Sex, violence: It's all in the game

KOLKATA: The next time your child wants that new computer game, give the cover a close look before picking it up. Though all games might look the same to parents glossy artwork and a hefty price tag there's more to them than just fun and games. Many of these flooding the market have extremely realistic violence and sexual content.
Many parents, unaware of these elements, are buying these games for their children.Ranging between
Rs 1000-2500, these games come with an above 18' warning, but most fail to notice this.
Take the example of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. One of the most popular games in the market, the content would give even liberal parents nightmares. Players get weapons, money and fancy cars to destroy a city. The challenge is to avoid being caught, beaten up or trapped.
You can also earn money through the game all you need to do is rob a person or a bank and beat up a policeman.
That's not the worst. In another section of the game, a rival group tries to trap a politician in a sleaze racket with the help of a woman.
The audio and video files are close to soft porn. "My son asked for this particular game. I mistook it for an earlier version of the same game meant for kids. Surprisingly when I went to the store, I found the game to be an upgraded version for adults. I decided against buying it," says Sanjeev Basu.
However, on his 10-year-old son Dhruva's persistence, Sanjeev asked him to get the game from a friend. "Since I am a techie, I opened the files and checked them separately and found violent and adult content to my horror. However, the adult content has a patch, which can be easily removed with a code available on the internet."
Kruttika Roy, parent of an 11-year-old, says, "When my son Arnab asked for this game, I thought it must be for children. But when I went to buy it, I saw it has been marked for adults. Though I was against buying it, my son kept insisting and I gave in."
Most often, parents and game sellers are not aware of the age bracket, though this is clearly mentioned on the cover. The confusion arises as every so often violent and adult content is introduced when a game is upgraded. Like GTA Vice City, other games that have a lot of violence and are selling fast include Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven and Manhunt.
The in-charge of a popular computer games shop in south Kolkata said, "We never look at the age bracket, as parents and children ask for these video games. But yes, we do keep tabs on the improved technology and versions available. If the
parents are buying them, what can we do?"
"What about the violence on television and newspapers?" asked Shraddha Nathan, the mother of a 10-year-old, who didn't think twice before buying her son the game.
According to psychologist Anuttama Banerjee, "The aggressive audio-visual material builds up anger and sometimes makes young kids offensive. It's detrimental to their mental health."
Speaking on the violent and sexual content of computer games, DC (DD) Jawed Shamim said, "Since the games are legally imported, there is not much for us to do as another government agency is already involved. But if we get specific complaints, we can investigate the matter."
But the obsession with the violent computer games can increase intense passivity, warns pediatrician Subroto Chakraborty. "The ill effects of playing computer games for long hours outweigh the benefits, if there are at all any. It can also result in obesity. Parents must encourage children to play outdoor games; it is a part of growing up."
(Names of parents and children have been changed on request)