Researchers from Massey University, the University of Tasmania and Stetson University reviewed multiple long-term studies into video games and aggression. They found no evidence of a substantial link between'aggressive game content' and signs of anger or rage later on in childhood. 'Poor quality studies' in the past likely exaggerated the impact of games on aggression, while better quality studies show the effects of gaming are'negligible'. Regulation of violent games also did not appear likely to reduce aggression in real life, suggesting parents shouldn't worry about their kids shooting up virtual enemies. Real-life displays of violence, such as mass shootings in the US, have famously been blamed on video games by some politicians, rather than lax gun regulation and easy access to firearms.

Video games do not lead to violence or aggression, according to a reanalysis of data gathered from more than 21,000 young people around the world. The researchers, led by Aaron Drummond from New Zealand's Massey University, re-examined 28 studies from previous years that looked at the link between aggressive behaviour and video gaming, a method known as a meta-analysis. The new report, published in the journal Royal Society Open Science on Wednesday, found that, when bundled together, the studies showed a statistically significant but minuscule positive correlation between gaming and aggression, below the threshold required to count as even a "small effect". "Thus, current research is unable to support the hypothesis that violent video games have a meaningful long-term predictive impact on youth aggression," the report said. Between them, the various studies included in the research dated back to 2008, and had reported a range of effects, including a small positive correlation between violence and video-game use in around a quarter of them and no overall conclusion in most of the rest, with one 2011 study finding a negative correlation. One common argument for a negative effect of gaming is that small harms can accumulate over time: if a player ends every game slightly more aggressive then, over the long term, that might add up to a meaningful change in temperament.