Violent Video Games (2022): What Parents, Educators, & Students Need to Know

Parent training video

What we're covering in this video:

• Video game industry basics
• Addiction & red flags
• What parents need to know about:
• Fortnite
• Overwatch  
• Call of Duty
• How to set limitations
• Start a dialog with your student

Why should parents care about Fortnite?

• Fortnite is incredibly popular with students
• The developers add new features and play modes every week to entice people to play more
• Games can last up to 20 minutes and cannot be paused
• The games are designed to keep players coming back, which can be difficult for teens and tweens who haven’t yet developed a healthy relationship with screen time
• Students can chat with strangers while playing and can come across profanity or inappropriate language
• Upgrades can add up. In addition to purchasing Premium Battle Passes, players can also buy 3rd party add-ons to make gameplay easier or to get certain upgrades
• Some of these 3rd party upgrades have been reported as being malicious in nature
• Hackers have targeted Fortnite accounts and spent hundred of dollars on in-game purchases

Why should parents care about Call of Duty?

• Battle Royale mode is like a chat room; your student can voice or text chat with 99 strangers all at once
• When playing video games with a headset on, your child can be a million miles away - even if you’re in the same room
• Children can hear profanity or bullying when they play games like Call of Duty Mobile in Battle Royale mode
• This game can encourage addictive behaviors because the more a player plays the game, the more characters, weapons, outfits, and pieces of gear they unlock

What can parents do about students playing violent video games?

• Always monitor your kids during game time - it’s even better when parents play the game with their children
• Keep gaming consoles in the living room so you can supervise game time
• Say no to headsets. Headsets leave students vulnerable to connecting with strangers
• Gaming disorder is considered a mental health condition. Look out for any warning signs that your child is addicted to video games:
• Impaired control over gaming (e.g. onset, frequency, intensity, duration, termination, context)
• Increasing priority given to gaming to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other life interests and daily activities
• Continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences

Student training video

What we're covering in this video:

10 examples from news clips around the world with real-life examples of the impact of violent video games

Parent & student training video

What we're covering in this video:

• Then vs. now (Mario Bros vs. Fortnite)
• Tips on how to manage time
• Addiction & gaming disorder
• Fortnite
• Overwatch
• Call of Duty
• 5 ways families can be safer on online games

How to stay safe while playing violent video games

• Parents: Before giving your student access to an app, download it, spend some time using it, then determine if the app is safe for your family
• If you determine it’s safe for your student to download a violent video game, consider using a visual timer, like an egg timer or phone timer, to track how much time your child has left to play
• Monitor your student and yourself for gaming disorder warning signs:
• ~Impaired control over gaming (e.g. onset, frequency, intensity, duration)
• ~Increasing priority given to gaming to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other life interests and daily activities
• ~Continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences
• Students: If you ever feel uncomfortable, talk with a trusted adult about what you have seen or heard or have done to help you
• Talk about who it is appropriate to communicate with (voice or text) in live games and have a plan of what to do if students are asked to move their discussion to a different forum (like Snapchat or Discord) with a stranger

Additional resources about violent video games

What do students love about Fortnite? (student interview video)

Fortnite: What Parents Need to Know

Overwatch Game: what Parents Need to Know

Call of Duty: Is it Safe?

Conclusion

Comment below to let us know what you think, what you learned, or if you have any other questions the Smart Social team can help you answer!