Mortal Kombat: Media Analysis

Media Analysis Essay 3

In a recent observation of the video game Mortal Kombat, it became obvious that the game, players and setting all contribute to how media messages can affect the game experience and affect individuals. Three undergraduate and one graduate student with limited Mortal Kombat experience were observed playing four-player, tag team Mortal Kombat on PlayStation 3 for ninety minutes. The players displayed media effects outlined by the two step flow and cultural studies perspectives, and some of the magic bullet perspective. It has become increasingly important to gain more understanding of the effects of media messages on players, particularly as more and more acts of crime and violence are blamed on video games (DePasquale,

2013). Although this study was conducted on players with limited Mortal Kombat experience over only a short period of time, it was enough to show that even short exposures to media messages can lead to some effects on behaviour and mentality. From my observations, it appears that media effects can be either positively or negatively reinforced based on conditions or social dynamics that people may play the game in, and that media effects are only as effective as the circumstances and condition in which they are received.
Mortal Kombat is an award winning fighting game known for violence and grotesque depictions of blood and gore, involving ‘Fatalities’ that allow players to graphically kill or maim opponents. The ninth instalment of the series, released in 2011, was banned in Australia and South Korea due to the lack of appropriate ratings category and excessive representations of violence, blood and gore. The violence of Mortal Kombat was also the source of major controversy in the 1990s which led to a U.S. Congressional hearing and the establishing of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) (Reiner, 2010; Totilo, 2010). The two female players observed, Natasha (19) and Alice (20), have limited video game experience and no Mortal Kombat experience. Neither sees themselves as an opinion leader. Natasha is not usually aggressive while Alice identifies as aggressive or defensive. Benito (19) and Jesús (27) have both played Mortal Kombat before but would not consider themselves proficient. Neither considers themselves to be particularly aggressive. Benito sees himself as an opinion leader in some contexts, while Jesús sees himself as an independent.
The two step flow perspective is the concept that opinions and effects are mediated through opinion leaders.

A study of personal influence questions whether personal or media influence is more important in the effects of media messages. The two step flow model asserts that opinions are not individual – they are social and arise from group interaction (Wells, 2015b). In the same way, it is arguable that the media effects of players can be influenced by others, both within and outside of the game. From observations and interviews after the game, all players expressed behaviour and emotions that were contingent on the opinions, expressions and actions of fellow players. When asked what about the experience was the most fun, all players answered the group interaction was more enjoyable that the game itself, and that the game acted more as a catalyst for conversation than as the source of entertainment. Although Jesús had some responses that were slightly different from those of the others, it could be because he is older and has some differing points of view.

The two step flow model also suggests that mass communication is not direct or uniform; it does not operate directly on each individual, unlike the “magic bullet” perspective (Wells, 2015a). This is further exemplified in the differing responses of the players; Alice and Benito felt displeased with the sexualisation of female characters in the game and the ‘cultural appropriation’ of some characters, while Jesús and Natasha felt that the way in which characters were portrayed in a video game was expected and understand it is not

realistic.
Observations from the video games also exemplify reactions in line with the cultural studies perspective of media effects. Cultural studies is concerned with power and its reproduction through mass messages, but recognises that people are not just passive receivers of messages, and that they resist messages that conflict with their beliefs or values (Wells, 2015c). It is also noted that individuals may resist independently. For example, even after playing the game for a while and becoming somewhat accustomed to the graphic portrayals of violence, all players still reacted negatively, such as by gasping in shock or flinching, in response to particularly graphical or gory depictions. This clearly shows that media messages do have the power to desensitise players to features of, in particular, violence, but players are still capable and will resist messages that challenge their values or beliefs. This also shows traces of the “magic bullet” perspective, in which a single media message is able to affect the entire audience directly. Moreover, content in the game that is portrayed differently than their values or perceptions are also greatly resisted by the players; for example, characters with revealing outfits are ridiculed for being impractical, confusing and sexist. Alice, in the post-game interview, also noted that she felt frustrated with the derogatory and sexist comments made in jest during the game, although she felt uncomfortable to share her opinion in front of people that she had just met.
One of the most unexpected observations of the study was that despite all players becoming more proficient in, more accustomed and less sensitive to the violence of Mortal Kombat as the game progressed, none of the players particularly enjoyed the game itself and frequently asked if they could stop playing yet. Moreover, most were clearly able to identify the reactions and changes in behaviour and emotions that they experienced as an effect of the game, such as more aggressive physical motions or increased competitiveness, which suggests that media effects may not be as long-lasting or all-consuming as expected. When people recognise media effects they may become more alert and strive to resist the effects.
This study highlights the fact that opinions and media effects are highly contingent on not only factors of the game, but also that of the players, such as their developmental level, personality type, temporary state (Riddle, 2015) and the conditions in which they are received. Although all four players had similar prior experiences with Mortal Kombat and played under the same circumstance, they did not have the same reactions and opinions after, supporting the idea that media effects are dependent on social dynamics and circumstances. Most opinions and responses are formed collectively, but occasionally individual beliefs also persist, further emphasising that although messages are created within a society, people are not passive receivers. Media effects have the capability to affect individuals both physically, mentally and emotionally, these effects are not necessarily persistent or permanent, signifying that extreme cases of media effects, such as video game influenced acts of violence, are caused by more underlying issues than media messages.