Could video games be the future of warfare?

Tomorrow's battles could be waged in a virtual world

Virtual warfare.
(Image credit: Facebook/Call of Duty.)

Is violence a part of the human psyche? Is our species doomed to a future of war and bloodshed?

Some people think mankind can no sooner abandon war than it can free itself from the constraints of the physical body. Indeed, conflict exists in everything we do. As children, we wrestle with our siblings. We bully. We fight over the best seat near the window. As adults, we argue in our jobs and relationships. We fight outside bars. Nations battle over resources and politics. Conflict is so deeply rooted in our beings that there may not yet be a sane way to eliminate it entirely. And yet, change is the very nature of evolution, and even with stories of everyday violence and heartbreaking crime raging in the media, it's possible that someday, violent acts of war will be a thing of the past. Our battles will take place not on a field, but in virtual worlds.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Harold Stark

Harold Stark is a technology columnist for The Week. A journalist covering the broad intersection of lifestyle and technology, he wields his pen for a variety of online publications, the most important of them being Forbes Magazine and The Week. There is some serious talk about him being a descendent from one of the seven noble houses of Westeros, though such allegations have never been actually proven. Try unearthing evidence against him by following him @realharrystark.