Violence isn’t the key to video game sales

Re “Converting Video Games Into Instruments of God,” May 10

Morality in video games is not uncommon; even in the much-reviled “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas,” the main character deals with stopping a corrupt police force and trying to halt the sale of drugs in his city.

The idea that gratuitous violence is the major factor that drives game sales is preposterous. In fact, games that are rated “M” for mature make up only about 12% of video game sales. Of these, only a handful feature violence or sex without some kind of moral context, and these usually sell abysmally.

Gamers are just as much into, if not more so, the values, story line, art and music, much of which is original and could easily be seen in other types of mainstream media without offending most people.

JOHN OTA

Culver City