There have been calls to regulate violence in video games for nearly as long as the video game industry has existed , with '' Death Race '' a notable early example . In the 1990s , however , improvements in video game technology allowed for more lifelike depictions of violence in games like '' Mortal Kombat '' and '' Doom '' . The industry attracted controversy over violent content and concerns about effects they might have on players , generating frequent media stories drawing connections between video games and violent behavior as well as a number of academic studies reporting conflicting findings about the strength of correlations . According to Christopher Ferguson , sensationalist media reports and the scientific community unintentionally worked together in " promoting an unreasonable fear of violent video games " . Concerns from parts of the public about violent games led to cautionary , often exaggerated news stories , warnings from politicians and other public figures , and calls for research to prove the connection , which in turn led to studies " speaking beyond the available data and allowing the promulgation of extreme claims without the usual scientific caution and skepticism . " Since the 1990s , there have been attempts to regulate violent video games in the United States through congressional bills as well as within the industry . Public concern and media coverage of violent video games reached a high point following the Columbine High School massacre in 1999 , after which videos were found of the perpetrators , Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold , talking about violent games like '' Doom '' and making comparisons between the acts they intended to carry out and aspects of games
Columbine High School massacre
Columbine High School massacre
Moral panic