A video game set for release June 6 lets players simulate an active school shooting.
The game, called Active Shooter, was originally designed to be played from the perspective of the SWAT team, but developers say they decided to add the option to play as the shooter.
“Maybe we as a tech community should step back and say, You know what? We could do that, but we’re not going to," said tech expert Dan Thompson.
According to Thompson, STEAM, the independent gaming site which will house the game, allows for minimum regulation for developers.
“There are no laws or regulations that say what you can and can’t put in video games. It’s really more up to the consumer to say we’re not OK with this," said Thompson.
Thriveworks childhood trauma therapist Amanda Gilliam says while research linking video games to school shootings is inconclusive, she does not recommend parents let their children play the game or similar ones.
“I would definitely be pretty alert and on guard of kids playing this because there is that first-person shooter where you are the one holding the weapon," she said. "That really does put you in an aggressive position.”
After controversy in the comments section under the game's trailer, the developers of the game released a statement saying they are considering removing the option to play as the shooter. The statement came less than two weeks before the game's release date.
Gaming expert Luke Wood says while the game did start a conversation, it's not the first of its kind.
“I think in the current climate it’s going to ring a lot more controversial, but at the same time it isn’t anything I haven’t seen before, which is in and of itself kind of disturbing," he said.
Wood encourages people opposed to the game to fight back with their dollars rather than their words.
“Your wallet is the most powerful thing when it comes to this type of stuff. Don’t buy it, don’t support it, and it will go away," he said.