Video Games as Playbacks of War

In Manufacturing Desire, Berger discusses a number of different ways the media covered the Gulf War. He says that the graphic and violent images of the war shown on television were similar to that of a video game, wherein the player (or viewer in this case) shoots the "bad guys" who have no back story or family that will miss them, and achieves victory when all of them are dead. Ironically, some of the most popular video games today have this same storyline.

Call of Duty 4 Named Top Video Game

Call of Duty 4, a shoot 'em up game set in modern times, was named the top video game at the Interactive Achievement Awards last month. The video game's concept sets the player as a soldier fighting enemies in Russia and the Middle East. The object of the game is simple: kill the enemy, halting any mayhem they may have intended. Now, why would the government allow such graphic images and ideas to be produced and marketed towards adolescents in their mid to late teens? It could possibly be because that's who is targeted for soldier recruitment. As the war was raging in the Middle East, Call of Duty 1, 2, and 3 were being played by teenage boys looking for something to do. Once those boys went on to graduate and had no idea what to do with their lives, they may have been enticed by the promises of money and pride advertised by the armed services. The armed services are even considering using this same technology to train their soldiers. These popular video games may have helped create a violent desire in some teens.