Game Theory: Do Video Games Cause Violence? It's Complicated.

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Do video games make you a more violent and aggressive person? That is the question we are covering today. We touched on this topic before in our episode "Does Fortnite Make You Violent?" but I think, in the wake of current happenings, it deserves a deeper look. This is a tricky and very personal topic for myself and many others, so I am going to do my best to do my due diligence. Today we attempt to answer the long argued question, "Do Video Games Make You Violent?"
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#VideoGames #VideoGameViolence #Violence #Debate #Issue #GameTheory
More THEORIES:
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Mario Kart 8, Mario's SCARIEST Game? ► bit.ly/2wyeell
What's Diamond Armor Worth IRL? ►► bit.ly/1Q5xhmM
Credits:
Writers: Matthew Patrick
Editors: Alex "Sedge" Sedgwick, Josh Langman, Tyler Mascola, and Dan "Cybert" Seibert
Assistant Editor: AlyssaBeCrazy
Sound Editor: Yosi Berman
Sources:
royalsocietypublishing.org/do...
www.ox.ac.uk/news/2019-02-13-v...
www.mayoclinicproceedings.org...
www.researchgate.net/profile/...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1...
www.eurekalert.org/pub_releas...
www.nature.com/articles/srep0...
sci-hub.tw/journals.sa...
adc.bmj.com/content/98/5/341
www.apa.org/about/policy/viol...
pediatrics.aappublications.or...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/...
/ a-brief-history-of-vid...
fivethirtyeight.com/features/...
videogames.procon.org/view.re...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_vio...
portal.ct.gov/-/media/DCJ/San...
www.theguardian.com/world/201...
www.secretservice.gov/data/pr...
www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank...
psycnet.apa.org/record/2017-0...
www.the100.ci/2018/09/27/the-f...
newzoo.com/insights/rankings/...
pediatrics.aappublications.or...
pdfs.semanticscholar.org/5e60...
www-personal.umich.edu/~bbushm...
ocw.metu.edu.tr/pluginfile.php...
www.york.ac.uk/news-and-event...
www.supremecourt.gov/opinions...
journals.plos.org/plosone/art...
drdouglas.org/GSLK_PPMC2012.pdf
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dickey_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiahrt_...

[@Kanoka621]

Man, I've been loving the new kinds of videos you've been putting out, Mat and the Theorist team! Thanks for doing this research and making this video. The thought you put into writing and discovering all this information shows, and I'm incredibly proud of the work you've done and continue to do. I'm super familiar with all these arguments and issues going into the world of journalism myself, but it just makes me want to get there even faster - to try and do this kind of ethical research and reporting. It's not easy to put aside your personal perspective and see what you find, but you did, and I thank you on behalf of those of us who aspire to do that too. :D

[@Zadem]

Over all good comment above me

[@darthvader8641]

Didn’t he do a subject like this

[@justforeating]

i agree

[@YomYomTV]

😉😉❤

[@mauro6937]

Hola mira mi ultimo video y veras como te ries

[@dylanmcfiggins5816]

I once saw this one meme what said. "Blaming Video Games for Gun violence is like blaming hot wheels for car crashes." LOL

[@klot2675]

Dylan McFiggins spitting straight fax no printer

[@Why-god]

Yay people are stupid.

[@AGooeyMass]

pics.me.me/ca-blaming-videogames-for-gun-violence-is-like-blaming-hot-wheels-61703082.png

[@daBananass]

Toyota has said that they will no longer put their cars in game such as Need For Speed because they believe that those games promote illegal street racing

[@UltimatePerfection]

Well, that meme isn't wrong...

[@callmecole_2789]

WWI Solider: “Hey, what’s violence?” Other Solider: “I don’t know. Video games haven’t been invented yet.” Edit: *Alright. Which one of you let this waste of pixels blow up?*

[@popburnsy3207]

I wanna play the games that Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan played

[@Lizking_14]

It’s funny how call of duty is framed after actual wars and battles we’ve had yet they blame video games and not history classes for violence

[@pyroblunt5365]

edit ruined the comment

[@engineergaming5648]

Minecraft made me kill my dog

[@Natej3ds]

Umm 1.1k of us...

[@geraldyeager7652]

To quote a meme: Blaming games for violence is the equivalent of blaming hot wheels for car crashes.

[@pokemon1659]

They wont commit crimes because they are to busy playing videogames

[@pokemon1659]

That was a joke lads

[@gacha_kira1322]

amazing

[@theunholyburger9338]

GO BIG GO HOT WHEELS

[@nicoblaytherealflamingo445]

Told him his trajectory was off during pre ramp and he wouldnt make it half way thru loop. Ivwas wrong. He made to top of loop. And than straightvdown.

[@clichethecat3998]

*Plays Tetris* "Ah yes, this yellow square makes me want to finish the job the Black Plague couldn't."

[@tacticaltwinkies3847]

Off topic, but good pfp

[@isabelp4005]

Underrated comment.

[@iampie6954]

Ha

[@mokoepa]

😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂

[@DunjonMaster]

Lol

[@squeemdweem]

Police: why did you shoot up the place? Shooter: I used to have a club penguin account Police: I see.

[@JaapWillem1990]

Lol

[@insertclevernamehere6607]

Ok lets see here everybody make a fake point about discord and skype making people violent

[@thaias9654]

@@insertclevernamehere6607 ok: People get mad because they lost an argument, or saw something they didn't like.

[@sincerecinnamon]

They are mad that original club penguin got deleted

[@someweirdperson9171]

Bruh

[@vi4086]

*It makes me so proud yet uncomfortable that i trust Matpat more than most political leaders*

[@jucom756]

@@josephbates2294 got 11 votes already

[@finalcartoon1044]

We have more reasons to trust matpat than our political leaders when ir comes to games.

[@misolargepotato8070]

matpat for president

[@jasonwillows5239]

@@josephbates2294 The government becomes entirely theoretical

[@blank8491]

MatPat 2020!

[@everyone4352]

Violent video games ≠ Violence ❎ Violent people = Play Violent games ✅ Smoking ≠ Dropping off school ❎ Stress = Dropping off school and smoking ✅ 87% of statistics are lies or manipulated to be lies, This one is an example

[@captaindowntown7851]

Pin this comment and give this man a medal.

[@bobjoebo8933]

Bruh imagine making videos about a fictional franchise for a living! Imagine being so invested in a GAME that you make 56 videos about it #dreamlife

[@Scrarf4]

A youtuber "Zack star" has a great video about how statistics can be manipulative. He has the same example about smoking.

[@Sebastian_Macdonald]

not true

[@HopeIsADrug11037]

@@bobjoebo8933 what

[@famousamoscooki]

i tried to show this video to my mom, but she didn’t care or listen, and just listened to the parts where you said video games don’t cause violence and said you had a bad argument. just like she does with any other argument.

[@mobiletaskforceepsilon1172]

Then she's a terrible parent, parents who don't see the other side and stay stubborn can't adapt to the new world.

[@cubebutpro298]

They are parents,they got things more important to deal with than this video

[@l.tjustonsenack]

sounfs like my mom lol

[@tinalefebvre7177]

@@mobiletaskforceepsilon1172that’s taking it to far

[@craaab____721]

@@cubebutpro298 it's only about being open to other's viewpoints. parents have a lot on their plate, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't listen to their child

[@h2ojr1]

Video games hit peak popularity Violence hits all time low ViDeO gAmEs CaUsE vIoLeNcE

[@M3CH4H4WK]

Karen just hasn't had enough video games are next

[@elainad6728]

violins caused by games

[@ItsGemystic]

*_Several years later_* Kid: you play video games!? My mom says those make you violent!!! Oliver: my dad literally made a video that proves otherwise

[@raawesome3851]

That would be an epic roast.

[@brandonwilliams6119]

Oliver, your Father is a Hero to all Gamers, we need to rise up above all this nonsense. But just go play Chrono Trigger.

[@MrOliverLyons]

Hey Oliver is MY name

[@poisontippedsword3457]

I legit forgot he had a child how did I do that....

[@maltorvolt9694]

I want to like but i dont want to mess it up its 666 likes.

[@draxthedestroyer9798]

matpat is like that cool smart uncle at the family gatherings

[@crimsonwolfez2774]

yes, also underrated comment

[@C4ndyC4d3t]

😂

[@angelicasysnila5476]

I love how most adults always try to find a way criticize what kids do, kinda controlling nature to be honest

[@monke1295]

Why do you love that?

[@OctoNap]

@@monke1295 it's sarcasm

[@Thetravelingmonke]

@@monke1295 brother your embarrassing us

[@HopeIsADrug11037]

remember, kids can't and shouldn't be able to do anything they want until they're adults because kids are stupid and can't think for themselves! sarcasm, if that wasn't obvious

[@loveaintfree1409]

Average gamers are 35 year old man get your facts straight !!

[@AlexPerez-tv1zg]

Judge: so tell me about you. Shooter: my mother was an alcoholic and my father died in a car accident when I was 9, I got diagnosed with bipolar disorder and my girlfriend killed herself, I used to play Kirby- Judge: oh, *I SEE*

[@mathematips9110]

Lol

[@small_SHOT]

ah yes, because kirby is a violen

[@kazuichisouda2026]

@@small_SHOT But Kirby eats people, that series endorses cannibalism.

[@small_SHOT]

R

[@casserole4166]

@Kazuichi Souda Kirby doesn’t eat them he sucks them in and spits them out...

[@cutlerhanks926]

people fear what they don't understand and hate what they can't conquer.

[@kartikeyaverma4736]

Cutler Hanks daaaayyuuummmmmm

[@sebastiantschatordai]

I heard that statement before, I don't remember where.

[@davebob8506]

i relate

[@mustafatekinkaya544]

Yes it was

[@T0B1.]

we, live in a society

[@musicman5664]

Fun fact, back in the day many kids would literally fight each other with wooden/blunted swords and bow and arrows without arrowheads.

[@AxolYT]

"farms"

[@StriderStryker]

My therapist: Since you have *ADHD,* what makes you calm down? My brain: *PLEASE SAY VIDEO GAMES!!!* Me: _I walk outside and rethink my life choices._

[@deltarunner7241]

Remember when people in the media thought gamers were fat and living in their mom’s basement?

[@TheLegendaryLegacy]

Nom Deltarunner now I’m no body builder but apparently being in shape as a gamer is surprising. Having my own apartment and having a wife is also apparently outside of the norm

[@andloc9592]

Next they think we drug addicts

[@spAcecAdet180]

Next they’ll say we caused climate change

[@jgoldie318]

E sports happened

[@cheatseychespin2792]

@@andloc9592 my parents already say stuff like that, so-

[@steelerfaninperu]

As an English teacher, I think I'm going to use this video as a how-to for identifying your biases and discarding them in favor of rational examination. This is exactly what the world needs. Less feels and more thinks.

[@muhammadnour283]

Ur students probably love u

[@lindseywagner5024]

I wish I had you as an English teacher!

[@MetalClashCat]

Wow your amazing

[@iamusingtheinternet3324]

Become my english teacher!

[@josephczerkes1733]

this just made me actually smile, we need more teachers like you, keep up the great work!

[@seikatsu.]

"Video game cause violence" Me who was inspired by Undertale: I'm very determined to prove it to you that games don't cause violence

[@cynthmcgpoet]

So you are filled with determination?

[@seikatsu.]

@@cynthmcgpoet yep

[@agamerdude7596]

Pacifist and genocide.

[@Data-Expungeded]

I tried to do a genocide and had nightmares for a week

[@jeremychristianestillore1446]

fellow pacifist, brought the habit of sparing enemies to Deltarune.

[@OR56]

Finally, someone who doesn't over inflate the data about this subject. Somebody who isn't owned by a politician and was just looking at the truth. Almost all the evidence for the "Video Games Bad" argument are easily explainable with critical and unbaised thinking. I have done reasearch about this before and reached a similar conclusion. Thanks for the great video MatPat.

[@Siegfried5846]

Do you think that art doesn't change us whatsoever?

[@fahmizaidannafi1913]

My dad: "videogames cause violence" The game i wanted to play: "a n i m a l c r o s s i n g"

[@darkcrow3350]

did that actually happen

[@kaylafaust620]

Me feels bad for loid because he has to stand in one spot for 24 hours until you give him enough money for that one bridge and says sorry when I hit one of my villagers with my net by accident: ok boomer

[@momo1442]

If that is actually true i feel kinda sry for you having a dad not looking on science and facts but instead on emotional feeling.

[@loyaltheoristgirl1018]

Lol

[@averagenoobie9985]

Fahmi: i like Animal crossing His parents : WHAT? YOU LIKE ANIMAL ABUSING?!?!?!

[@MurphyWilsonMusic]

This. This right here. This episode is why MatPat and the Theorist Team can say they have the Smartest Show in Gaming.

[@eggsandfibsh8846]

But the smartest channel is Nerd City. Change my Mind.

[@thejokestersquad3686]

But the smartest channel is Micheal Reeves Change my mind

[@TheGrandbull]

MurphyWilsonMusic “smartest show in gaming?” Yeah ok buddy

[@personenaggie]

I would easily say the smartest show on the internet, but hey that's just a theory, a ME theory

[@kenabi]

until (incidents/population)x100k !=4.46 i can't even get close to 4. i'm ranging between 3 and 3.45 per capita for firearm homicide rate using the FBI stats.

[@karakurto7297]

Mom: literally hitting me with a belt and slapping me in the face cuz i did some simple mistake Me: depressed and sad now Mom: *it was totally the videogames*

[@karakurto7297]

@cheezebogir poggers even tho my mom hits me sometimes, i respect that, i wouldnt wanna mom that'll just leave me alone, ill end up as a dream stan

[@n8zog584]

Thanks for the video! Now I really want to understand the perspectives that actually do lead to violence. Like I'm pretty sure ww2 wasn't caused by the "epic hit game mineshraft", but so many egomaniacs took the stage during ww2, there must be some similar note they all hit.

[@abia5752]

"video games are causing violence!! me: *casually farming potatoes and making houses for my cats and dogs*

[@emeraldthepro12nothanksyou85]

PanicAtTheShibe Reminds me. I haven’t finished feeding my Minecraft Dog yet!

[@samuelberry8267]

also me: running a calm farm and killing cute slimes with a sword “I LOVE MY BEES”

[@baboom4458]

I read it as "video: games are causing violence" and I was heavily confused

[@seraphimvalkyrin4543]

Me: Murdering everyone I can in GTA since the 3rd one and yet I'm one of the nicest people you'll meet.

[@conor7168]

The best part is I can't tell what game this is supposed to be. Minecraft, stardew vallew, harvest moon, anything

[@RachelMWinship]

Matpat: *tries to find the real truth using data and science and end the debate fairly* Media: Wait, that's illegal!

[@aninquisitor9622]

yes

[@eriklagergren7124]

I hear Caooses voice in my head

[@ah-hf8qh]

Christian Hernandez *YES!*

[@Andruski_Music]

It was very brave of you to post this video but I agree with you that this needs to be addressed but I'm glad you did post this video

[@QuagJennings]

nearly 2 years later and mat is still helping me with school work by providing me sources for a paper. thanks a million for all the help throughout the years chief.

[@avachristensen1274]

THANK YOU!! I have been doing an argumentative essay in my English class about how video games don't lead to violence and you just made me believe myself even more and you found good studies about how the correlation between video games and violence is weak so Thank You.

[@shinnyii]

Guys, it’s Nerf that’s causing this gun violence. How blind can you be

[@Trash-bd1cb]

It's nerf or nothing

[@danielkeys8974]

Pretty blind, since Nerf guns put out both of my eyes. Nerf: not even once.

[@joshyfox1]

There is a correlation between a rise in violent crime and the decline of Spirograph, think about it.

[@sorbzzy3067]

Very blind. Nerf bullets are no joke.

[@devilboi9943]

Big brain time

[@sethster0593]

Me: throws a red shell at a person in MarioKart. Media: He’S trAiNIng To wrECK pEoPLe

[@JordanAndersonExplodes]

Gamer: turns into a bullet bill in MarioKart Wii and 2 weeks later accidentally knocks a soda out the window of a moving vessel. Media: *GASP!*

[@Adam-qz5cw]

"Throws a banana peel" would be funnier, maybe

[@sethster0593]

God's Prayer Seriously

[@lorddaraken7568]

Gamer you betta check yoself before yo reck yoself!!!😜

[@joelbeckwith19]

OH MY GOD THE RED SHELL LOOKS JUST LIKE A BULLET AND WHEN THE CAR FLIPS AND LANDS NORMALLY LIKE NOTHING HAPPENS AND THEN WHEN THE CHARACTER SHAKES IT OFF AND KEEPS GOING IS JUST LIKE MASS SHOOTINGS *cough* *cough* I think that was exaggerated

[@defaulttvofficial]

I'm using this for my last English class essay arguing if violent video games should be banned or not. Thanks MatPat, been a long time fan didn't ever think this would actually help with something important

[@youshouldchill6156]

MatPat: We don't know if video games cause violence but the evidence shows that we have a bit more proof that it doesn't then we do then if it does. Non-gamers: *We know video games cause violence the evidence shows that we have proof that it does*

[@DeltaWither]

I can remember the first time I played sudoku on my phone. Just 2 hours after finishing, I joined a gang, killed innocent elders on the street, set fire to an orphanage and had a gang fight against the crossword gang. Edit: if you are a member of the sudoku gang, come to discord.gg/zW5QmYA to help destroy the crossword gang once and for all

[@rachard]

ikr, hate when that happens.

[@arcanegamer2723]

You killed crosswords grandpa

[@D1rose254]

Under appreciated comment

[@DeltaWither]

@@arcanegamer2723 yeet

[@donutholebandit6212]

Giorno?

[@himanshisharma7333]

I- I forgot MatPat is an actual human being, it was weird seeing him _move_ ...

[@dailydoseofoofs5721]

69 likes and I'm not ruining that

[@BuffyPickle]

Believe me it was weird for all of us seeing him in real life for the first time, like trying out online dating then meeting the person in real life and realizing they look nothing like their profile picture.

[@thegingeofengland8408]

I feel like his voice doesn't fit his body

[@RobocopStealerOfFridges]

So true.

[@frostiesswn8864]

DiD YOu KnOw THat 100% Of seRiAl kiLlers brEatHe oXygEn. Kinda makes you think huh

[@ErutaniaRose]

This is a really deep topic for me. My family has been deeply affected by guns in both positive and negative ways, (Hunting, suicides, etc.) and I spent most of my school life being terrified of shootings, being bullied and beaten, and so many other instances of physical violence. As a kid, I was VERY violent due to mostly social factors. Meaning, it wasn't the fiction I got, but the bullying and violence I got from other people my age that caused me to act violently. My siblings and I fought sometimes, of course, but overall we solved our issues and desire for fighting WITH games. If we wanted to brawl it out, we played smash bros to decide who was the winner or did obstacle courses in our backyard. I mostly played exploratory, story-based, games such as Zelda, and I watched shows such as Avatar the Last Airbender, both of which contain fantasy violence. But, I also got my fair share of brawling games, Mortal combat, and "normal" violence in Media, alongside learning about 9/11 and other terror attacks or wars non-stop. Personally, those media influences of shows and games actually helped me because I learned how to dodge and evade attacks when I got bullied. I actively hid and tried to avoid physical conflict and contact at that younger age. While some of my violent streaks and worries did spill over as I got older and as I went into middle school, i.e. came out more as violent acts rather than hiding, and I was always on high alert and ready for a fight, I was able to overcome it because of social obstacles. I went from defensive, to violent, to non-violent. My close friend, now best friend, told me back then that if I didn't stop acting out that way, that she wouldn't be friends with me anymore. That social factor helped me. I was able to step away, take a look at myself, and stop hurting people around me physically. I was able to stop acting like a wild dog that had been abused, and more like a rescue puppy. Do I still play games to this day? YES! Absolutely! My best friend, the peace lover, also plays games. She grew up on Horror and shooter games to be exact. I have never seen her hurt ANYONE, not even a punch. So...those games didn't change her either. She just found them fun and interesting, without having a desire to hurt anyone, despite the hard times and situations that made her life far more adverse than mine. So, with the utmost certainty, I can say that in my experience, video games did not cause me to act out violently, nor did they totally cure my violence. They were simply a tool I used as escapism, a completely separate part of my life from my social influences, which changed and turned me from a violent and hurt individual to someone who healed and wears the scars of that time proudly. To someone who now follows non-violent communication vows as a part of my lifestyle. Video games were in a completely different ballpark physiologically when it came to how I acted and if I used violence. What caused all of it for me was social surroundings and attitudes. It was the atmosphere I was in that changed me over and over again. I was a fighter when I had to be, when I needed to not get bloodied and bruised too often. Then, when that changed and went away, and I was no longer tormented in a violent environment, I was able to change and become a better person and communicator. So...whenever someone blames games, I have to just look them in the eye and disagree. Firmly. Social surroundings are what shape a person FAR more than the media they ingest, especially when the two conflicts with one another, and especially if that individual is able to distinguish fiction from reality.

[@rigobertocontrer3821]

My college psychology professor assigned me this video for homework. That’s awesome

[@emperoroftheomniverse]

Lololol i think we have the same professor

[@44Speck]

As a teacher, it seems like parents aren't always raising their kids to take responsibility for their actions. We are in a society that can be very individual centered at the cost of society. It makes me so angry when people blame violence on video games. To me it sounds ignorant.

[@forward_untill_dawn4105]

Lets see what we can get rid of... Oh i know! Video games!

[@DeplexerYT]

I agree. I think parents should teach their children responsibility better. Teach them what is *actually* wrong and what is right. This is coming from an 8th grader who plays video games a good percentage of my life. I find it ridiculous that some believe video games cause these violent actions.

[@Susan-vi1jh]

The parent that blame the video game, they are at fault as well. I mean, shouldn't you monitor what your kids are playing? There's an E rate, M rate game... They should be responsible for their own kids, not shoving all the responsibility to the game dev and blame them if the game is unsuitable for kid

[@kazusoudas]

yeah, i hated it when my sister got banned on club penguin for saying “heck” and then proceeded to go on a mass shooting spree.

[@potatoking4227]

one time i got caught playing an fps game at a catholic school and now i'm a school shooter (that part about the fps game is true)

[@presentbongo4932]

potatoking124 you never said the school shooter part was false

[@potatoking4227]

@@presentbongo4932 i have no intentions of becoming a school shooter

[@presentbongo4932]

potatoking124 better not

[@someonerandom9939]

@@presentbongo4932 /r/wooosh

[@blackdragonbro4118]

Why is matpat the most reasonable person in media? I'm glad someone is finally able to put out an unbiased opinion on this but I'm frankly disappointed that this is the first time I've heard one. Please people. Try to have open minds. Try to be more understanding about things you've never seen or can't beleive.

[@jingof35]

“Video Games cause violence!” Meanwhile me crying myself to sleep after killing papyrus in Undertale

[@Timingruby]

Police: *So I heard you play Candy Crush* Criminal: Yes Police: *We got him boys*

[@mybusiness692]

🤣

[@greenredbluezombie7793]

Nice

[@omega6417]

@@mybusiness692 wait that's illegal

[@filipporosatti6243]

Criminal: How did you know? Police: Well, it's written in the text

[@e65666]

Lol

[@brianbruxvoort]

Little do they know that people have ALWAYS been violent.

[@ideecay2190]

Sure seems like that's changing though :)

[@mauro6937]

Hola mira mi ultimo video y veras como te ries

[@mjcgwmjcgw1522]

Nah let’s forget about murder and all that shiz before video games existed, it’s happening now, you know what else is happening now? Someone is playing a video game? You know what else will happen eventually? A murder. Coincidence? I think not

[@spaced0rit070]

Yeah, sure, whatever. We all know war didn’t exist before Pong.

[@KrystaKream]

people just dont want to look at the cold hard truth

[@mateuszkretkiewicz9439]

We all know that the problem is that guns are way easier to purchase in the US while in Europe they are prohibited unless you have a licence and your gun is registrated by the Police. Any illegal guns are taken of the streets preety quickly which means even getting an illegal weapon is next to impossible because even criminals no longer trust anyone because Police is constantly looking for such stuff. In a country with no easy way to get a legal weapon arresting an arms dealer is a big deal and every officer on the street is looking for such occasion to get himself promoted.

[@icecreamchief5417]

I have been a fan/subscriber for over a decade. But this video has been such a huge help for writing my senior paper over, _coincidentally enough_ , violence in video games. I’m so happy that I am able to use one of my favorite KZbinrs as a source to defend one of my favorite hobbies. Thank you so much for these videos and your commitment to finding the truth!

[@elliottmcleandeboer9910]

Let’s be real, at this rate Mat’s gonna have to start saying “That’s just a Thesis. A Game Thesis.”

[@JamesJNothingIsTooSensitive]

No, he'll just be using the *_scientific_* version of "Theory" rather than the colloquial version of the word. You know, meaning a fact by every means we have to be able to tell if a thing is true or false.

[@Ofxzh]

Glad you are observing

[@mateogaming6593]

*Cruel Angel's

[@monkesoldier7177]

Damn, i just ate a cooked steak in Minecraft, and a few hours later i became hungry. Minecraft causes hunger.

[@GrustaniaNicko]

Yes it is. Minecraft causes hunger because you eat that steak. Food makes you hungry.

[@GrustaniaNicko]

@Xavier Sandlos (STUDENT) Minecraft is evil.

[@thelunareclipse4849]

Minecraft causes hunger and poverty

[@sp4zticgoat315]

Damn minecraft must be popular in Africa.

[@sp4zticgoat315]

@Xavier Sandlos (STUDENT) ok

[@jamesclack1078]

I have a speaking and listening exam coming up and this is the topic I've selected to do. Thanks for the info MatPat!

[@lorddrakkon9562]

Video game addiction is often rather a sign of a bigger problem than a problem in itself.

[@willevents5305]

My mom: stop playing that game, you’re going to be way to violent! Me: aggressively farms my carrots

[@kindred3152]

Plays Minecraft

[@2to5Raccoons]

I aggressively defend my villagers and protect them from the dangers of night so they can farm for me

[@lanclanc5752]

Kindred 315 ~ I don’t know what you’re talking about. They’re obviously talking about Fortnite!

[@toymationstudios8613]

*AGGRESSIVELY STACKED TETRIS BROCKS*

[@NicknotNak]

Aggressively collects paper clips.

[@starame2452]

I think people who are violent from video games were already violent without the fault of video games.

[@samwarren6008]

And because of their natural violence they bought violent video games.

[@ghostifyforce5007]

They are mental

[@at_pixel_tv3351]

Maybe it's just a coincidence that some mass shooters happen to be gamers

[@cookiekatie6255]

I agree with you👍

[@amyliaclenny1866]

That or incredibly weak willed.

[@blackhawkslevin6385]

Man, you are absolutely amazing at what you do and I really appreciate the lengths you go to in order to convey information. It's not even to prove a point. I'm sure you have your own thoughts and agenda but as you said, you care about "the truth above and beyond everything else" keep it up man; and since I'm in the future, i know you have.

[@thesphravae649]

Seeing as how this is Matpat, I half expected that he would find conclusive evidence that video games not only cause violence, but also cause every other problem that plagues the world.

[@manguy01]

_"It's not about emotion. It's about the facts."_ So refreshing to hear someone actually say that.

[@Thespikedballofdoom]

How have you never heard that before

[@DissedRedEngie]

That's literally what all the "intellectuals" have been screeching for years.

[@raviothethief8292]

A Very Disappointed Red Engineer why is intellectuals in air quotes unnecessary quotation makes a comment wierd

[@achyuthaaparthasarathy5931]

bro that's Shapiro's line

[@SangosEvilTwin]

@@raviothethief8292 because there are people who cry that and then oversimplify the facts to fit their justification for being aholes to others.

[@XIIthehangedmanXII]

Since so many games are based on wars, it's violence that causes video games.

[@handlevognhandlevognsen3128]

Krzysztof Suswał wow. That’s deep bro. 🇵🇱

[@Zero-zr6xx]

BIG BRAIN!

[@Insanerobert44]

Same as movies... You could say that humans are.... *GHASP*.... VIOLENT!!!

[@maxbohm8734]

No one like this any more

[@XIIthehangedmanXII]

@@maxbohm8734 I suppose you could call 769 people no one.

[@cherrycreamsoda4253]

this video was actually a factor in me doing my 10th grade research paper on video games and violence

[@Glide9441]

Nice

[@Benoitblank]

This is an example of correlation vs causation, people say “oh some video games are violent,that is the cause of more violence” they are similar situation sure but it isn’t the definitive reason for more violence. Now i live in the uk were virtually no-one owns a gun if they do they need to undergo training to obtain a license and if they show violent tendencies their license will be taken away.

[@ultra2738]

Mom: Stop playing that game, it’s violent Me: *Agresively plays Minecraft peaceful*

[@grandmashelton9228]

😂

[@christopherzorn9012]

Soooooo violent xD

[@Armandov_8080]

Hellll ya

[@DeltaNrOne]

Just wait, just you wait! Mine some diamonds over a pit of lava. The very first diamonds, you already can taste the diamond pickaxe and all the blazes that you are going to kill once you go to the nether. In your dreaming you don’t hear the creeper behind you. You hear the shhhh. You turn around as you see the last white animation and get launched into the lava. Losing hours and hours of work gone in an instance! That is enough to make anyone rage quit!

[@L16htW4rr10r]

@@DeltaNrOne I get that feeling

[@novanova4978]

Old people just blame video games because they dont like blaming themselves

[@farelitoh4810]

Nice

[@elainad6728]

Just like parents blaming the kids and the kids stuff instead of blaming themselves. And no one told ya you had to buy those games for ya kids. Just dont buy them take them away READ THE GOD DAMN RATINGS AND LEARN WHATS BAD simple ya *DuMB a$$E$*

[@nmarley8275]

period

[@crockoclock7771]

Boomers ruined the earth then bully everyone else for playing videogames

[@mordercainear9573]

@@elainad6728 if they had the common sense to know that then we wouldn't be having this conversation

[@eileen9038]

I'm doing a school project on this topic and I picked this topic with this video in mind. Thank you for making this vid matpat. I needed the sources.

[@bannles]

Really appreciate this man. You are EXACTLY the kind of person I look up to.

[@spyoon_]

The fact that this video was demonitized makes me so angry. Media is becoming so pissy about people who actually know more than them.

[@SkollTheWerewolf]

Person: does actual research MSM: *Looks like you're going to the shadow realm, jimbo*

[@DarlingBug01]

It's because people want to ignore the actual problems in the world. Remember the hacking incident in 2012. No one got effected by that or had knowledge that it was going on until it all but ended in 2013. And, it was thanks in part due to how people view hacking and hackers they believed that they were more entitled to show us less of the more important issues and more of things like The statistics of game consumption and production

[@LordBaldur]

What needs to be understood is that the MSM is fighting a battle against video games and they are losing... Miserably. They are getting closer and closer to bankruptcy and as a result, they will do anything to demean and berate video games. It's competition.

[@umbreyond2118]

This is so true

[@bigredwolf6]

KZbin loves to control the narrative. They artificially prop up the MSM and push down independent creators.

[@ninawatchesstuff]

Them: "Video games are causing all this violence!" Me: *side-eyeing most of human history* "...Sure. Video games."

[@lonelygamerinspace548]

Heh xD True.

[@z3r0defect99]

Lol agreed

[@bojarckhoosemanschnarf5851]

Yeah, mortal combat BC caused loads of wars.

[@mathiasrryba]

Wondering what games caused World wars

[@charlescalthrop2535]

Yep, Ghengis Khan was a fan of COD, definitely a thing back then.

[@eomoran]

None of these studies take into account confounding factors either. For example one could draw from this that video games decrease violence due to the correlation with decreasing crime, but that isn’t a causal. In fact it’s entirely possible that they do cause violence and we also see a decrease in violence due to some other factor reducing violence even more

[@lenathemaid]

indeed

[@rurockygamer]

the data that you find and the info that you manage to dig in always manages to impress me, thank you MatPat!!!!

[@always5809]

Rather than video games influencing people to be violent, it could be that naturally violent people are attracted to violent video games which could actually be helping by drawing them away from committing violent acts in real life

[@sgtd0z3r7]

I agree, think if someone is already prone to violent tendencies then video games give him an alternate outlet for their violence. This is anecdotal, but when I was younger I had to take a medical steroid for my asthma, it made me angry and lash out at everyone around me but as I got into games like cod and battlefield, I learned to use my anger as a tool, after years of playing and stopping taking that drug I no longer have those same anger issues but when I do get upset I know how to focus that anger. It's helped me keep my cool even under the most pressure.

[@DobroPitanje]

Matpat also talked about that in a diffrent theory

[@humphred4912]

didn't he say that in an older video?

[@wildwolf405]

Well yea, what he’s saying is that if mentally disturbed people didn’t have a medium like video games to take their anger out they might need to do it in the physical world, resulting in a much higher number than that 18 shown, but I can’t really think of a way to prove this. It’s sort of just my opinion

[@classicspeeder]

I honestly was thinking the same thing when clicking the video

[@huvarda]

The media: Video games cause violence Me: *Tries to pick the nicest dialogue option to not hurt the NPCs feelings* Edit: removed the thanking for likes because it's cringy

[@shorty4704]

Everyone: Video games cause violence Me: Tries to pick the dialogue option that leads to sex in The Witcher

[@illuminoeye_gaming]

@@Empika *big brain time*

[@laxusdragneel1222]

Virgins no more

[@omd_tz]

Game Theory: Do Video Games Cause Sex? It's Complicated.

[@gaelic_geek5709]

Telltale Games: No. No, I don't think I will.

[@sunnydaze285]

Never thought i'd be able to use this in my school work..

[@LadyOnikara]

This is very good stuff! The only correlation I have noticed between violence and video games is when people who are avid video game players have their video games taken away.

[@zoth_]

I played Stardew Valley for 300 hours and now have the slight temptation of aggressively petting my dog. Send help.

[@freakshow5547]

Bruh same I’m like on year 50

[@Peeper117]

zoth _ I’m sorry but U mUsT gEt ThEoRpy

[@benjaminphelps561]

*the police are on their way*

[@toxicity._.7664]

Media:Today this morning in Canada a man was reported to have stabbed his whole family and dog after playing animal crossing Real Story: I played animal crossing 3 days straight and I felt really urged to pet my dog and hug my family

[@TroopaKoopaReal]

zoth _ I’ll call a doctor

[@yesno-vl2qg]

Media: “drunk driver had candy crush downloaded on his phone” *must be a serial killer too*

[@rileyhooper2542]

Yeah it's the game totally not the driver being drunk

[@bastion8804]

@@startron252 Yes, it's because he was drunk. Candy Crush made him drunk! Also, since CC had "candies" in them, he must also be a drug addict!

[@shakiron5913]

@@bastion8804 i cant tell if youbare being sarcastic or not

[@ScienceMan314]

Shaki Ron sarcastic i believe

[@Haley-13]

Smile Time IM 666 LIKE

[@thefinnishbaconshroom]

People before videogames: chopped heads off in front of big audiences just for fun and enjoyment. I don't think the problem is in videogames

[@alices8660]

Yes it's people who enjoy harming innocent people.

[@nerdzmasterz5417]

Thank you for doing this, this is something a lot of ppl - gamers and devs alike - need to hear.

[@Adusakful]

MatPat: *starts on couch* Me: Oh boy... that escalated quickly

[@matthewflores521]

Actually though

[@nightmarebonnie9010]

Honestly though

[@commentingcommenter1230]

For real though

[@LumeanTV]

What the heck though

[@SlowSush]

Super really though

[@just_landonn2109]

Take this with a grain if salt but personally I feel it’s the media giving all these shooters so much attention and making other mentally unstable people feeling like if they commit such horrible crimes they’ll get attention and to some of them that maybe they’ll be recognized and that might be all they want . If someone higher up person in media sees this please consider forgetting about money and think about people’s lives.Again take this with a major grain of salt

[@BigBrownSkidMark]

random trash facts I was think that since 2016

[@Victoria-cg5np]

random trash right. giving attention to violent people make more violent people doing things.

[@yizzardpalmero]

I very much so agree that this is highly possible. It would need further research of course, but I think this is something that should be looked into.

[@TheInator1234]

"Consider forgetting about the money" you're funny

[@arrahhed5402]

It would work for a learning model perspective

[@neondouble_]

I love this guy. MatPat, I'm so glad you are willing to actually try to find an answer. Thanks for the research

[@MagusApex]

This kind of videos gives some impact and also inspiration, makes me love researching on common argument such as this

[@bababagelbrain]

*plays farming simulator for a while Me when I’m done: Time to attack strangers

[@bethanywhitelaw8363]

*plays stardew valley* Me when I'm done: Time to throw random objects at people to make them love me and make a love cult.

[@jucom756]

~me after playing doki doki literature club~ Welp time to hack into the matrix and kill everybody except my crush so he has to love me.

[@melteddiamond1229]

Haha lol

[@melteddiamond1229]

Me after playing fifa 19 Boys its time to get some balls and shoot the at innocent people

[@melteddiamond1229]

M

[@iamsyntai2565]

Do video games cause violence? Short answer: No. Long answer: Nooooo.

[@yoloyolo3351]

IamSyntai noice

[@sparkytepig]

IamSyntai Short Answer: No Long Answer: No one has been able to reliably prove a definitive causation that video games cause violence without shoddy research practices and weak findings. Therefore, we can surmise that video games do very little, if anything, to increase aggression; let alone promote gun violence.

[@lunastie39]

well, depends on the person who plays them.

[@getwet6478]

@@lunastie39 well that's not really the games fault still, if a parent lets their kid play violent kids and that makes the kid violent its the parents fault for buying them that game. You agree?

[@valo1326]

You made me chuckle

[@tenken73]

I enjoyed going back and viewing this video. I want to see where you got your statistics and what you excluded for your data. I appreciate these types of videos. Wish youd do more

[@christopherartalejo1101]

Thank god he had lots of sources on this topic. This is going to make my essay very easy

[@Liggilon]

Everybody gangster until MatPat pulls out the facecam

[@justarmouredchaos5470]

Viggó gamer boi matpat is badass lol

[@brokengames9020]

Video games with spy & scam live service.

[@GokuOffersYouAPotara]

@@justarmouredchaos5470 also the stupidest smartest person ever

[@farisqureshi6307]

This deserves a million likes

[@WhitcherJames]

An interesting point that I didn't see you go over in this video, Mat, is that therapists are using video games to help Veterans deal with, and get past their PTSD.

[@Giratina871]

They teach the veterans how to do the 360 No Scope Sniper head shot so they can dunk scrubs and tell them to git gud. Sorry for the bad joke, I'll see myself out...

[@justking0600]

A guy on Arma 3 actually told me this as well. He was a vet recovering from shellshock. And said how Arma 3 was helping him get back into society. Since he could apply his tactics into a video game.

[@hardwirecars]

thats interesting i played counter strike source with some afghan vets when they came home all the time im glad to know it was legit helping them.

[@Fu7u23Y05chi]

I know it is nice and important pointing out the positive effects of video games and when they help people. But if you do honest research, you don't let yourself distract from things that doesn't fit into your your research question. But of course it can be added as a side info in the video, even when it's not really relevant to the research.

[@An_Average_Idiot]

Also I heard a while back that people were using Vr to help with physical therapy. I mean, every little bit helps ay?

[@kingtings]

I love these super educational vids keep em comin!!

[@rosetintmyworld3725]

Thx for the listed sources Matpat, I have a college essay to write and some of these may be handy for my topic.

[@cowragerzzz678]

“Video games don’t create violence, they just reflect the violent society we live in”

[@popcornpeanut4518]

So true 😭

[@Star.Dusk.]

this......this is real deep..... deeper than it could ever be.

[@hawtdanger5256]

That's deep

[@cm9231]

This ^^^

[@Star.Dusk.]

@@cm9231 what

[@matilda4664]

kid: gets in a fight also kid: *has splatoon 2* media: that kid gon be a shooter

[@cookoo4cocopuffs221]

300th like

[@xylozwanyxylem1540]

Maybe more likely to a Internet Minister or sth like that ;D

[@tareq__3164]

I used this to help me get information for my essay about video game violence. Thanks!

[@hamzamalik7851]

Video games cause violence Me:AGRESSIVE FARMING INTENSIFIES

[@calebaudia]

Game Theorists and MatPat: *makes a video about an actually important subject that literally everyone should watch* KZbin: Wait that’s illegal

[@theseagulls3172]

KZbinrs: Argue that KZbin's demonitization policy needs to be fixed KZbin: Wait that's irrelevant

[@capito4585]

TheSeagulls one certain channel: abuses copyright claims on a channel that breaks fair use KZbin: their videos are under fair use and the copyright claims were perfectly fair even though it was criticism

[@jickey6108]

There’s literal child pXXn that isn’t demonetised

[@jirbykid368]

@@jickey6108 wait how do you know that

[@jickey6108]

Jirby kid some guy called memeoulous or something exposed that

[@09tunafish49]

Media: blaming video games for causing violence Me: peacefully building my Minecraft house

[@yumiswaid9295]

Media: blaming video games for causing violence Me: Closing and reopening my Minecraft world without saving bc my dog fell into lava

[@basicallyvlogs6147]

09 Tunafish me:*peacefully getting fish to tame cats*

[@Noob_Anderson]

*Sound of me peacefully planting my crops and petting my pets and building redstone contraptions* This is very peaceful a

[@TwilightNecromancer]

Video games keep me from being a bad person, honestly. I have a very low bar of patience for idiocy and America is becoming more and more filled with idiots. I work with the public for a living so I easily get my fill of idiots in just a couple of hours, nevermind the other six I'm stuck there. Instead of stabbing people as I often daydream of, I turn to Skyrim and kill all the guards and killable NPCs and then reload like nothing happened, and I'm good to go for a new day. Video game violence is what PREVENTS real violence unless you're just mentally and physically prone to violence and the like already (meaning, if you're already on the fence about actually killing someone, that's the ONLY possible way I can imagine it contributing.)

[@toastedtoast8737]

*Me peacefully building a house for my dog that’s probably gonna get bigger than my own*

[@crystaluwu1012]

Human violence has been their ever since the ancient times, even before video games was created.

[@captaindowntown7851]

Even before mainstream entertainment was a thing.

[@Gnhmnh]

Even before movies and tv shows existed

[@jayvieeeeeee6189]

i have a research project with also this topic and this video almost did all the work for me

[@alnimri]

The one thing that my Psychology professors wanted us to learn, if we took anything out of the psych class courses, it's that: *"Correlation =/= Causation"*

[@JayJay-jd4vl]

I want matpat as my psychology professor

[@mollymaekelly4138]

Nimr Al Nimri bruhhhh

[@saisai514]

Nimr Al Nimri same thing for any level of Statistics class. Data can only suggest a correlation, and how strong it is, but never truly display causation.

[@alnimri]

@@JayJay-jd4vl facts.

[@alnimri]

@@mollymaekelly4138 Bruhh indeed.

[@purplerhino6710]

Interviewer: Why did you do it? Why did you bring that gun to school? Me: It all started when my dog died in Minecraft...

[@hulktopf5031]

Said pewdiepie while reloading his gun

[@AlottaBoulchit]

When your Minecraft dog dies the series is over... _for everyone_

[@oneandonlysw1tch]

Calm down John wick

[@AWACS_Snowblind]

_Alright, that's fair. You're free to go._

[@Werewolf914]

For me it started when I shook all the Trees in Animal Crossing and didn't find any furniture in them, I was so mad that I decided Genocide was the only way to relieve my anger.

[@maskedcat4832]

i have a school project one this thanks for doing the work for me!

[@novalynx8153]

I am happy he made something like this which is not biased and has a POV of a parent and a gamer

[@LordArlack]

Here is a data point for you. Growing up in the 80's I was abused by my mother, bullied at school and grew to hate the world. I was violent, angry and lashed out at everyone, not knowing why at the time but intent to spread the pain to others. In fact at one point I spent months trying to figure out a way to destroy all of humanity. As it was something I really wanted. Had I had access to weapons I likely would have done some rather unsavory things. Then I found video games. At first it was just a good target for that pain, letting me vent it and not having anyone get hurt. Over time the experiences I had, mostly playing "The hero", changed my outlook. After a while I flipped, trying my best to spread laughter and happiness to others. Games helped me. There is so much more than I could say here, but no one wants a wall of text, so I'll just leave it at "games helped me survive my childhood, and still help keep me going."

[@magtibay5331]

yeah same thing with me I was bullied and my family coud'nt provide me with help and arr busy fighting with each other my social life was destroyed but thanks to a game called Club Peinguin I was able to heal and escape

[@Fenrize]

I feel you, more than you will ever know. Depression is bullshit. It warps your view of the world to the point you don't know yourself anymore. Get hurt long and bad enough and the ability to emphasize with other people gets replaced with the want to get even, plus the lack of joy in life is unbearable. I'm proud of you man and I hope you're too.

[@LordArlack]

@@Fenrize Thanks. Due in large part to gaming I've turned all that hate into empathy. Though it's a daily, hourly really, struggle still, I continue on because of my wife and kids, and the laughter I bring to them. Tried doing gaming videos to spread it farther, but the way I joke with people doesn't translate well when I'm playing a game for a camera. *laugh* Depression is like having 2 personalities, at least for me. I'm proud of myself when it's not in effect. :-)

[@LordArlack]

@@commanderleo :-P I'm happy for you! Truely.

[@LordArlack]

@MAUMAU THE NOOBIE Glad you are doing okay now then. :-)

[@Minwolf]

Before Video Games were a thing people were blaming movies and books on violence. Just saying is all.

[@Mortal2064]

Oh heck, your right! Didn't England censor a whole bunch of media, forcing writers to get creative with their dirtier stuff or something like that around the... the... idk anywhere between the Victorian era and post-WW2

[@boogiewoogie343]

Human beings love to blame anything on this doomed planet of ours. Video games didn't cause violence, it's hatred that past boomers passed down to us.

[@boogiewoogie343]

I don't know if Britain still censors JoJo anime in this day, but I know that they did.

[@eris2268]

It's just old people trying to get people to stop using stuff they don't understand

[@QuasarsCollective]

As human beings, we want to be able to blame it on someone or something else, no matter the situation. Have you noticed that? It's always got to be someones or somethings fault. We've gotten ourselves into believing that there HAS to be a cause. That there HAS to be a correlation to SOMETHING, no matter what it is. Which the majority of the time is correct, but it's caused a major flaw. More often times than not, people start to point fingers before even taking a moment to think about the C O U N T L E S S possibilities. And, again, more often times than not, people are so quick to get defensive about it that their brains get clogged and they can't think about other possibilities. That's how it's been with videogames. Everyone's been so busy arguing over how "video games cause violence" to the point where they're not even willing to think of the other possibilities of the outbreak of gun violence in the US.

[@salmaeljai6605]

Thx mat i used bits and pieces of your research for my presentation and now I got A+