Game Makers Swear Off Violence, but for How Long?

Violence and mayhem are mainstays of American video entertainment. But many game developers have scrambled to temper their products after last week's terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

Over the past week, games with potentially offensive content have been pulled from shelves, postponed or repackaged. Stocks of video game publishers suffered sharp losses Monday on concern that the tragedy, as well as its impact on retail spending, would hurt sales. Analysts also say retailers like Wal-Mart could become more reluctant to carry violent games.

But, all things considered, many expect the reaction to be cosmetic, and that the temporary changes won't take a lasting toll on the finances of game publishers. "They'll probably end up back on the shelves," said James Lin, video game analyst at Jefferies. "But for the time being, they're doing the right thing."

Playing It Right

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