Not just because the game is a crime against video game quality (that’s bound to get some responses), but if Germany has anything to say about it, every time you turn on Halo and kill AI, you’re committing a crime. Every time a publisher inserts a knife into a video game, he’s committing a crime. Every time Activision sells a copy of Call of Duty they’re sentencing themselves to jail time.

This is all coming from (surprise surprise) a recent shooting spree an 18yr-old male underwent in West Germany, killing himself and injuring numerous people. It’s been reported that the young man was a big fan of Counter-Strike, and racked up many hours playing the online game.

So, naturally, politicians have given a knee-jerk reaction. Legislation drafted by two state governments in Bavaria and Lower Saxony details that “developers, distributors and players of video games whose goal is to inflict ‘cruel violence on humans or human-looking characters’ to a fine and a maximum of one year in jail.”

Yes, jail.

“So, what you in for?”
“I killed my gardener with a pneumatic drill. Shoved it right through his eye.”
“How about you?”
“Oh I spent 10 minutes or so playing Half Life.”
“Jesus man, you’re sick.”

Before this law comes into effect, it first must pass legislation and become certified. Naturally, I don’t think anyone expects this law to pass, as it would mean the 2million strong German online gaming community need to be locked up.

Head of the Deutsche E-Sport Bund, Frank Sliwka, (which coordinates online gaming competition) had this to say in reaction to the legislation. “Now we are being labelled as a breeding ground for unstable, dysfunctional and violent youngsters.”

Let’s get serious for a moment. When an individual commits a violent crime, the general consensus is to blame everyone except the individual himself if it’s related to video games. Parents, lawyers (I use the term loosely) and communities all want something to blame. “If Johnny hadn’t of played Resident Evil then this tragedy wouldn’t have occurred.” Gamers around the world all know this is pathetic. We’re not recluses, who dwell in our dank basements plotting the deaths of our local schoolteacher. We’re normal people, we have loving relationships, friends, family, girlfriends/boyfriends - we enjoy life.

Now I’m not saying every gamer is perfect, because they’re not. There is bound to be a few people that are recluses, who do plot their enemies’ deaths. But this is not reserved for video gamers is it? What about bakers, carpenters, authors, doctors, sports stars or your next-door neighbour – you think video gamers are a select bunch of psychopaths?

Millions of people play video games, violent or not, everyday. The majority of us don’t feel like taking our virtual (I stress the word virtual) weapons out on the public. And if you do? To put it bluntly, you need psychiatric help.

Video games don’t kill people. People kill people.

- Aaron Kleemann.