Kant's Categorical Argumentative Analysis

According to Merriam-Webster, a video game can be defined as “an electronic game in which players control images on a television or computer screen.” In addition, video games will give other means of information and interactivity to players such as audio, which is almost universal. Traditionally, video games have been made for players to follow a predetermined path that the developers created, most commonly through traveling from one side of the screen to the other in 2D or by exploring an environment in 3D. As technology developed, video game makers were able to create more immersive experiences for players. The characters, environments, narrative arcs and overall production have evolved to compete with any other media. The major difference

Kant's categorical imperative states that one should "Act so that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in that of another, always as an end and never as a means only" (224) and that “action done from duty derives its moral worth... from the maxim by which it is determined” (197). Can Kant argue that by playing video games players will treat other players as means to an end, and violate the categorical imperative? It has to be understood that there are games that involve other players, games that involve only one player and in some cases involve both. Single player games can't violate the categorical imperative because it doesn't involve other humans only programmed opponents. Multiplayer games, however, has a possibility for violations of moral duty. Kant would argue that people participating in multiplayer games who are bad sports, for example, players who win games and gloats or insults opponents or players who lose and are angry or resentful to the winners, are violating moral duty in the fact that they are not respecting others regardless of playing a game or not (McCormick 279). The main problem with Kantian ethics in video games is that bad sports can be applied to any game or sport and that the playing of the game itself is not immoral but the reaction to being a bad winner or loser in these games can prove to be