School Shooting Video Game Causes Alarm for Parents, Teachers
A video game set at a Canadian high school has caused alarm for school administrators and anger from parents.
The game, entitled "Counter-Strike," is set at the Port Moody Secondary School in British Columbia. Administrators and teachers were alarmed at the digital reproduction used in the game and the high amount of violence that takes place. While the game is described as a "first-person shooter" game, no teachers, administrators or students are depicted.
In the game, the player is allowed to design his/her own strategy for dealing with the enemy at the school. While the game has caused some outrage, one anonymous person who claims to have helped design the game offered his own justification of the game.
"Rest assured there is no malicious intent behind this production to any actual school property, nor any actual persons associated with the school," the developer told the CBC. "Additionally, people should realize this is simply a game. No physical harm comes from it. Guns in reality are generally lethal weapons. Guns in a video game can't hurt anyone."
That wasn't very reassuring to many of the teachers and parents of students at Port Moody.
"I love that school," Alex Devlin, a physical education teacher at Port Moody told the CBC. "We have amazing students, we have a wonderful, caring staff. The distinguishing thing about our school is the rainbow-colored lockers … it makes you feel good. And to see that violence, that same senseless violence in our hallway … it was devastating."
After receiving several calls from concerned citizens, the Port Moody Police investigated the game and the developer and reported that he "did not pose a danger to the staff or students."
"Although the creation of such a video game is likely ill-conceived in the current climate, it does not constitute an offence," a statement from the Police Department read.
