Exercise and video games (Score 1)

"Of course, I admit that there's one charge against video games that is a slam dunk. Kids don't get physical exercise when they play a video game, and indeed the rise in obesity among younger people is a serious issue. But, of course, you don't get exercise from doing homework either."

Aside from the massive adrenaline rushes during shootouts in some of the better FPS games I've become addicted to during the last few years, the claim that video games lead to laziness and obesity is misleading.

Yes, if you don't ever leave the computer and have nothing else requiring physical effort during the rest of the day then it's likely you'll end up a big, fat slob. But this type of person probably already started out that way and would behave the same whether it was a television being watched or just paint drying on a wall.

The constraint placed on physical involvement in video games is only as significant as the available peripherals and the associated programming by developers. Examples like Dance Dance Revolution, Silent Scope, or a golf simulator all show how adding a physical component makes the game better and provides a way to get exercise if so inclined. But rather than allow the industry time to develop the necessary peripheral devices and necessary control software our legislative branch has decided to place more barriers on an already extremely competitive market.

Result: Gamers get the same recycled games from the big developers like EA where the game's only selling point is some controversial bit of content. Meanwhile smaller companies get displaced since they don't have the resources to develop both the technology and the code themselves.