The focus on virtual violence might be limiting substantive discussions about firearm regulations and mental health treatment.

"When we talk about violent video games and actual violent crime, we're chasing something that hasn't really been observed and we're not talking about other things that have been observed," says Ivory.

Despite the renewed focus on video game violence, investigators of the most recent U.S. school shooting have not said whether the young gunman was a player of violent video games.

Interest in video games continues to grow around the globe. Analysts estimate people spent about $70 billion worldwide on video games and components in 2012. North America, Western Europe and East Asia remain key markets, while gaming is on the rise in India, Brazil, Russia and Southeast Asia.