Japanese industry veteran warns about negative impact of gamers’ harsh language 

Videogame industry veteran Takahashi Meijin recently highlighted the detrimental effects of the strong language used in esports and online gaming, especially on children.  

Takahashi was an executive at the now defunct Japanese game developer Hudson Soft, known for making the Bomberman series and Mario Party games. Toshiyuki Takahashi got the nickname Meijin when he taught gaming strategy at a nationwide gaming tournament held by Hudson in 1985. Meijin (Master) is often used to refer to outstanding players of chess and Go. The name stuck, even though he recalls the children at the event chiding him whenever he made an in-game mistake. 

When asked about his thoughts on pro-gamers and streamers in an interview conducted by TBS Radio and Yahoo News, Takahashi expressed his support for those who pursue careers in gaming. He added that he would like them to set an example for children. “Streamers may think their fans are of the same generation, however with smartphones being widespread these days, it’s possible that small children like kindergarteners are also watching, so I would like streamers to be aware of this.” He adds that streamers should think about what kind of language they use when playing. Giving a Japanese language example, he mentions how the person responsible for the team’s defeat in online gaming is colloquially referred to as a “war criminal.” Takahashi states that this kind of language could have a negative impact on children, not because today’s children are easily influenced but because children in general tend to imitate things that they find funny. Giving an example from his own childhood, he mentions that he used to watch The Drifters comedy group and copy their pranks. Some Japanese X users agreed with his opinion, saying that online gaming slang like “war criminal” and “brain dead” are problematic, especially when used outside of that context.  

As for what the video game industry should be aware of, Takahashi opines that developers should avoid realistic depictions of violence in games that children might play. In particular, he expresses concern about children playing FPS games where you shoot realistic-looking human characters. He questions whether it is necessary for games to feature such lifelike human enemies. 

Takahashi cites games that feature imaginary creatures like Pokémon and the Earth Defense Force series (an FPS where you fight against monsters to save the world). He mentions paint-firing series Splatoon as an example of a less violent shooter because the focus is on winning the game instead of killing your opponent. “If (more) games were made in this way, I think the world would be a more peaceful place,” he adds. 

In the video interview, Takahashi also discussed how games can facilitate communication, especially between different generations. He recalled an old news story about a woman in her 80s who would play Hudson Soft games every day. Her grandson saw this and started playing, with his grandmother giving gameplay advice. 

Children’s exposure to graphic violence and strong language in video games has been a contentious topic for decades. Takahashi’s comments reflect more recent concerns about ultra-realistic graphics, as well as the language used by streamers and pro-gamers.