VIDEO GAMES CAN INCREASE aggressive behaviour in children and adolescents, according to a survey published today. Researchers found that certain games could be played safely for a limited time but prolonged participation can lead to violence afterwards.

The study focused on a game released last week and it found particularly disturbing results. Children and teenagers who were exposed to only 45 minutes of the game, called Denmark Versus England, remained calm but those who continued to experience it beyond that point became frustrated, angry and violent.

“This game tests how much agony people can endure, and points are scored for each extra five minutes that the player is able to watch without turning away,” the author of the report said. “There have been numerous incidents of vandalism involving people throwing their drinks to the ground in a fury after witnessing the shocking spectacle into a second hour. Given the game’s vicious attack on the good name of football, this is no surprise.”

In certain cases the offending video game has led players to lash out and suffer injuries to themselves. “Those who manage to continue until near the end of Denmark Versus England see the face of a goalkeeper appear and hear him claim provocatively that he did not practise for the match,” the author said. “At this point many people have instinctively thrown a fist at the screen and suffered a fractured hand.”

A leading campaigner against video games hit out at the latest in a long line of related violent games. “It’s obscene that young people are watching such horrific scenes produced in the guise of a sporting event,” he said. “The aggressive behaviour is all connected to the series of video games called England Friendly International, which was devised by a Swedish company and has been on the market for four years. Their general sense of purposelessness drives those playing it to distraction and, eventually, to violence.

“There needs to be a watchdog regulating the production of such games because it can be detrimental to the mental health of normally stable individuals. There’s nothing wrong with the concept of England Friendly International, but the problem arises when the manufacturers overlook the wellbeing of onlookers who are expecting a properly competitive contest. Similar games in the past have not created any trouble because the makers took their task seriously.”

Explore Football

• Premier League

• Football League

• Scotland

• European Football

• International Football

• TheGame

• Live Match Tracker

• The Fink Tank

• Fantasy Football