Violence in video games never was much. Such as blood in Mortal Kombat and Doom. But has it now got a bit out of hand? Such as GTA: San Andreas and the new release "Saints Row" are all about theft, street crime and assault. Is it time we did a "Nintendo" and started cutting down the violence?

Now seriously. You're probably thinking that I'm an idiot and that I'm just a classic gaming freak so what am I on about. Well you're right that I love classic gaming, but that's just off subject, but I've seen my peers that are around 10-13 and seen them playing GTA: Libery City Stories on their PSP, or they told me that they often go home and play San Andreas or Saints Row.

Now the real reason kids to adults like these games is firstly because they are challenging. Sometimes the missions can be quite difficult, but the main reason is all the blood and shooting and killing. Yes. That's video game violence, and not only that but there is a lot of drug and sex scenes in GTA and similar games.

This is fine for a more mature audience, but that links to another problem. Kids and teenagers wouldn't be able to go and purchase a 15/18 rated game in a shop, but their parents could, and the chances are they will.

If this continues to happen, street crime and assault and street theft will continue to get larger and more violent. This has been proved by the American Psychological Association, as they claim that the games unintentionally fill youth with aggressive thoughts, aggressive behaviour and angry feelings.

For example in the UK, knife crime as seriously gone up in 2006 due to these types of games.

It's not really the game makers fault for this, it's mainly the parents to blame. But companies such as Rockstar Games and THQ should cut down the violence amounts, and the prostituion (especially in GTA) and drugs and anything that you wouldn't want a young mind to be en-tranced to.

By the way, when I said "Did a Nintendo", it meant to go back to the way Nintendo originally was in the 8bit and 16bit era, providing entertainment without the need to go to violence and all that.

What's your thoughts?

Thanks for reading this article.

Oliver