The US President Donald Trump summoned representatives from the video game industry to discuss violence in video games. A montage was shown that included images from Call of Duty and Dead by Daylight.
On Thursday, representatives from the video game industry and other stakeholders followed Donald Trump’s invitation to attend a private meeting at the White House. The meeting took place in the aftermath of a violent act in Parkland, Florida, where 17 people died.
The meeting is said to have begun with Trump showing a montage of various violent clips from video games..
The clip includes images from Call of Duty, Dead by Daylight, Sniper Elite 4, and The Evil Within.
During the clip, Trump is said to have asked: “That’s violent, right?”
What exactly was discussed at the conference is not known. Individual participants have since publicized their statements or demands or reported details of the meeting.
The meeting was respectful but controversial
The atmosphere of the meeting was said to be respectful but controversial. Trump was reported to have appeared open and willing to listen in all directions.
A representative from the “Parents Television Council” stated that the media have a corrosive effect on culture.
A representative from the “Media Research Council” called for much stronger regulation for video games, similar to that for alcohol or tobacco.
Representatives from the video game industry association ESA stated: “We discussed various studies showing that there is no connection between video games and violence.” The video game industry cites the First Amendment, which protects free speech. The gaming industry also has a rating system that helps parents make an informed decision about which entertainment is appropriate for their children.
High-ranking executives from Take-Two (GTA) and Zenimax (Fallout) are said to have participated in the meeting.
How things will proceed after the meeting is not known. Previously, it was stated from the White House that this was only the first of many meetings on the topic. The Washington Post reports that representatives from the film industry and large tech companies expect to be invited to the White House.
