not pacman anymore

I still remember afternoons spent at the fun factory, a local video game arcade that unfortunately for my high school education, was a place I could often be found instead of school. (sorry mom). Even before that, I remember my original nintendo nes and hours of playing games like tecmo bowl, double dribble, and sci-fi games like legend of zelda and metroid.

Like everything else in society, video games have changed. Technology has made immense advancements enabling games to be much more life like and interactive. In addition to that, the saturation of sex into every sector of society has influenced the direction of media and gaming.

"Gaming" has now surpassed the movie industry and is a multi Billion (with a "b") enterprise in America. Despite the attempts to regulate minors being able purchase these games by coming up with a rating system, (mature meaning you have to be 18) statistics show that this is rarely adhered to by retailers who want to sell these games that run upwards of sixty dollars each.

Enter the latest "breakthrough" in gaming. Bio ware is a popular role playing game that was released in time for Christmas last year. It has a mature rating and depicts two men in various sex positions in a scene of homosexual seduction.

I have decided to describe the scene and not provide a link to it. it is pretty graphic and very disgusting.

During a fireside chat, the player's Grey Warden character asks warrior elf Zevran, "Can you join me in my tent?"

The elf reveals he specializes in assassination, and the other character replies, "I bet you're good at a lot of things."

The elf responds, "Mmmm, that's quite an offer, especially coming from another man – if we are both speaking of the same thing."

If the player selects the response, "I suspect we are," the elf agrees to have homosexual sex with the character.

The video cuts to a scene in which the two men are dirty, naked and kissing. They are depicted in various homosexual sex positions, and the clip concludes with the two nestling together and gazing into one another's eyes.

I understand that there are plenty of games that depict heterosexual sex as well, and they should not receive a pass by any means, however I can't help but think that in a game that is marketed to young kids, this brings up new levels of concern.

The only solution I see for parents, is involvement. You have to know what your kids are playing/watching and don't allow them to have computers, gaming systems, or even televisions in their room where you are incapable of monitoring it. Don't just assume that since Jimmy is in his room playing video games and not bothering anyone, it must be all good. Things have come a long way since the days of pacman and centipede.

Here is a video that a friend of mine posted a few months ago of the response of a young man whose mom cancelled his world of warcraft account. ( a sci fi role playing game that has had a huge influence on young people, sometimes being played up to twenty hours a day). His brother set up a hidden camera thinking it would be funny to see his brother freaking out. What you are about to see is disturbing, and is no doubt the result of a demon oppressing this young man. This image is heartbreaking and has stayed with me a long time. pray for this generation.