[Tom4784]

Firstly, I don't think game violence is an issue, if people don't have a problem with zombies ripping people apart in Walking Dead then I don't see why it would be an issue in a game, especially with the line between gaming and traditional media becoming more blurred by the day. The Last of Us trailer was harrowing but I don't think the violence was anymore noteworthy than anything you would see at the cinema.

When it comes to difficult themes, I'm very much on board with video games tackling them when it's done right. With narrative becoming more important in gaming, I think it's a good place to tackle themes that traditional media are hesistant to touch. There was a game released this year called Hellblade which was about a Celtic Warrior who suffered from Psychosis and the player was encouraged at the start of the game to wear earphones so that they can more accurately get a feel for the symptoms the main character was feeling and it was very effective. I think that game did something for mental awareness that a TV show or film could never do, it gave us a glimpse of what Psychosis was like for it's sufferers. I think the problem with this trailer of Detroit is that it is mostly out of context and out of context it becomes a bit crass. I don't think games should shy away from difficult themes though as they can highlight them in ways that other forms of media can't.

I do think the backlash against Sony for not airing warnings was warranted though especially when it comes to subjects such as Domestic abuse.