Game developers call for education, parental involvement over video game bans
MANILA, Philippines — The Game Developers Association of the Philippines (GDAP) has urged policymakers to focus on education, digital literacy and parental involvement rather than banning video games following the deadly Tacloban school shooting that reignited debate over violent gaming content.
In a position paper released by GDAP President Ria Lu, the organization extended its condolences to the victims and their families while stressing that discussions about online safety should be guided by evidence.
"Our shared objective is clear: How do we make digital spaces safer for our children?" said Lu.
The statement comes after authorities linked one of the 14-year-old suspects to GoreBox, an 18+ sandbox game that was subsequently blocked temporarily in the Philippines pending investigation.
GDAP argued that two separate questions are being mixed together in the ongoing debate: whether violent games cause violence and how minors gain access to age-restricted content.
"After more than twenty years of research, the available evidence has not supported the conclusion that violent video games, by themselves, cause serious real-world acts of violence," said Lu.
Instead, the organization pointed to factors such as strong family engagement, anti-bullying programs, mental health support, digital literacy, and early intervention as areas shown to be more effective in addressing youth violence.
At the same time, GDAP acknowledged that GoreBox is an adult-rated game and said the more pressing issue is access.
"While violent games themselves have not been shown to independently cause serious acts of violence, GoreBox remains an adult game. A 14-year-old should not have been playing it," explained Lu.
According to GDAP, age-rating systems and parental controls already exist across major gaming platforms, but their effectiveness depends on active participation from parents and guardians.
"Technology alone cannot replace active parental involvement," added Lu, noting that children can often bypass restrictions through adult accounts or other workarounds.
The group also pushed back against proposals to ban violent games outright, arguing that such titles are already designed for mature audiences.
Rather than prohibitions, GDAP recommended a nationwide awareness campaign on game age ratings and parental controls, digital parenting programs, expanded digital literacy education, and stronger collaboration among government agencies, schools, platforms, parents and the gaming industry.
"The question before us is not simply whether one particular game should exist. The larger question is how we create a digital environment where children can safely learn, play, and grow,” said Lu.
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