Video games feature violence. Not all of them, of course, but violence is prevalent — just as it is in movies and on television. Now, thanks to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on June 27, violent video games are protected under the same freedom of speech that Hollywood enjoys.
The State of California vs. The Entertainment Merchants Association and the Entertainment Software Association concerned a 2005 California law that prohibited the sale of violent video games to minors and would fine retailers $1,000 for each game sold to underage players.
The law, written by state Sen. Leland Yee, simply used the broad term "violent video games" without specific clarification. But critics of the California legislation wondered, what exactly is a "violent video game"? Is the first-person shooter "Call of Duty" violent? Is the jumping on top of enemies in "Super Mario Bros." violent?