14 DAY TRIAL // The influence that violence has on kids is a big topic for debate these days. And after watching a few hours of television programming, be it CNN beaming images of killed Iraqis or the latest episode of 24, I can see why such a debate is necessary. But it seems that television violence has become such a normal sight that everyone is targeting videogame violence as the biggest negative influence on kids these days.
Carl Lumbly has starred in both a pretty violent television show, the Jennifer Gardner graced Alias, and a pretty high on animated violence game, the Kane oriented Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath. And the veteran actor sees videogames as doing more good than bad. They're actually great tools for reaching out to kids.
Lumbly said, while speaking to Eurogamer, that: "Anything we can use to reach kids is very important. It seems like it makes more sense to reach them in ways with which they're already familiar. I also think if they already have the skill-set for something then it is much easier to lead them to things to education; the more exciting the better."
He also thinks that game violence is much less graphic and intense than violence portrayed on television, even in cartoons. He would like to see stricter guidelines for television shows and he thinks "any game I've experienced with my son" is better than some of the stuff on TV.
He also remarked how all this talk about videogame violence and its effects is actually a clear sign of a change in the makeup of the media and the expectations of the customers. He noted that during the recent writer's strike "The gaming community seemed to move on just fine." This is a clear sign that the videogame medium might become, in the next few years, more important than any other media.
Look out for our Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath review later today.