Titled “School Shooter: North American Tour 2012,” the developers of the game are completely unapologetic. In fact, members of Checkerboarded Studios admit that they were inspired by the tragic events of the Virginia Tech shooting as well as Columbine. The basic premise of the game is to shoot school students, but the message itself is much more dangerous. Lawmaker and concerned parents have long argued that violent video games have led trouble children to make life altering decisions. Following the shooting that took place at Columbine High School in 1999, the US Congress convened to debate whether or not violent music and video games played any part in the event.
The video game industry has worked to distance itself from these types of negative connotations, but just one game may threaten years of progress. What makes “ School Shooter: North American Tour 2012” truly controversial is the fact that the main character and the weapons used are modeled after perpetrators of school violence. The PC game awards gamers points for each violent act committed. Although most people are able to separate fantasy from reality, the gaming community has been shocked by the developer’s sheer and unadulterated lack of empathy. It is only a matter of time before this PC game is banned in various countries around the world, but it is clear that the game makers themselves will likely cash in from marketing their game to angst ridden teens. If another act of school violence breaks out Checkerboarded Studios may have a hard time arguing their case.
