The Entertainment Software Association, the trade group for video game designers and production houses, has broken its silence following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, The Hill reports.
After Sen. Jay Rockefeller introduced a bill calling for the National Academy of Sciences to study the impact of violent video games, the ESA issued a statement reminding policymakers that there is no demonstrated link between violent video games and real life violence.
Adam Lanza, the 20-year old shooter of 26 people at Sandy Hook, reportedly liked to play video games.
The statement indicates that the entire industry is mourning the loss of life at Sandy Hook and sends condolences to the families of victims. It goes on to add:
The search for meaningful solutions must consider the broad range of actual factors that may have contributed to this tragedy. Any such study needs to include the years of extensive research that has shown no connection between entertainment and real-life violence.
67% of US Households play video games and the average gamer spends 8 hours per week playing video games, according to the Entertainment Software Rating Board.