Part 9/11:
The demonization of gaming is not new. Since the 1950s and 1960s, society has fought against perceived moral threats—be it rock music, Dungeons & Dragons, or heavy metal. Today, video games are becoming the latest target of moral panic, labeled as causes of violence, extremism, or mental health issues.
In fact, some media outlets have linked video games to far-right extremism and societal division, echoing fears from decades past about pop culture corrupting youth. What’s different this time is the scale and sophistication of governmental regulation, especially in China, where the state’s authority over personal behavior is more expansive.