Between Call Of Duty, Grand Theft Auto and Mortal Kombat, there’s no shortage of so-called “violent” video games. US research has looked at the popularity of these games in different states. The findings suggest that people in California are the most interested in violent video games.

Gamers on the West Coast of the US seem to be most interested in violent video games, according to research conducted by Cloudwards. After compiling a list of 90 of the most violent video games, the researchers analysed the corresponding search volumes on Google over the last 12 months for each state, averaged over 100,000 US citizens to take account of population differences between states.

California comes out on top, with an average of 52,081 monthly searches per 100,000 residents. This high level of interest is likely explained by the state's large population of video game enthusiasts: “California's top ranking is not surprising given its large population and vibrant gaming culture. The state's interest in these games is reflected in its substantial search volumes,” the research explains.

New York State, on the East Coast, takes second place, far behind, with an average of 21,211 searches per month, followed by Maryland with 9,248 searches: "New York and Maryland also show high engagement, indicating a widespread fascination with violent video games on the East Coast," the researchers write.

While the ranking of these states is not surprising given their large populations, Alabama makes a more surprising appearance in fourth place (6,974). “Despite its smaller populations, Alabama shows a considerable number of searches, suggesting a strong gaming community with an interest in violence, with the top searched game being Mortal Kombat,” the report reads.

Only Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi had Mortal Kombat at the top of their search lists for the most violent video games.

Among the most searched for violent video games, The Last Of Us takes the top spot. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the HBO adaptation of this game has been a hit with the audiences ever since, and has won numerous awards.

While Hollywood has decided to focus more on video games and less on comic books when it comes to adaptations, the negative impact of violent video games continues to be a subject of debate. Indeed, a recent study found that, contrary to popular belief, violent video games do not necessarily make young people more aggressive.

Following this latest research, Dr. Craig A. Anderson, PhD, a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Iowa State University and a leading expert on violent video game effects, stated: "Experts in the field know that frequent exposure to violent video games increases the likelihood of inappropriate aggressive behaviour, including violent behavior. This also applies to other forms of electronic media violence."

On the other hand, Dr Rachel Kowert, an award-winning research psychologist, commented: "There is no research linking video game play to any kind of long-term changes in aggressiveness or aggression. While a few studies have found short-term spikes in aggression post video game play, these research studies were done in highly controlled settings and found short-term changes only." She notes that “a person who is aggressive does not necessarily act out with violence”.

 - AFP Relaxnews