The video game sector is the fastest growing entertainment industry and second only to music in profitability. Global sales of video game software hit almost $18 billion U.S. in 2007 (PCWorld, January 2008).

Video game playing is nearly universal among kids. A 2008 study by the MacArthur Foundation found that 90% of children play computer games at least occasionally. As the audience for games grows, however, children make up a smaller part of that audience, and more and more of the most popular games are rated "M" (intended for adults 17 years or older). Unsurprisingly, these M-rated games are popular with young people as well.

Despite the huge impact of video games on youth culture, there is not a lot of research available in this area, and few of the studies that do exist stand up to critical examination. This lack of scrutiny means that we know very little about the effects that video games may have on children's development and socialization. While video games have many positive aspects, parents should be aware of the following issues related to this highly interactive form of entertainment.