Any ways to convince my parents to let me play a FPS game?

So I've been bringing up this topic for a while with my parents because these are the types of games my friends play. Of course, it all depends on what they think. The results I got got me to thinking. They said that I wouldn't be allowed to play any shooter games because they are strongly against war and violence. They know it is just a game, and how it wouldn't create any "violent behavior" on my behalf, but it is simulating a war or the general idea of killing someone. I obviously would not play these games to experience the violence, but instead to really play the game. Every time I ask them, they say "You might as well watch the news if you want that much violence." which really annoys me. What really struck me though was when they said "Even if you ask when you are 16, I will still say no." This really bothers me. How I see it, is that I will not be playing shooters until I am in college. Yikes.

I am about to start Junior High, and I know that a lot of people there will be into those sorts of games, not so much the games I can play. There will always be the people who do enjoy the games I can play, but still, I will be left out from a certain group of people and I'm not the kind of person who likes to be left out.

Please try and help me out. I don't want anybody really saying "You are too young to be playing these sorts of games" but truly it is the maturity, which, I can handle at this point. I do not laugh when people die, that would just be cruel, but in the sense of a video game, it is different. The only mature game I really own is TF2, and that was a long shot. It has the war qualities, but the only thing that got my parents to let me play it was its cartoon style. The main theme behind these games is still war though, so I see it as the same idea.

I appreciate all answers, just please help me out.

Playing videogames, especially difficult games like shooters, is excellent mental excersize for people of all ages. It helps to develop and improve hand eye coordination, problem solving skills, mental alertness, field of vision scanning, and even teamwork as you work together with your friends toward reaching goals. For instance, my son uses shooters as a tool to keep his mind sharp. He has been an honor roll student his entire life, he is in the gifted program, and he has very grand goals in life..

As for some parents worrying that videogames will make their kids violent, I know first hand that this is not true. My oldest son started playing shooters when he was 3 years old, which was about 10 years ago. He has never gotten into a fight or argument, he has never gotten into trouble at school, he refuses to go hunting or hurt creatures of any kind, he hates violence and war, and he has never showed a violent tendency of any kind..

Also, I'm sure that your parents grew up watching all sorts of violent movies and newscasts, so they should already know that games with guns in them will not turn you into a gunmen. I loved James Bond movies as a kid, but they never made me want to join the military and become a secret agent. Rambo: First Blood was a great movie, but it did not make me want to rebel against and kill police officers. I would actually argue that violent movies and television are actually far worse for children than videogames, since they require no mental effort and therefore have no beneficial attributes...

Hate parents like yours. Your old enough to decide what content you enjoy.

Games have a rating system. If the games you want to play aren't rated for your age, don't complain, you're not entitled to. If not then you're still stuck again because your parents carry over the rights to say what their children can watch or in this case play. Certainly some parents don't know where the line is. Sucks but that's reality. However your only recourse is to convince them otherwise and I'd advise to not be annoying about it because that will aggravate and therefore make them more stubborn on the issue. Discuss it as being a hobby of entertainment that you wish to do on your spare time just as they have their own entertainment needs. It's also part of being social these days which you remind them it's a bit different than when they were your age. You want to fit in with your friends and engage with them in the safety of your own home as apposed to going out and running amok outside in town. Also discuss your boredom and how your entertainment needs differ from theirs including why and reminding the fact that it's 2015, not 1985. However then there's the issue of you wanting to play the types of games that they are against the idea of...probably not a lot you can do there but you could argue that it's competition with your friends kinda like how dodgeball was in their day? GL.

@pimphand_gamer:

Reminding them that times have changed has never worked for me in my childhood. My parents just got angrier and told me to study, play outside, and play with friends, which i did a lot anyways. They just hated videogames for some reason and wouldn't want me playing anything. If they saw me playing a game for longer than half an hour they'd yell at me to go hangout with friends (even though i did terrible things with friends) still better than videogames for them i guess!

To summarize. There's no changing their mentality. You have to fight through it until they see that you're old enough and productive or successful in other areas.

I recall what I did once: bought a laptop, put a lock on my bedroom door and played to my hearts content!

Of course, you hide the laptop as best you can and use headphones!

you sure you don't mean "fapped to my hearts content"?

There's not a lot you can do. I disagree with them, but they have the right to decide and the final say. If you already have the console go ahead and buy the games yourself if you feel more like asking forgiveness than permission.

Sucks to hear, but you're a minor. I won't speak on whether it's appropriate that you play these types of games at your age as I believe it's different for everybody, but the fact of the matter is they hold jurisdiction on you until 18.

I know it's crap from your perspective; I was in a similar situation growing up. I'd say the only hope that you have is trying to bargain with them (get good grades, be allowed to play). But if they are heavily against you playing due to personal beliefs against war, that's a much harder battle.

I think the only hope you have is playing at a friend's house.

Sounds like you're stuck. If they already know they won't cause violent behavior in you, then it all comes down to the fact they simply don't want you playing them because it simulates something they don't like.

Maybe a bit of that too lol.

@boxoftissues: Honestly I think it's a good thing they wont let you... not because of violence or war or that BS, it's just a game. It's because of the complete garbage people you come across on fps games. Maybe you're old enough to not let these types of people influence you, I don't know, but the less it spreads the better.

Scrolling through these comments, I just wanted to reply to some of these small things.

@thereal25 I can't do that because of 2 reasons. 1. That would make me seem even less mature disobeying my parents and 2. I have to buy the games first, but I need my parents credit card to load it on there.

@MirkoS77 I can't play at a friend's house because my parents still don't want me to play there, but they have approved of Halo. I cant get an Xbox though, because the only thing I would play would be Halo and maybe some sports games here and there.

@boxoftissues: show her the studies that games do not lead to violence

Don't worry kiddo. Nintendo has your back. Splatoon is coming. LOL

Parents usually don't budge on issue like these. I can only suggest waiting until you move out to play those kinds of games.

I had to sneak playing doom and other shooters behind my parents all the way through middle school. Then after they finally accepted it, I had to do it all over again when I Got my dreamcast and wanted to get Soul Calibur. (fighting game).

So either sneak or go to friends houses to do it. Only reason it got easier for me was cause I just got older and time passed. The more you push now the more apprehensive they will be to it.

It's YOU who gets to decide what is mature and what isn't.

It's YOUR conscience that matters - not anyone else's opinion.

It seems to me that the people who are really showing immaturity here are in fact your parents - for denying you a pleasure which they should have the common sense to realize does no harm.

I understand your dilemma about digital downloads - but there is such a thing as physical copies - if you've got the money, that is. And if you decide to take that path my recommendation would be to hide the games as well. Good luck. :)

People, have you all forgotten about the effectiveness of lies and manipulation? Tell your parents you get bullied at school because you're not playing the games the cool kids play. Start out subtle by complaining about teasing comments or not being allowed to group up with people because you don't know what they're talking about. Let it drag for a while and gradually intensify the bullying. Be prepared to give yourself a black eye (or ask friends to do it for you; I'm sure they'll be happy to help).

Your parents lied to you about Santa; you've got every right to lie to them.

I only kid ever so slightly... ;-P

Remind them that in the past there have been people who have attacked and even killed there parents over not been allowed to play those sorts of games. Let them know that if they don't wish that to happen to them they'll go buy you the games. It'll either scare them enough that they'll buy them or get you sent for psychiatric help, either works really :P

You could always buy some fashion games like "Imagine Fasion Life" or Barbie games like "Barbie Horse Adventures" and begin telling them you would like to begin watching Glee and you want to go see a musical. See what they say then. Maybe they will get their heads out of their *&% and wake up.

Seriously, ditch your parents!

So your parents are against war and violence I wonder which world they live in, I am pretty sure that if your dad came home and saw a burglar in the house he is not going to ask him to sit down and have a beer he would most like get violent and attack him.

@loafofgame If I were to lie to my parents I would seem less mature, also my parents would most likely take bullying to the principal's office, and then I would be in some deep trouble when I come out and say that it was all false.

@spike6958 My god, are you insane!? I don't want to be forcing them to let me play these games!! I like my parents a lot, so I don't want to attack them over this! I just want them to realize this is just a small game that won't do any harm!

Just a note for everybody: My parents are not against me playing fighting games like Street Fighter or Super Smash Bros (etc.) but its the realistic functions of the game to simulate war that they do not like.

As was mentioned earlier, Splatoon is an option. It's third person, but it's close enough. Also, if they allow Halo, why not just get an Xbox? Other than a handful of games, both the X1 and PS4 play the same games. I was going to suggest PvZ Garden Warfare, but I'm sure the name having the word war in it will trip that up too.

Well, I was of course not entirely serious. Another option might be Borderlands 2. It's cartoony and you can play co-op with friends. Also, there's not really a war element and aside from some human enemies you also kill a lot of monsters. I mean, are shooters where you kill monsters okay? Evolve is just out. All you do is hunt a monster, you don't kill any human enemies.

Also, I'm sure a lot of the people at school will also play other games than shooters. Maybe you can convince your parents to let you play RPG's.

Just explain to them you know the difference between fantasy and reality. That's all it is.

Do they allow you to watch war/action movies?

Respect your parents until you are old enough to make your own decisions.

K well as long as your daddy can still beat your a$$ then you are stuck playing the stuff he wants you to play.

What you can do is, start working out, do steroids then kick your dad's butt. Your parents would fear their 12 year old offspring and would never tell you no again.

I would find a game you ARE allowed to play and ease into their good graces on the gaming issue. Show them firsthand that you won't do poorly in school or go on a rampage by using some video game content they are willing to let you enjoy. As time goes by, you can let them know you played FPS X at your friend's house and it's really not like they think, and not that different from what you've been playing with their blessing, and just let that hang. Then you're probably not far off from successfully asking for the game for Christmas or something. It's the long road, but you can probably ease into their good graces and do this all on the up-and-up. I remember going through this with my parents and DOS games (I know, right?) at around your age ;-) By the time 1996 rolled around I was able to get my paws on Tomb Raider without too much fuss, despite the big bewbs and guns on the cover (of course I was also older then, but you get the point)

Also, start referring to online gaming as esports. After a while, ask them why you can't play the most popular esport game, shooters. Explain that it would be like letting you play every sport except football. And, you don't even get physical injuries playing shooters like you would in football, so it's harmless. Don't they think that you're smart enough to compete online with people from around the world?

GS Glitch Post - Ignore

Just some more updates and question answers:

The movie that I've seen with the most violence is The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings series.

Everybody who is saying "Get good grades, that should show them you are responsible" I can't even remember the last time I ever got a B. I always get an A. For people with different grading systems, I always get above 92% (B) and the most common grades for me are 98%.

I think it is hopeless where I stand right now. Everything people are saying is rather "Respect their decisions," something ridiculous such as "Just hide it from them," and everything else people are saying is stuff that I have already tried. So, I will be deleting this post tomorrow because it isn't going to work. I will just have to accept the fact now and wait 6 more years until I am out at a university. Goodbye.

@yukushi: just like fighting games are a way of releasing anger.I never (will I have)but I never done street fights,never hurt anybody with an object or actually stabbed someone.I have gone in crisis though

Just an update: My parents are against me playing as the person who is doing the killing. For example, in Assassin's Creed, it is almost like you play as a member of ISIS, which I find ridiculous. It isn't really like that is it?

Also, i think a huge portion of why I can't stand this is because of how it is affecting me. In school, it seems like I am not as mature as the other kids, or that I'm different then them. It annoys me so much because there is so much more to my maturity then what meets the eye. Sometimes we would be on the topic of curse words in books that we read in school. I was reading Lord of The Rings, and I was talking about how they use "a synonym for a bundle of sticks." They looked at me like I was crazy, which told me that they didn't even know what that was. Obviously, I am not the type of person to just say a curse word, so I just had to continue on the conversation.

Another thing is, it seems like I can handle more mature subjects better then my sister, who is 2 years older than me, can. What really bugs me is when we are watching The Simpsons, and they make some sort of dirty joke, or anything of the sort. My sister makes noises indicating that she is uncomfortable with the subject. I know it sounds weird, but its one of those noises you make when you can't make up your mind. I think she is way too influenced by the rating systems. It seems like she needs a parent around to feel comfortable with it. I feel as if this is affecting how my parents see me playing the games. They even said that I "might be too scared. I might spend all this money on buying the system and being scared by it." Seriously? I'm not 7 any more.

Also, they mentioned how it was how graphic everything was. It would apparently be different if I were to chop off somebodies head in TF2 and if I were to chop off somebodies head in Assassin's Creed. Anyways, I figured I should really include how I already play graphic, violent, war games. I'll start small. I play Warface (it's all I have, ok?) and that has decent graphics. Obviously they aren't sharp 2400p or whatever, but it is realistic enough that it would seem as if I were the character, right? Well, either way, the big one is Chivalry: Medieval Warfare. Now, I wrote up a little report trying to convince them that M games were ok, but they said that the issue was that they were too realistic, and I had been playing cartoon-ish war games. Well, I really want to show them Chivalry, because it does have amazing graphics, choppable limbs, and it is a war game with blood and gore. I don't know how to show it to them though. I really want to be careful that they don't end up taking it away from me, though. Does anybody have some ideas on how I could possibly present this to them?

EDIT: hold up, you're not playing these games at your friends house on the basis that you know your parents don't approve? Even though you yourself feel that you are, and very reasonably articulate your justification?

How about this for an answer: use your own judgement to do what you want within reason.

I have no idea how to help you. I guess you could have them look at destiny. That's somewhat benign compared to military shooters. I think your parents are ridiculous. I played doom when I was 6 or 7 and it wasn't a problem.

Shooters are pretty stale nowadays anyway.

Just show them the trailer to Hatred and then beg them to let you play it.

@boxoftissues: How old are you? (this is vital if you want me to give my opinion)

@boxoftissues: It seems as if you only want to play First Person Shooters because they're popular and you're afraid of being left out which doesn't really show emotional maturity. If you do have interest in the games, not just a need to fit in, then I would suggest asking your parents to sit down with you to play one of these games and for you and them to gauge their content. I don't think there is necessarily anything wrong with parents filtering the type of media that they want their children to consume, especially if you're just entering middle school, because honestly some media still is not appropriate for a 12 year old. It's kind of hard to judge your own maturity level because you'll always see yourself as mature, so it's always nice to have someone sit down and talk about things you're consuming.

I wouldn't feel to insecure about not being allowed to play a FPS and being ostracized in school. The world doesn't revolve around video games. People have multiple interests and just because you don't take part in one of those interests shouldn't be grounds for cutting ties to a friendship, and if they do, then make new friends who do share your interests. People fade into and out of your life all the time.

Try watching a video with your mom/dad that includes gameplay and criticism, like a GS review or something by TotalBiscuit on youtube. They might respect the amount of thought that goes into it.

Alternatively, you could have a conversation with your parents about the ESRB criteria on each game's rating. Some games are rated for just violence and language, while others have sexual content. This depends on your parents' preferences for which type of vice they want to expose you to. I remember convincing my mom to let me play Halo this way.

@boxoftissues: wtf 92% is a grade? wa waht wa? for me a grade is 85%... why why you send me so hard school, oh yea to pass you only have to get 50% in my school, stupid cambridge

oh yea also i usually get 80% above for science, but then other subjects 70% and above, but for essays its always around 50% because its about the hobbit and that book is boring as (censored to keep the us government happy)

Ask your parents whether they would rather you play an fps or smoke the Mary Jane.

You'll get all the shooters u ever ask for after that.

The only way you can convince your parents (even though you seem to be underage so its best to stick to your age games) is to come at them with logic and reasoning.

Researching the benefits of fps on reaction, teamwork, coordination, strategy etc...present them with facts. Sit them down and show them the benefits and that you are clearly mature enough to handle it. Dont push this subject with them though as pushing them will probably make them even more hesitant to let you play them.

You can also say that you dont like war, you dont like the war in oraq, and youve read up on history and know that war is stupid and wrong. But that this is a game, not reali life and not happening in the real world. Its a story being told using war elements like 90% of the hollywood films out there.

don't bump old threads

That you want to shoot people and things in games so badly you're begging strangers on the net to help you convince your parents to let you do it shows me you aren't mature enough or perhaps even stable enough to do it in my opinion. Seriously.