this statement was redacted in a 2020 resolution). One might wonder how this degree of disagreement continues to exist after decades of research. It turns out that evaluating causation of aggression in humans is challenging—even for the experts.

One reason for the inconsistency in research outcomes relates to study design.  While not all-inclusive, consider the following criticisms of study design cited across the relevant literature:

• Completely different types of games are used to represent violent versus nonviolent gameplay in most studies. This introduces variability due to unique characteristics of each game such as difficulty level, pacing, art style, game mechanics, and gameplay goals.

• Inconsistent definitions of aggression (e.g., affect vs. self-reported feelings vs. behaviors)

• Few study outcomes have been reproducible, and analysis methodology can drastically alter conclusions.

• Many studies are conducted with short gaming sessions in laboratory settings with immediate evaluation for aggression. 

Ignoring study design criticisms and assuming they are all accurate and reproducible, there have been a number of studies that link aggression with violent video games. However, they do not all come to that conclusion and research has yielded additional findings and interesting areas for exploration: 

• Those with a preference for violent video games are more prone to exhibit aggression, lower empathy, and reduced perception of pain.

• The impact of violent video games is similar to effects observed from consuming other violent media.

• At least one study found that certain narcissistic personality traits, rather than the violence of the game, were predictors for hostility, aggression, and anger.

• Competition in video games—whether violent or not—is strongly associated with aggression, which is further augmented in the context of losing.

• Frustration with a game’s difficulty—again, regardless of violent content—is linked to aggressive affect, but not aggressive affect.

• When considering the overall impact of video games, the value of the activity that the game is replacing must be considered; a violent game may be a more acceptable use of time for some individuals than alternative behaviors.

• Violent video games do not necessarily positively reinforce violence. Some have prompted in-depth, genuine discourse about the morality and cost of real-life violence.  They are even being studied for their potential to help treat trauma disorders, phobias and individuals at risk for violent behavior.

The potential impact of violent video games on children is of particular concern since they are still developing morality, emotional regulation, empathy, and impulse control. A surprising number of studies have evaluated various aspects of children playing violent video games.  While not without conflicting results (for study design reasons noted above), some studies have reported small but statistically significant evidence that violent video games have a greater negative influence on children than on adults. 

It is worth noting that the games most frequently criticized for violent content were never intended for children. All video games are age-rated by the ESRB and disclose the traits responsible for their rating (e.g. sexual content, use of drugs, strong language, gambling, intense violence). These ratings are available whether the game is purchased physically or downloaded digitally. However, limiting access to minors remains a challenge. Since age restrictions are not enforceable in the U.S., the onus falls on parents and caregivers to closely monitor gameplay and online human-to-human interactions.

Conclusions

Despite almost decades of research, making the overarching statement that violent video games cause significant aggression in game players appears to be an overreach, given the current state of the literature. More nuanced, high-quality, reproducible research is needed. An individual’s characteristics and traits—as well as sociocultural and contextual factors—cannot be ignored and may be more influential on aggression than the amount of violence present in a game. There are some positives to videos games when they are used as forms of entertainment including but not limited to better hand eye coordination and thousands of jobs related to game manufacturing. However, until more is known about the impact on children who prefer to play violent games, their access and responses to violent games must be monitored by caregivers.

References

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