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Video games have always had a lot of conflicting opinions and perceptions. Violent video games have been a subject under discussion for many years. Around 97% of violent video games players are young people between the ages of 12 to 17 year. This has fueled the high growth in the US domestic video game industry.

The goal of these video games is to increase popularity by killing other players. The popularity of these games in society raises a lot of questions about its effects. Some of the concerns are whether violent video games lead to real-life violence?

Pros:

1. Explore rules and consequences of action: Violent video games offer a healthy and safe opportunity to players to virtually explore the rules and the consequences of violent actions.

2. Brainstorming: Violent Video games are very challenging and they require a lot of brainstorming as the players ransack their minds for solutions on how to succeed on a mission, and this enables them to develop strategic thinking and boost creativity.

3. Thrilling games: Violent video games enables one to have as much fun as he wound when kayaking or skydiving. The adrenaline rush from playing the game is satiating and makes one feel young.

4. A safe outlet for aggressive feelings: Violent video games helps players express their anger and get out any angry feelings. It provides a safe outlet for handling aggressive feeling or anger issues.

5. Keeps you active: Violent video games are engaging and keeps you away from trouble or harm out there. You always feel accomplished and satisfied in the virtual world without having any physical impact on the life of others.

6. Ability to distinguish fantasy and reality: Violent video game players understand that their playing game and should not emulate the video games in real-life. They are able to distinguish between fantasy and reality.

7. Decrease crime rates: There is some evidence that increased sale of violent video games has reduced crime rates among the youth.

8. Teaches destruction: Violent video games with a lot of action and killings, not only thrilling to the players or enable them to have an adrenaline rush, but also teaches them destruction. It helps them know an eye for an eye crushes the whole world or creates destruction.

9. Delay aging: Violent scenes increases adrenaline and induce blood pumping. This makes them more active thus, delaying the aging process.

10. Develop various skills: Players engage their mind, enhance their thinking, learn problem-solving skills, and decision making.

Cons:

1. Teach gamers to act on violence: Video games not only entertain players through the act of violence. The players may feel that the act of violence or bloodshed is fun and this is basically unacceptable and immoral.

2. Acceptable conflict-solving strategy: Violent video games makes the youth learn that violence is a great technique to solve any conflict and achieve one’s goal. Those who play violent games have lower believe in the use of non-violent strategies.

3. Associate pleasure with pain: Violent video game may make the players of the game to associate pleasure and happiness with causing pain to others just as they see in the games they play.

4. Associated with school bullying: Violent video games have been the major cause of increased school bullying and violence towards women.

5. Makes one violent: Violent video game desensitize a player to violence and rewards players for simulating and this makes the players have aggressive behavior in the real-life situation.

6. Lower empathy: Exposure to violent video games to kids of forth or fifth grade made lead to low empathy and more aggressive moods. It creates more destruction.

7. Scary: Not all violent video games are played by children, some of them are very scary and inappropriate to be played by the children.

8. Addictive: Violent video games can become addictive making one lose track of time and live an unhealthy lifestyle.

9. Create a fantasy world: Some players may become so engrossed in the virtual world thus becoming insensitive in the real world or get disassociated with reality.

10. Constant debate: It is difficult for parents to control their kids and keep them away from playing a certain game due to constant debate in schools from other kids. The kids always debate on various levels making other kids be interested to try the game.