Walmart Removing Violent Video Game Signage Following Shootings; maintains its policy on gun sales

[satam55]

Following a pair of mass shootings in the United States, the public eye has turned toward violent video games as a possible contributor. Seemingly in response, the retail giant Walmart has reportedly begun removing signage promoting violent video games from its stores.

Vice reports that a company memo titled "Immediate Action: Remove Signing and Displays Referencing Violence" was distributed to Walmart stores. The notice tells store managers to find any displays that "contain violent images or aggressive behavior" and remove them from the sales floor. It specifically mentions demos of violent games on PlayStation or Xbox, "combat style or third-person shooter games," violent movies, and hunting videos in the sporting goods section. The policy does not appear to restrict the sale of violent games or other media, just their promotion.

Walmart is an especially symbolic location for this to take place. One of the two mass shootings from the weekend, in El Paso, Texas, took place inside a Walmart store. Plus, as critics have pointed out, Walmart itself sells actual guns in its stores, and despite pressure from gun control activists, the company has announced no change in its policy.

Following the two tragedies in El Paso on August 3 and Dayton, Ohio on August 4, President Donald Trump gave a brief address in which he suggested, in part, that violent video games contribute to a culture of violence.

"We must stop the glorification of violence in our society," Trump said. "This includes the gruesome and grisly video games that are now commonplace. It is too easy today for troubled youth to surround themselves with a culture that celebrates violence. We must stop or substantially reduce this, and it has to begin immediately."

One of the shooters did reportedly reference the Call of Duty series in his manifesto, which largely centered on targeting Latinx people. Critics say the president and others are attempting to shift the conversation toward video games and away from gun control, which has had renewed calls from across the political spectrum following the shootings.

In response to the president's statement, the ESA told GameSpot, "Numerous scientific studies have established that there is no causal connection between video games and violence. More than 165 million Americans enjoy video games, and billions of people play video games worldwide. Yet other societies, where video games are played as avidly, do not contend with the tragic levels of violence that occur in the US."

 

[FreddyCalhoun]

 

[get these nets]

 

[CrimsonTider]

How about Walmart not sell rifles

It’s not like they need the sales

 

[NoMorePie]

Let's remove video game signage and shyt but keep that ak47 that's selling like hot cakes.

That outta do it

 

[Fatboi1]

How about they profile suspicious looking people and also remove the rifles?

 

[Don Homer]

smh fukk outta here

Yesterday at walmart i saw them at the entrance trying to raise money from people for the shootings.
Why the fukk dont the fukking rich ass waltons just donate a quick 2 million dollars?!

 

[Regular_P]

What a joke.

 

[Sauce Dab]

What excuse they gonna have when it unfortunately happens again?

 

[NoMorePie]

What excuse they gonna have when it unfortunately happens again?

"These parents arent raising their children properly"

"These young white men are getting bullied at a young age, it's not their fault"

"Video games being a nuisance is more scary than we thought"

I'm sure they got excuses for days

 

[OJ Simpsom]

2 shootings in a week. Open season on walmarts this year. Stay safe.

 

[Kingshango]

Some Walmart’s are straight up not selling games with guns on the cover.

 

[Stir Fry]

I can dig it. I think we need a fundamental shift in our culture more than gun control laws, though I believe in the latter as well.

 

[Brandeezy]

when TLOU2 starts it's promo campaign this year. Young Ellie gonna get that work from the press

 

[the_FUTURE]

did they remove splatoon as well