Are teenage boys killing video games?

The provocative title of this post might have some of you spluttering into whatever beverage you happen to be holding. You might be saying "but the majority of gamers are teenage boys", "I'm a teenage boy, how dare you" or "what can teenage boys do to harm video games". But let me put forward an idea that, since this is primarily a Nintendo site, might find some favour.

The quality of a game's content can be defined by a mixture of how it looks, sounds and, most importantly, plays. Graphics and sound, however, are important only in that they should fit the game. So, for example, High Definition is never going to make that much difference to a game that is well fit by a simple, cartoon like, graphical style.

Beyond the actual quality of a game, we can talk, perhaps, about its maturity or depth. Games can be involving, thought provoking and intellectually challenging in numerous ways. Just like other forms of entertainment can be intellectual or dumb: newspaper puzzles can range from join-the-dots and wordsearches to cryptic crosswords and sodoku grids; books can range from Partica Cornwell to Marcel Proust.

However, in gaming, this notion of maturity through depth and intellectual stimulation is lost. Instead the games market seems to pander to a teenage notion of maturity through age certification. The games industry seems to be motivated only to make games that appeal to teenage boys that define quality by asking 'ow many killins?' (little League of Gentlemen reference).

So, a cel-shaded Zelda is for kids despite an involved story line, puzzle solving, genuine emotion and artistic merit. Similarly, a silken-trousered Prince of Persia is unappealling because there's no blood (only sand creatures), and the Prince doesn't look like a stereotypical gruff voiced action hero, despite the fact that the puzzles are ingeneous and, once again, the story is genuinely involving and has artistic merit. On the other hand Warrior Within is fine, despite a ridiculous, inconsistent story and poor quality puzzles; juvenile crap like Manhunt is desirable and E3 is awash with booth-babes (suggesting the mentality goes beyond the gamers to, at least, the games journos). This mentality has even extended to high quality games: as great as RE4 is, I wince every time Leon says 'shit' or Luis maks some inappropriate comment about Ashley's breasts. The gore is also totally overdone for the sake of shock value. It's like the action movies of the mid-eighties where the whole purpose of successive films was to out-gore the last one.

This tendency has led to great, innovative games being marginalised. Would a game as massive, detailed and open ended as GTA: San Andreas have been as lauded if it didn't involve shaggin ho's and stealing cars? Probably not. Will some scrote complain about the lack of blood and sound of hacking flesh in the new Zelda. Almost definitely. Will uninspired first-person-shooters continue to sell by the bucket load as long as they give you the opportunity to shoot someone in the groin with realistic wincing action and bloody spurts. You bet your life they will.

ok. but im going to dissagree with you here there are a lot of games being made for kids as well and not just for teenagers.

EDIT: DOUBLE POST

[ Edited by chc000074 on 2005/6/29 14:04 ]

Well said Dr_R.

Its what most of us have been saying all along, and known for years. I don't think "teenage boys" is the right term though; a lot of members here are teenage boys and they like good games, after all, this is a Nintendo forum. But there is a majority type of gamer that is killing gaming, yes - its the type of gamer that Sony and Microsoft brought about IMHO. (this isn't a criticism of xbox or playstation, both systems have some very good games... but also plenty of crap that originated from the audience that they were marketed to)

This is an obvious problem, but if people are buying the games then companies will keep making them. However, just because a game has gore, swearing or whatever in doesn't mean that the game isn't good. An example you used yourself was Resi4

Agree with all the comments above. Totally agree that just because it has gore, killing or swearing doesn't make it worthless or bad. I just feel that quite often the artistic importance of these aspects isn't considered. RE4 is a case in point. Leon saying 'shit' feels laboured and there to make a certain section of the gaming populous ooh at the idea of upsetting their nice middle class parents. Like the gaming equivalent of listening to Slipknot.

In terms of violence in art/games/films being worthwhile you could look at, for instance, Fightclub, which is as violent as hell but has a point to it. However, GTA: San Andreas is just pimps n' ho's for the sake of it. I struggle to think of a video game where the violence is dealt with in a mature, intelligent manner. There has never been a game where you feel sorry for the violence you cause. Losing points for shooting a civilian is usually the best it gets. The best example I think I can find is in the supposedly kiddie Wind Waker. At the end you feel sympathy for Ganondorf as he recounts the struggle of his desert upbringing and would genuinely hope for an option other than killing him.

Sorry if any teenage boys reading have been upset by the title of this thread. I posted it here because C3 is one of the most considered games forums I have come across (wouldn't have registered otherwise). Like I said the teenage boys idea simply comes from the no gore = crap type of gamers immediately making me think of the mullet-haired, video shop prowling teens in League of Gentlemen and their 'ow many killins?' comments.

Good points Dr_R, however it is not always making mature games to appeal to these types of gamers. Sometimes it is more about using repeating forumlas that sell well, such as FIFA, and Need for Speed. However from these popular formuals great games can be made, like Pro Evolution Soccer and Burnout. So it is not all doom and gloom.

Actually, I quite enjoy GTAA, though I don't get along with the average fan, I have found that it is generally a nice mixture of parody and violence (always a good sign); it is good to have maturity in art/games/films, but you have to appreciate violence for the sake of violence sometimes. I understand that some of the lower end of the market is overbalanced right now, but you have to be careful not to become marginalised or your opinion will be worthless...
Personally, I'll be happy enough playing Pikmin/Animal Crossing/Nintendogs when the idiots are fawning over Generic FPS/Racing Clone.

Like I said the teenage boys idea simply comes from the no gore = crap type of gamers immediately making me think of the mullet-haired, video shop prowling teens in League of Gentlemen and their 'ow many killins?' comments.

Yeah, the majority of us here are not like that. Still, i can see where you are coming from. They only seem to want games that involve destruction or killing. Aspects like that are even advertised, like Mercenaries "Blow Stuff up, Blow it up again....." etc.

Even so, games like GTA appeal because of the freedom and large range of things you can do in the game. Even if people buy it, it does not mean that they are destroying games. The good companies that make good games still carry on and still give us the wonders we want.

I think the dumbing down aspect has hit every kind of media to appeal to the mass market, it is just more noticable in games because they are not rated 'for children,' 'for teenagers' and 'for adults.'

For example the majority of action films these days are brought out with a 12A certificate to make the most money possible. Look at Alien vs Predator, two of the best film franchises dumbed down to make money for a younger audience.

Music has become very mundane with companies aiming bands at children again for money.

Games are the same, aimed at the mass market to generate mega bucks.

There are still a few gems, in movies weve recently had Sin City, an actual 18 and a great movie made by people who want to make great movies.

Musically there are many great bands, you just have to look for them harder and in games we have the Zeldas, Final Fantasies etc that time love and effort have been put into.

the reason in my opinion that the MINORITY of teenagers love violence is that they want to escape from reality. some teenagers maybe a little athletic, angry, bullier, and energetic to be active in today's society. Video games is an escape from that "negative energy" which they would otherwise express in reality. i kno many people who are like this and the violence in the games help them to cope with these problems (may it be ADD, ADHD, or the like).

on the other hand, for the MAJORITY of teenagers who love violence i think it is getting out of hand. violence, especially the unsympahetic kind that Dr_R is talking about, is the reason in my opinion for many of the public scool shootings we hear about.

Dont get me wrong because i love violence to a certain extent. the violence where justice is served is the type that is somewhat healthy for the human being. but the unconditional, unsympathetic, and undeniable violence is the type that can ultimately lead to harm.

[ Edited by me on 2005/6/29 12:58 ]

In essence they are. Much like teenage girls have killed singles sales by buying anything with balls and a pube in droves since the 80s.

I love how its always kids f 14 that say "Nintendo is for kids"... and that for me is perfectly descriptive of why they are ruining our gaming.

I love how its always kids f 14 that say "Nintendo is for kids"... and that for me is perfectly descriptive of why they are ruining our gaming.

Do you just mean uninformative kids or do you mean anyone that age?

Uninformed, but thats about 90% of them.