I don’t believe that shooting games are the sole cause of a child developing violent tendencies. But I do think that they play a contributing factor. Without proper parental guidance, I think it is entirely reasonable to conclude that there are direct correlations.

Shooting games are easy to make. Between killing zombies and aliens, there are plenty of genres that make it seem less ‘real’. Creating that plot, is not hard.

Making an action game that simulates the excitement and challenge of a first person shooter game without the violence, is hard. But “hard is not hopeless.” * Just because something is hard, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t make an effort to take on the challenge.

At TheMissionZone, we believe that a reality based game can produce the same dopamine rush from completing tasks, without violence. But we also believe that physically moving and challenging the body can produce an adrenaline rush, not achieved from sitting and playing a digital game. Further, the challenge of completing a covert mission, challenges the brain in ways unattainable by an adrenaline sport like an obstacle course or a video game . Non-kinetic missions require more focus, attention and concentration than just point-and-shoot games or rock-climbing. TheMissionZone will combine these experiences in new ways.

We intend to prove this concept and build a game platform that delivers this capability as part of our core experiential learning programs. People CAN learn while having fun. And having fun playing a game, can be more than just mindlessly shooting ‘bad guys. It’s a brave new world.

* Gen David Petraeus