Can a 13 Year Old Play Call of Duty?

Based on the mature age ratings and violent content, Call of Duty is generally not recommended for 13 year olds by gaming experts and most parents. However, with strict parental supervision and in-game content filters enabled, some 13 year olds may be able to appropriately handle playing Call of Duty games.

The Call of Duty Craze

Call of Duty (CoD) is one of the most popular first-person shooter franchises in video game history. Published annually by Activision, the realistic war-based games let players use actual military weapons and tactics across story-driven campaigns, online multiplayer matches, and zombie co-op modes.

With stunning graphics and fast-paced action simulating combat scenarios from World War 2 to near-future warfare, Call of Duty has amassed a following of over 400 million players and generates over a billion dollars annually.

Data source: Statista

So it‘s no wonder why these intense, high-quality shooting games appeal greatly to teenagers. But the level of violence and mature themes have consistently earned Call of Duty an M for Mature 17+ rating from the ESRB since 2005.

Call of Duty‘s Violent Realism

While cartoonish games like Fortnite keep violence mild and fictional, Call of Duty aims for gritty realism with blood splatter effects and gory injuries. Signature features like the X-ray kill cam even show graphic internal damage to organs and bones when sniping enemies.

This explicit violence concerned child advocates like Common Sense Media, especially in 2007‘s controversial Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare with a harrowing nuke scene and terrorist torture.

"I‘ve reviewed hundreds of games and [Call of Duty] is the most violent and intense game I‘ve ever reviewed," – Marc Saltzman, Common Sense Media

Call of Duty: World at War also pushed boundaries in 2008 as the first Treyarch title, earning this ESRB rating note:

This is an intense first-person shooter in which players engage in World War II combat. Players use machine guns, rifles, shotguns, grenades, and bazookas to kill enemy soldiers and attack tanks and warships. Battles are frenetic and accompanied by realistic gunfire, screams of pain, and large blood-splatter effects. In some levels, players can ignite enemies on fire and listen to their agonized shrieks

While later futuristic entries toned down the gore, 2019‘s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare reboot brought back intense violence including graphic torture scenes involving women and children.

Mature Themes Beyond Violence

Alongside bloody combat, Call of Duty games tackle complex geopolitical issues ripped from real-world headlines. Teenagers will face sensitive topics like:

• War crimes
• Terrorism
• Ethnic cleansing
• Use of banned chemical weapons
• Politically-motivated assassinations

These story events and military situations come without much context for the still-developing 13 year old mind.

Furthermore, there have been criticisms over the games presenting Western military intervention and the horrific Highway of Death incident in a distorted manner.

Multiplayer Interactions Are A Concern

While parents may feel more comfortable restricting campaign violence, the main attraction for teenagers lies in Call of Duty‘s competitive online multiplayer battles. Through voice and text chat, issues can arise even with mute functions via:

• Foul language
• Bullying based on gaming performance
• Sharing of other inappropriate content
• Potential predation by older players

So while private matches among actual friends are fine, open lobbies pose risks especially for impressionable 13 year olds without parental watch.

Call of Duty‘s Immense Teenage Appeal

With all those cautions stated, why exactly do so many teenagers play Call of Duty then?

Data shows these are among the most popular video game franchises mentioned by teenagers on social media over the past decade:

Social media data by Piper Sandler

We can see Call of Duty has consistently ranked near the top behind mammoths like Fortnite. Beyond satisfying teenagers‘ craving for action and competition, analysts cite factors like:

• Frustration-Fun Balance: Carefully tuned difficulty providing adrenaline yet still rewarding masterable skills
• Social Bonds: Teamwork and chatting with classmates in matches
• Peer Pressure: Feeling left out if not playing the latest popular shooter

These motivations make it very enticing for 13-17 year olds to play Call of Duty with friends.

Call of Duty Can Negatively Impact Teen Minds

But just because something is popular among teenagers doesn‘t mean it‘s appropriate content for their age. Multiple studies have shown extended exposure to violent video games can increase aggressive thoughts and behaviors in adolescents.

Researchers from the Minneapolis Veterans Administration Medical Center and Iowa State University examined teens aged 14-18 who played Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto for 2 hours per day over 3 consecutive days.

Participants showed increased hostile expectations and perceptions afterwards when staged in ambiguous situations, indicative of violence desensitization.

"When kids play games with violent and sadistic content over a period of years, we find clear changes in how their brains process emotions like aggression and depression and anxiety," Dr. Yang Wang, Study Co-Author

So neuroscience does suggest a link between teenage brains repeatedly controlling realistic characters in violent activities on screen…and having skewed reactions to upsetting events in real life.

Guidance for Parents on Call of Duty

While rare, some parents are comfortable allowing their mature 13 year olds to play intense games like Call of Duty with monitoring and restrictions.

Gaming site IGN collected advice from veteran gamer dads if they would let their own 13 year old play the latest Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II.

If allowing your 13 year old to play, experts strongly recommend:

• Enabling in-game Content Filters to limit gore and language
• Having an open ongoing Discussion on gameplay events and themes
• Monitoring Online Interactions like chat and managing friend lists
• Setting firm Time Limits for accessibility

With vigilance and involved guardrails in place, it may be suitable for some teens at 13 while still impressionable by no means the majority.

Comparison To Other Shooters: Fortnite, Overwatch and More

To provide additional context around the intensity of its violence, below compares the most popular shooter game franchises and their age ratings:

We can see most other titles allow play at 13, while Call of Duty stands out as a very hard 18+. So parents do have less violent alternatives offering online multiplayer action.

More Appropriate Shooters for 13 Year Olds

Below are well-reviewed shooter games providing fun without Call of Duty‘s level of explicit violence:

• Plants vs Zombies: Battle for Neighborville (2020): Vibrant world full of humorous characters and digestible multiplayer competing as plants or zombies

• Nerf Legends (2021): Foam-based weapon battles featuring Nerf‘s iconic toy blasters recreated in video game form

• Splatoon 3 (2022): Creative Nintendo take on online shooters with ink instead of bullets across aesthetically pleasing arenas full of color

These and titles like Fortnite offer excellent alternatives for 13 year old gamers itching to compete online…without facing gritty life-like violence.