Activision Blizzard Investors on Alert as Violent Video Games Being Partly Blamed for CT Shooting

The Street Insider ^ | Dec 17 2012 | The Street Insider

[WilliamIII]

Shareholders of Call of Duty video game maker Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI) and other video game makers are nervous Monday related to fears about a potential backlash from Friday's horrible Sandy Hook school shootings, which left 26 dead, including 20 children.

There have been reports from the Hartford Courant that alleged gunman Adam Lanza played "violent video game in which life-like characters engage in graphic battle scenes."

[Eagle of Liberty]

We’d be holding them financially liable where/if it could be proved that their product — which is intensely violent and is designed to be viewed intensely — had created a violent outburst in a disturbed person

If this is how you would like to handle things, then I would move that we hold record companies responsible for all of the violence that has occurred through the glorification of thug life.

[babygene]

“Efforts have been made to shield minors from violent video games, but with what criteria can you define a person as “susceptible”? Susceptible to what?”

I would suggest that ALL kids are susceptible to influences both positive and negative, up to about the age of eight or nine. These would be their formative years. This will vary somewhat with their maturity of course.

However, even young recruits in the military (boot camp) are susceptible if the influence is intense enough.

[Darnright]

> Your “logic” would be no different than those who call for banning guns since a few demented individuals use them to commit atrocities regardless of the fact that tens of millions of gun owners are law abiding citizens who don’t run around murdering people. <

The right to keep and bear arms is enshrined in our Bill of Rights.

The “right” to video games? Not so much.

(And I am not necessarily calling to ban the genre, just pointing out that banning a form of amusement is in no way equal to gutting the 2nd Amendment.)