A Critical Analysis: Should Action Games Be Banned? An Essay

This argumentative essay critically analyzes whether action games should be banned, exploring both their negative and positive impacts. The essay highlights research suggesting that action games can increase aggression, decrease empathy, and potentially lead to psychological problems, especially in younger players. It discusses how the realistic graphics and violent content of these games can desensitize players and potentially translate into real-world behavior. Despite acknowledging some potential benefits like improved visual processing and strategic thinking, the essay concludes that the severe negative effects on players' psychology warrant a ban on action games. The essay references several studies and provides a balanced view of the issue, ultimately advocating for the replacement of action games with alternative forms of entertainment.

Running head: ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY
ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

1ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY
Violence games are a major source of controversies since the early 2000s (Ferguson,
2015). The fact that violent games creates a remarkably negative impact on the psychology of the
player playing the game further create the problem (Bini, 2017). Action games like shooter
games, fighting games and platform games are videogames that involve physical challenges.
This essay critically analysis whether action games should be banned or not. In this essay,
various negative impacts of action game have been discussed along with several positive effects
of action games. Finally, it has been concluded that considering the severe negative impact of
action games on the psychology of the gamers that can lead to long term psychological problems,
action games should be banned.
Action game is one of the major video game genres and is played by more than 1.2
billion people globally. According to research, action games do enhances aggressiveness and
hostile behavior in the individual playing it. Studies say, violent video games including action
games not only increases anger, aggressive thoughts, psychological arousals and heart rate but
also decreases kind gestures and helping attitudes, when played for a prolonged amount of time
(Stinchcombe et al., 2017). It has been discovered that individuals playing violent games for
three constitute days, reacts more aggressivelyin a particular situation than players playing non
violent games. High graphics and advanced technologies have made action game more realistic
and therefore the visual and sound effects like bloodshed and expression of an individual while
getting killed are more life-like. Considering the fact that action games are mostly played by
children and young adults, unethical, violent activities, even though performed virtually, can get
translated into reality as well. In games like Angry birds, Call of Duty and Mx Player, in the
name of entertainment the players tend to enjoy immoral activities like brutally killing or
harming. This is creating negative impact on the mind of the players specially who are less than

2ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY
16 years old. This psychological impact on children often leads them to act aggressively in
academic places or even at home. These type of issues can be avoided by banning action games.
Considering the fact that action game involves frequent usage of violent accessories like
guns or knife and activities of killing, though virtually, this type of games often made the players
believe that violent is the only remedy (Greitemeyer & Mügge, 2014). . Besides that, action
games often create a virtual fantasy world for the player. According to research, frequent cases
are reported where players got so engrossed in the virtual story of the game that they
substantially become insensitive in the real world (Ferguson & Olson, 2014). Despite of the fact
that such cases are rare, creation of a non-existing world is negatively affecting the daily
activities and concern of the players in the real world. Being highly addictive, action games often
make the player lose track of time. Research says, several number of action game players often
pay no attention to their priorities due to their addiction in gaming. This results in unsuccessful
academic or professional life along with unhealthy lifestyle causing obesity or other health issues
in the long run.
In spite of the above-discussed negative effect of action games, many individuals believe
that actions games have several positive impacts. Action games are believed to increase an
individual’s visual information processing ability. It has been argued that since action games like
Halo, Grand Auto theft and Call of Duty needs lots of activities in the screen, gamers need to
take quick action in certain situation (Granic, Lobel & Engels, 2014). This increases the player’s
on spot decision making skills Arguments like action game enhances creativity, strategic
thinking, memory and problem solving skills are also there. According to several senior action
game players, since these types of games involves adrenaline secretion and quick decision
making skill, action games helps in delaying the aging process of an individual. The most

3ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY
celebrated fact about action game is that these games not only act as a medium for the players to
express their fury, but also helps them to vent out any kind of frustration, resentment or
disappointment which otherwise might have taken the form psychological issues like depression
(Ferguson, 2015). Considering the fact that violent games are engaging, they prevent an
individual to undergo depression or perform self-harming activities. Action game, due to its
property to engage an individual totally into it, often let people release their negative emotion in
the game and thus avoid the risk of developing psychological issues.
From the above essay, it can be concluded that, in spite of having several positive
impacts, action games need to be banned for their severe negative effects on the psychology of
the gamers. As stated in the essay, action games results in increasing aggressiveness in the
younger generation due to which lack of helping attitude or feelings of empathy can be visibly
noticed. Considering the fact that along with society, action game is also harming the player’s
life goals and lifestyle it can be said that action game should be replaced with other forms of
social entertainments.

4ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY
Reference List:
Bini, B. S. (2017). Posthuman amusements Gaming and virtuality. Media and Utopia: History,
imagination and technology, 270.
Ferguson, C. J. (2015). Do angry birds make for angry children? A meta-analysis of video game
influences on children’s and adolescents’ aggression, mental health, prosocial behavior,
and academic performance. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 10(5), 646-666.
Ferguson, C. J., & Olson, C. K. (2014). Video game violence use among “vulnerable”
populations: The impact of violent games on delinquency and bullying among children
with clinically elevated depression or attention deficit symptoms. Journal of youth and
adolescence, 43(1), 127-136.
Granic, I., Lobel, A., & Engels, R. C. (2014). The benefits of playing video games. American
Psychologist, 69(1), 66.
Greitemeyer, T., &Mügge, D. O. (2014). Video games do affect social outcomes: A meta-
analytic review of the effects of violent and prosocial video game play. Personality and
Social Psychology Bulletin, 40(5), 578-589.
Stinchcombe, A., Kadulina, Y., Lemieux, C., Aljied, R., & Gagnon, S. (2017). Driving is not a
game: Video game experience is associated with risk-taking behaviours in the driving
simulator. Computers in Human Behavior, 69, 415-420.