A reader ponders whether the advent of virtual reality will suddenly make violence in video games a lot harder to deal with.
The recent announcements of the Oculus Rift buyout and Sony’s own VR headset have brought me back to a point I had often pondered over a gin or three. How will I feel about my actions when I am fully immersed? Now, generally when I play games I am the good guy. I chose the paragon actions for my Shephard, I use the stun bolts in my crossbow in Splinter Cell, and I largely avoid killing random civilians in GTA V.
I haven’t experienced the emotion of The Walking Dead, or the relationships I have read about in BioShock Infinite or The Last Of Us but I know I would get a lot out of them if I did. But, don’t get me wrong, this is no hard and steadfast rule. I gave the odd slap out in Mass Effect if I thought they deserved it, I have no issue in ramming a chainsaw into the chest of a Locust grub, I have a perverse penchant for a flamethrower, and I would happily and willingly have slaughtered every single one of my ‘crew’ in Tomb Raider had the game allowed it.
But how will I feel when I am literally holding the gun in Call Of Duty 25 and put a bullet through the back of the head of an unsuspecting grunt? Or stab an innocent bystander in GTA X just because the flipped me off as I jogged merrily past?
Perhaps more importantly what will it say about me? I can imagine that the feeling of immersion will heighten emotions and any sense of achievement, joy or success will be multiplied many times in some games, smashing a volley into the top corner in the World Cup final will be amazing!
I cannot wait for the day I can spread my arms, glide down from a gargoyle and kick The Joker in the face, or shake my can of explosive gel! The exhilaration of driving games (will we ever be able to literally feel the wind in our hair, artificially? Hmm, a separate musing) or snowboarding down a mountain could be breathtaking.
But what about when I look down at the corpse I have just created? What about when the blood and matter are thrown across my face, when I can look down and see blood on my hands? Will the game encourage me to hide their body? Will games be brave enough to include encounters with grieving family or friends that have just witnessed my actions?
The horrors of war are thankfully something I have never experienced and I hopefully never will. What if the level of immersion is such that it becomes too much to bear? Will a game force me to deal with the situation I have created?
Will morons online continue to play ridiculous music (Seriously, who are these people? How do they concentrate?) whilst butchering people with their bare hands? Or will I still consider it only to be a pile of pixels, steal his clothes, hide him in a laundry bin and keep up the search for the elusive wig that will actually disguise my bald noggin?
I genuinely don’t know the answer, yet, and it is more than possible I am the only one to consider this, but I am interested in hearing other people’s point of view. Thanks for reading and not calling me a wuss!
By reader Thedannyc12581 (gamertag)
The reader’s feature does not necessary represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.
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