There's a lot of anger over video game violence

This will be brief.

Sunday was my birthday and it also marks the third of a century I've spent in video games (started as a play-tester at Avalon Hill Computer Games in 1979).  In addition to the slew of Facebook birthday wishes one would hope to get, I got this heated Facebook IM Session:

Flame:

Please stop creating games that harm our society and rob kids from their parents. Please tell me how you can sleep at night?

My Reply: 

The average age for players in Word Carnivale is 40+, the biggest segment is 35 to 54 year olds, followed by 55+ and then 25 to 34 year olds. 85% women.

I have done children's educational games, and in our crossword game (also tends to older players) we have children's puzzles to teach vocabulary etc.

No violent games.

Flame: 

Not good enough. I read the NYT article. You need to implore your industry to do much better, damn you all.

Give it some thought

My Reply:

I don't do harmful games. Never have

Finally I said:

I haven't worked at Activision since 1994. I am guessing you think I'm still there.
(I was the VP of Tech there at the time)

And then this reply:

My mistake. Thanks for clarifying.



Interesting, because for the last almost 20-years I have been working in educational/casual/children games.

There's a lot of anger about this issue. Just noting that. 

Something we need to think about.