Call of Duty

[MrsPatrickDempsey]

14 yr old DS wants to play it. I know nothing about gaming. Please tell me what I need to know. I am aware it's an 18 but of course, he is the only one who doesn't have it! AIBU to say yes?

Common Sense Media is a good place to start but, being an American site, they are particularly anti gun violence for teens.

www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-2019

They say 18+
Parents say 12+
Kids say 12+

Things you should be aware of:

• it's a game that actual people play together, either as part of a team, or everyone for themselves (there's different set of rules the players can choose, and they're all quite fun)
• to win the game, you typically need to (virtually) shoot dead enemy players
• it's somewhat realistic, but not too gory. It's not that different from paint ball or laser quest (only you don't get to exercise, and there's less of a risk of injury)
• it can become very addictive (and playing it for long hours to the exclusion of other activities, can be a symptom of other psychological issues)
• because it can be played with other people online (peers, and/or strangers), and involves a certain amount of communication within and around the game, there is the usual risks of bullying, grooming, scamming, you name it! (All the usual risks of interacting with people online, with an additional filter: people who enjoy play-shooting at each others... so the proportion of sociopaths may be a bit higher than, say, on Mumsnet? Although that's not a given )

Sources:

• I'm a gamer (but I'm not too keen on that kind of games)
• I've known lots of gamers (including some who were seriously addicted :/)

In my opinion, it's probably OK for a 14 year old to play it with friends, as long as they are well psychologically adjusted (not so much if they are obsessed with death or fire arms).
But as a parent, keep an eye on how much they play (and how that may affect their mood, e.g. are they more aggressive when/after playing?), and make sure to have a chat about online bullying/groomin/scamming/you-name-it.

I may be wrong but I think there are some really gory side 'adventures' that are optional. They're much more vicious than the regular game.