Video Games: Good or Bad? Researchers' battle to determine whether video games are beneficial or harmful to children appears to be a new but ongoing topic. With the advancements in technology and the overwhelming effect of video game entertainment, whether on computers, video game systems or portable devices, it is increasingly difficult for parents to monitor their children while they spend time playing these games. There is more negative research than positive, especially because the topic is only now being researched by psychiatrists, medical personnel, and educators. Most of the information found on the Internet and in publications is starting to take a positive turn due to the change in programming and game design. In this article we will discuss both sides of the issue with the intention of improving understanding of each person's point of view and shedding light on a topic that is still in its infancy in terms of research. First we will discuss the many negative aspects of playing video games. According to several doctors, negative effects could include, but are not limited to: violence, poor academic performance, attention problems, or video game addiction (Prot, McDonald, Anderson, & Gentile, 2012, p.648). Violent games like the “Grand Theft Auto” and “Ghost Recon” series give rewards for the most violence achieved in the game. Researchers believe that this type of play is not suitable for children as they begin to associate being naughty or undisciplined with receiving rewards, thus causing them to act this way in everyday life. Sometimes it's not just the action scenes in these games, but many times it's the language associated with them. School failure, attention problems,...... half of the paper......work for your child. This writer believes that games are more helpful than harmful because of the new light on research conducted by people other than video critics of the game. These professionals have the ability to conduct real research on children, as opposed to critics who conduct their research through newspaper articles and public protests. However, each person is able to make his own choice. References Canadian Council on Learning. (2009). The Video Game Debate: Bad for Behavior, Good for Learning? Learning lessons. Nauert, R. (2014, March 26). Video games can impact children for better or worse. Retrieved from http://psychcentral.com/news/2014/03/26/video-games-can-impact-kids-for-good-or-ill/67632.htmlProt, S., McDonald, K., Anderson, C., & Gentile, D. (2012). Video Games: Good, Bad or Other? Children, adolescents and the media, 59(3).