Violent Video Games Reach Sotomayor & The Supreme Court

By Michael Lopez

Who knew that in between hearing pivotal cases on civil rights, corporate monopolies, and national security, Sonia Sotomayor and her fellow justices of the Supreme Court would be debating “Grand Theft Auto”? That’s exactly what will be happening November 2 in the California dispute over banning violent video games.

photo via Getty Images

It’s no secret that video game violence has been a hotly debated topic for years. Many contend that gun blasting, carjacking, and fistfights in the virtual world could lead kids to want to do the same in their real lives.

On the flip side, many major game companies argue that violent behavior in children can be traced more to their upbringing than what’s in their Xbox. They’ve contested that there’s very little evidence to prove titles like "Call Of Duty” and “Mafia II” contribute to negative behavior in kids.

photo via Gamespot

Either way, the fight’s now going to Washington D.C. thanks to new law signed by Cali governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. His initiative would put a ban on the sale of video games deemed “violent” to any child under the age of 18 (with stiff fines for businesses that don’t comply).

He also wants to require violent video games to be packaged differently with heavy labels that would block the box cover art. Manufacturers challenged this law as “unconstitutional” and now it's headed straight to Sotomayor.

Now we’re not sure if she’s dabbled in any of the “Halo” or “Modern Warfare” games (she seems more like a “Tetris” person), but Sonia and her bench have a very big decision on their hands. One that could impact the entire video game industry. In the meantime, we’ll play neutral in the debate…and stick to our family-friendly Juanes “Rock Band” game instead.

Source: [Gamespot]

Do you think violent video games should be kept away from children? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Arnold Schwarzenegger, Grand Theft Auto, Politics, Sonia Sotomayor, Supreme Court, video games, Xbox