Is it just a game? Video Games and Violence

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2021.05.014

Commentary

Popular media often report that violent video games are linked to actual violence, but there is limited evidence to support this.

This study analyzed how the violent behavior of adolescent boys is affected by the release of a new violent video game in the United States. The variability in children's exposure to the release can be attributed to the variability in the dates of the video game release and the interview, which could be exogenous.

Because we find no evidence that children report increased violence against others after the release of a new violent video game, it is unlikely that policies restricting the sale of video games to minors will reduce violence.