I have a daughter who just turned 1. When we play video games, she doesn’t mind Halo, but cries during Rainbow Six. Now, Halo is cartoony violence, and the sounds in it don’t sound like real weapons. Also, you are killing aliens. In Rainbow Six you are killing real people who speak, and using guns that sound like real weapons. Rainbow Six is a much more visceral game.
My wife said that the difference between killing aliens and killing humans may be at issue. I was skeptical since the aliens in Halo are humanoid and the humans in Rainbow Six are often terrorists in masks.
What could the difference be? Could it be ok because Halo is bright vibrant colors like a cartoon and Rainbow Six is more realistic gritty tones?
My WAG is she doesn’t like the noises that Rainbow Six makes. One of my psych books claims that children begin to understand that images, like in picture books, correlate to things they see in real life beginning at 14-16 months. If she literally just turned one I think it’s unlikely she even understands that the things on screen are even supposed to be aliens or people, nevermind that they’re being harmed.
So, was this a serious question, or a joke like I suspect?
Well essentially that means stop playing them. Considering we have a contract to do some work on Halo, that’s unlikely to happen.
She clearly did not like Rainbow Six, so that will have to bear some scrutiny. I am curious as to why that one of all of them. I think the sounds are what triggered it. Generally she doesn’t really pay attention when we play video games.
