From the 1970s to the 1990s, a moral panic erupted over violent video games, with fears that games were influencing children into committing violent acts. The panic was fueled by the popularization of violent video games among the youth and discredited psychological theories about games. The panic led to the creation of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) in 1994 and congressional hearings on video game violence.

The violent video games panic has been the subject of numerous literary and cultural studies that explore the dynamics of censorship and the power of popular culture. The event has inspired writers to examine the psychology of fear and the role of media in shaping public perception, and it has been used as a backdrop for works that critique the demonization of new media. It also serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of moral panic and the importance of evidence-based policy.