Task Five - Essay Plan

Critical Investigation Title:
How and why are videogames such as Call of Duty becoming more violent? Is this a concern for the typical audience?

Introduction - A brief description of my study.

My critical investigation will primarily focus on how violence has become more explicit over the years. Whilst doing so, I will also explain how technology/new & digital media has become a big part of this change in video games. Furthermore, I will link all my ideas and thoughts with real life events which may have been a factor of this increase of violence in video games. Hence, Call of Duty is a prime example of displaying my thoughts across in a more rational manner as this is possibly the largest franchise in first person shooter.

Paragraph 1 - The success of first person shooters and the financial aspect of video games

“In June 2011, the global video game market was valued at US$65 billion.”

“Total video game sales were in excess of £1.9bn”

“By 2011, the worldwide gaming market will be worth $48.9 billion at a compound annual growth rate of 9.1%”

• 
  
  ·         Video games are a major sector of entertainment. It values approximately $48.9 billion dollars.
  ·         Video game sales peaked in the mid 90’s after huge success of upgraded graphics in video games.
  
  
  P2 –
  “Teenagers enjoy the intensity of such games, because it is through such heart-thumping distractions that they can escape feelings of rejection or low self-esteem.”
  
  
  “About 90 percent of U.S. kids ages 8 to 16 play video games, and they spend about 13 hours a week doing so. Now a new study suggests virtual violence in these games may make kids more aggressive in real life.”
  
  
  ·         A lot of time is spent playing video games, this presents the negativity violence has in such video games
  ·         Majority of consumers are teenagers, which may have a relation to events in real life such as murders and riots etc..
  ·         Changed the way teenagers live compared to before where nowadays they only stay indoors due to social networking sites and other ugc websites such as Youtube, where they have the ability to troll without facing consequences to which they could have if it was real life.
  
  
  P3 – Realism and association with global moral panics
  “Violence helps children 'conquer fears and develop a sense of identity”
  
  
  " Kids not only watch realistic characters spurting blood and pulling heads, spinal cords and beating hearts out of bodies, but they are creating mayhem and are rewarded with extra points for doing so."
  
  
  ·         Since 9/11, first person shooters have been favoured by the majority of people as it relates to real life situations. Realistic graphics and a first person perspective has given the consumer a sense of importance as it is a prevention of terrorism which most consumers fear of in real life.
  ·         Since video games consumers are primarily males, rewarding is very appealing to males and makes them continue to achieve as much as they can. This is evident in call of duty as players get rewarded for getting kills, as well as getting rewards for doing special types of kills for example getting headshots which creates more