I am a recent graduate of the University of Minnesota, leaving behind college with a degree in Graphic Design and a minor in Journalism and Mass Communications. In my four and a half years in the program I somehow managed to make almost every project possible into something that related to one of my geeky hobbies. I created a Choco-Mog Sculpture, a Triptych wall-mounted Mario Brothers Tribute, a Nintendo Timeline Display, a board game titled “For Teh Win,” a Hero Gear Clothing Display, a Mii Family Portrait and even redesigned the 1988 Mario Brothers Board Game.

In my last semester we were all given the opportunity to create a senior ethics project with virtually no limitations. I knew that this project would follow a similar path as my previous ones. It was my opportunity to combine my passion for video games with a semester long project focusing on ethics. I felt that the subject was particularly relevant to the current media climate.

Today’s media is overflowing with ethical dilemmas surrounding video games and the video game culture. While we may shrug off the barrage of media attacks with a simple “words can never hurt me” approach, one of the biggest threats to the video game industry comes from the negative publicity the media produces. Concerned parents are constantly looking for a way to protect their children from the “evils of video games” and often they look to the political system for that safeguard. My goal was to create a project – unbiased as possible in the presentation of its research – that would help the public realize restrictive / penalizing legislation is not the best or most effective way to pacify public outcry against the gaming culture.

I decided to create a website – Beyond the Hype – that would encourage readers to look beyond the media hype surrounding games and to make intelligent decisions based off of the research provided. Now that I am finished, that goal still stands. It is my objective that gamers will walk away with a greater understanding of the trade they are so passionate about as well as the information they need to make their voices heard. Similarly, it is my aim that parents will leave the site provided with the knowledge that they have the resources to control what content their children view and the realization that legislation is not a necessary step to take.

To achieve this, the content on my web project encompasses many subjects. When you visit Beyond the Hype you can read about the history of the video game, learn about some common misconceptions and sift through facts and figures about the industry. You will also find more information about the self-regulatory body for the industry – the ESRB – as well as information on retail enforcement and methods of self-regulation. I also touch on the video game legislation that it is my ultimate goal to avoid.

Ultimately, the purpose of this website is to put the reader in control. Knowledge is power. The more we know about the industry, the history, the demographics, the challenges, the tools and the limitless options we as consumers have, the more power we hold. The more power we hold, the less likely we are to use the legal system as a crutch for societal downfalls.

Whether it is a better understanding of the rich history of the video game, or a different perspective on our current legislation battles, I hope each reader is able to take something away from this project. I hope that if you find my project helpful you will share it with someone else or digg it below to continue getting the word out!

Join the Video Game Voters Network wall of protest with your own personal message!

Finally, I must send a big thank you out to the sites that provided such quality research information for my project: Game Politics, the Video Game Voters Network and the Entertainment Consumers Association. Keep fighting the good fight guys!

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