WORLD OF Warcraft, the video game mentioned in evidence yesterday by Anders Breivik, is an online role-playing game, set in a fantasy universe. Published by Activision Blizzard, the game is subscription based, which means players must pay a monthly fee to keep playing.
Players build and control their own avatar, or character, within the game, allowing them to take on different quests, explore the game world, fight monsters and interact with other non-player characters. Characters can range from human to fantasy creatures such as elves and goblins.
Over time, players can develop new skills, team up with other groups of players and develop their characters further.
As of the end of December, there were 10.2 million subscribers to the game, although in 2010 it reached as high as 12 million subscribers. It currently holds a Guinness world record as a popular online role-playing game.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, another video game that appealed to Breivik, is part of a successful series of first-person shooter games that simulate war scenarios.
A number of studies have been carried out into the effects of violent video games on players. However, the research has produced contradictory results. Some suggest that violent games lead to an increase in aggressive behaviour, others claim the opposite.
One study, carried out by researchers in Texas and published last year, argues that such video games may actually trigger a decrease in crime rates, because gamers “engaged in virtual violence are not simultaneously engaged in actual violence”.
“To date, there is no evidence that violent video games cause violence or crime. In fact, two recently published studies analysed the effect of violent media (movies and video game stores) on crime, and found increased exposure may have caused crime rates to decrease,” the study said.
Another study carried out by the University of Missouri claimed the brains of violent video game players become less responsive to violence, predicting an increase in aggression.
A separate analysis of research reports led by Iowa State University professor Craig Anderson claimed to prove that exposure to violent video games made children more aggressive and less caring. But that was criticised by Texas University researchers Christopher Ferguson and John Kilburn, who claimed the analysis was flawed.
