Is Hatred: Devastation Dangerous or Harmless?

Hatred: Devastation has been a source of controversy for quite some time now and the latest trailer continues to fan the flames.

One side argues that playing violence-driven games has no dire psychological effect on the player. A review from Christopher J. Ferguson, a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, collects multiple studies and data that refute any worries:

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“Increasingly, research from various labs is making it clear that the influence of video games on youth aggression is minimal… Long-term outcome studies from Germany have similarly not found any relationship. Other research finds that the release of violent games is associated with immediate declines in violent crime, not increases. This is not to say that no studies find any evidence for effects, but these tend to be very small. For instance, one study from Canada found that playing violent video games was associated with about a half a percent increase in later youth aggression.” (LSE)

In attempting to prove that video games are not harmful, Ferguson looks at the issue through multiple lenses. Another way to analyze the effects of video game violence is to focus upon bullying and delinquent behavior in minors:

Violent video game exposure was not found to be predictive of delinquency or bullying, nor was level of parental involvement. These results question the commonly held belief that violent video games are related to youth delinquency and bullying. (SAGE)

Some studies go as far as to suggest gaming violence can act as therapeutic catharsis and reduce aggression (MSU).

Aggression Catharsis

The other side argues that playing violence-driven video games absolutely makes players more aggressive. Could playing this game only ignite a person’s negativity, or perhaps better said, hatred? Believe it or not, in an almost complete contradiction to Ferguson, there is research to suggest exactly that:

Computer players often deny that playing violent video games makes them aggressive, which is in contrast to the findings of a recent comprehensive meta-analysis. The present research examines whether comparison processes between the players’ intense acts of violence in a video game and their comparatively harmless aggressive behavior in daily life not only account for this apparent discrepancy but also underlie the effect of playing violent video games on aggressive behavior. In fact, two experiments reveal that playing a violent video game leads to a bias in the perception of what counts as aggressive, which in turn evokes aggressive behavior. (ScienceDirect)

There have been various studies over the years on the relation between violence and video games, but we are not yet left with one definitive answer.

Were the data more conclusive, and violent video games confidently showed to provide a cathartic, psychologically safe outlet to begin therapeutic aid in those struggling with true hatred and negativity, then perhaps Hatred could find more support in this debate. The data would have to explore the range of effective violence, and whether this result could be anywhere near possible for a game as poignant as Hatred.

On the other hand, if this type of game truly fuels the acts of violence we see in the news so frequently these days, then the community and distributors like Steam might have to seriously weigh the social repercussions of games like Hatred against their valued freedom of speech.

Until psychologists and scientists can agree on definitive research, however, we’ll have to be wary of psychological and moral claims alike. Let’s hope for the best. And in the meantime, share your opinion on Hatred in the comments.


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Ian Lepkowsky
Ian was a freelance writer for Twinfinite that loved nothing more than helping his fellow Guardians in Destiny 2 fight back against the Darkness. Be it patch notes, funny anecdotal stories from the community or in-depth guides to help you get that exotic, Ian was your guy!