Mannjon, a very well considered post IMHO.

The only difference I have with your post is when you said Quote: The FPS games have absolutely dominated the market on a global scale

I disagree with that.
I think it should read, FPS are hugely popular where people have easy access to gun ownership and can fire them off regularly....being the USA.

The only thing one can gather from your post, and many similar to it at various forums is, people in the USA like to shoot things more than anything else, even virtually.....Ummm, sort of glad I live in AUS where we have Gun control.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not having a go at you, just the situation you find yourself living in.....personally, I would feel uncomfortable with the fact that pretty much any of my neighbors would own guns, but that's because where I live we don't allow it.

In your society it a accepted fact, and hence would be in the back of everybody's minds....so, logically, if one was to live is a society that felt like this, being able to handle a weapon well, even virtually, would be considered a welcome talent....hence the propensity for the sales of FPS in the USA over everything else.

I don't know if that is considered 'living in fear'...maybe for those new to the USA that aren't used to living with it.....sorry, this is getting into realms I didn't intend it to.