Area of Technology 4: Issues

There are many issues being formed in the world of gaming and they are:

• Obesity - Many children are now spending hours in front of TV and PC screens playing on the games consoles instead of experiencing the real world both socially and actively through exercise. Gaming is it encouraging children to stay inside and play on their new PS3 or x-box 360 and interating online rather than going out and interacting with real people and more importantly getting exercise while doing so it is a major issues concerning gaming.
• Does the new technology encourage illegal activity? Will people do anything to get their hands on the new "must have" game consoles and games, will they resort to anything to get them? This is a major issue to consider in gaming.
• Violence - is now one of the key issues in regards to gaming. Games such as Grand Theft Auto, Hitman and Manhunt have come under scrutiny for being too violent the later of which was banned in the UK and the US. Many are asking the question are video games too violent and too easy to get a hold of by younger children. Are they responsible for the increase in violence and attacks by children. It is a key issue that still being debated.
• Gender specific - Most games feature the strong male character e.g GTA, Splinter cell and Metal Gear Solid. These are pushing the fact that males are the stronger and more dominant of the genders as well as showing them in heroic status. However the game Tomb Raider which was a breakthrough in the gaming industry as the heroic character was not a male but a female. Lara Croft was a first for gaming in that it was a heroine character that "saved the day". However there are still critics over the way heroines in video games are depicted with the "beauty" image of the female characters which are made to be sexy which is also open for criticism.