Is it only a game? Video games and violence

Popular media often links violent video games to real-life violence, although there is limited evidence to support this link. I analyze how adolescent boys’ violent behavior is affected by the releases of new violent video games in the U.S. Variation in children’s exposure to the releases comes from variation in video game release and interview dates and thus is plausibly exogenous. I find no evidence that child reported violence against other people increases after a new violent video game is released. Thus, policies that place restrictions on video game sales to minors are unlikely to reduce violence.