'Violence in games needs to affect people,' says Spec Ops writer

Walt Williams, writer of 2K shooter Spec: Ops The Line, has said he thinks the industry can't claim video games are an art form and then at the same time say aspects such as violence have no impact on players.
<figure style="border-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px 20px; padding: 0px; width: 300px; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); text-transform: none; line-height: 21px; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: normal; clear: both; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; word-spacing: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; float: right; display: block; white-space: normal; position: relative; orphans: 2; widows: 2; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-image: initial; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;" class="article-image article-image-alt article-image-300">http://cdn.medialib.computerandvideo...mb_wide300.jpg</figure>Speaking about graphic violence in an interview with CVG, Williams was asked whether Spec Ops was consciously leveraging gratuitous content to emotionally connect with players. He responded by saying "absolutely", but was quick to say the studio is acutely aware that it needs to be tactful."The last thing we want to be is exploitive, because then what you're doing just becomes childish. You're just being shocking for shock's sake," he said.
Williams continued by saying the industry can only be considered a legitimate art form if games endeavour to engage the player emotionally as much as possible.
"For years and years, as an industry, we've all been waving our hands and going, 'we're art! Respect us art!' but the moment the whole violence debate comes up, we go, 'oh, violent games don't affect people'. Now, I'm not saying violent games make people violent, but, at the same time, you can't say in the same breath that we are art and we don't have any affect at all. To be art, you have to be affecting."
2K Games has announced Spec Ops: The Line will release in North America on June 26 and internationally on June 29. Keep an eye out for the full interview later today.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...ec-ops-writer/