Marketing to Children - Rockstar Games
Ethical Problem
The key issue is simply that Rockstar Games (a subsidiary of Take Two Interactive) does not have the intent for the “greatest good for all people.” Your strategy solely focuses on financial gain and being the market leader, regardless of how you execute this strategy (1). Rockstar Games is not only marketing violence and illegal activities to children, but you are lying while doing so. Children cannot make rational decisions. Therefore directly marketing violent games to children encourages children that it is “okay” to participate in such illegal activities. Your games are interactive, therefore, children are being shown directly how to plan and execute these illegal activities. This is unethical and shows Rockstar Games only motive of financial gain and to be the market leader.
The violence in your video games has become more realistic to the violence that occurs in the real world. In much older video games, violent acts were seen and thought to be carried out unrealistically. For example, killing someone would make them vanish into thin air. Currently the violence in your video games truly resembles realistic situations, such as shooting someone in the head and watching the blood poor out as the character slowly dies in excruciating pain. Promoting illegal activities, such as murder, prostitution and corruption, and promoting racism presents a moral challenge that Rockstar Games does not seem to have a problem with. Your company’s strategy specifically states is for financial gain and to be the market leader (1). Rockstar Games does not seem to have any interest in the negative impact your games has and can have on children. What will it take for Rockstar Games to realize that the violence and illegal activities they promote to children is unethical? (To the CEO of Rockstar Games) Imagine your child, playing your game, and afterwards decides to go out and execute a murder, which he/she learned through your video game. Will it
The key issue is simply that Rockstar Games (a subsidiary of Take Two Interactive) does not have the intent for the “greatest good for all people.” Your strategy solely focuses on financial gain and being the market leader, regardless of how you execute this strategy (1). Rockstar Games is not only marketing violence and illegal activities to children, but you are lying while doing so. Children cannot make rational decisions. Therefore directly marketing violent games to children encourages children that it is “okay” to participate in such illegal activities. Your games are interactive, therefore, children are being shown directly how to plan and execute these illegal activities. This is unethical and shows Rockstar Games only motive of financial gain and to be the market leader.
The violence in your video games has become more realistic to the violence that occurs in the real world. In much older video games, violent acts were seen and thought to be carried out unrealistically. For example, killing someone would make them vanish into thin air. Currently the violence in your video games truly resembles realistic situations, such as shooting someone in the head and watching the blood poor out as the character slowly dies in excruciating pain. Promoting illegal activities, such as murder, prostitution and corruption, and promoting racism presents a moral challenge that Rockstar Games does not seem to have a problem with. Your company’s strategy specifically states is for financial gain and to be the market leader (1). Rockstar Games does not seem to have any interest in the negative impact your games has and can have on children. What will it take for Rockstar Games to realize that the violence and illegal activities they promote to children is unethical? (To the CEO of Rockstar Games) Imagine your child, playing your game, and afterwards decides to go out and execute a murder, which he/she learned through your video game. Will it