10 Video Games The NRA Blames For Real-Life Violence

Image via Complex Original

In the case of Adam Lanza and the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting, Call of Duty was noted as one of the primary violent video games played by the shooter. Reportedly spending "days in his basement" playing the game, the NRA and other pro-censorship lobbyists love bringing the game out as a prime example because as the world's most popular game it has the most immediate relevancy to worried parents across North America. The "No Russian" level of Modern Warfare 2 in particular makes a shocking example of the sorts of violence one can find in the series.

When the NRA wanted to open a themed restaurant in New York City's Time Square, a lot of people were rabidly upset at their proposal to include a virtual skeet-shooting gallery in the lobby. In their defence, gun club enthusiasts wheeled out House of the Dead 2 and CarnEvil which were readily accessible at arcades also located in Time Square. The questioned posed by the comparison was whether or not their virtual skeet-shooting gallery (with no representations of humans as targets) was somehow worse than what kids already had access to. On this one, it's kind of hard to argue with them.

Another one of the games mentioned during the December 21, 2012 press conference held by Wayne LaPierre, Bulletstorm seemed like a remarkably obscure title to make mention of. With far lower sales numbers than other favorite whipping boys like Call of Duty, we're going to have to guess that this one was mentioned exclusively because of its name.

In the same category as Bulletstorm, we're going to have to assume that Wayne LaPierre made mention of it during his post-Newtown conference because of its name. Splatterhouse evokes a lot of gory imagery and, to be fair, the game does have plenty of it. Any concerned mothers looking to investigate violent games - as defined by the NRA - would pull up a wealth of horrific satanic imagery with a quick Google search of its name.

It may look like nothing but a few lame sprites to us now, but back when it was originally released, the NRA and other pro-censorship groups were livid at its violence. The fatalities in particular were a note of particular ire considering there was nothing preventing children at random pizza parlours from playing it and could witness someone ripping the spine out of a living human like poor Johnny Cage.

Like an old flame that just won't quit, Wayne LaPierre didn't miss a beat when he drudged up Mortal Kombat in his recent post-Newtown conference. He called the games in question, stating "There exists in this country, sadly, a callous, corrupt and corrupting shadow industry that sells and stows violence against its own people, through vicious, violent video games with names like... 'Mortal Kombat'." but all we heard was "NetherRealm, I wish I could quit you."

Despite half-way being made to parody violent video games, Postal and Postal 2 have received flack for its content from the NRA and other pro-censorship groups for years. The game was brought out as a chief example during the Supreme Court case regarding the sale of mature content to minors.

The game does let you perform unspeakable acts of evil like shooting off a random woman's head only to piss on her corpse, douse her in gasoline and self-immolate as you burn together with her so your souls may be merged in eternity, but who really takes this stuff seriously anyway?

Despite few people in his life classifying him as a "gamer" and the fact he didn't own any consoles or video games, Seung-Hui Cho's occasional play of Counter-Strike was blamed for the Virginia Tech Massacre. Sources in the NRA and other pro-censorship groups linked Cho's fascination with military arms and tactics - the same ones that made his shooting spree so effective - with the game.

In the case of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, Doom was to blame for their violent and destructive tendencies. After the Columbine shootings rocked the popular consciousness, everyone was looking for answers and Doom was a favourite of both of the shooters. Unlike most of the cases, Doom played a significant role in the lives of both Eric and Dylan.

Eric Harris created several custom fan-levels for the game as well as a few for Quake as well.  His most infamous creation, "U.A.C. Labs" is still in distribution including violent, juvenile messages hidden within the text files from Harris himself. Maybe the NRA's got a leg to stand on with this one. 

Perhaps the most reviled game in the public eye, Grand Theft Auto gets brought up any time the video game debate pokes its ugly head around the corner. You've got Jack Thompson to thank for making it such a popular target, but its glorification of crime and violence really do make it an easy shot for anyone looking to accuse games of warping the minds of youngsters. Expect a full-on media shitstorm from the NRA and others when Grand Theft Auto V gets released later this September.

During the press conference shortly after the Newtown shooting, NRA vice-president Wayne LaPierre stood before an audience of millions and denounced violent video games as the reason we have a violence problem in society and held up Kindergarten Killer as a prime example. Never heard of the game? Don't worry, nobody else has either; originally released back in 2002 on Newgrounds.com, the game was played by remarkably few.

Sure, the subject matter of the game does involve shooting your way through a school full of pistol-toting kindergartners, but the erroneous worry of the NRA about this kind of content is their assumption that stifling the creative freedoms of the industry will prevent stuff like this from being made. The truth is, the "game" was made by a random Newgrounds user, not a company, and would therefore forever be exempt from whatever bans or regulations imposed upon the industry. The irony in this being their coup de grace example is painful.