They've been saying this since Mortal Kombat came out. (Probably before that even. Maybe Doom era?) Since then games just get more violent and more realistic. As for the Gaming Industry / Joe Camel situation... I don't think that'll happen.
First of all, on a personal note, Joe Camel
never made me want to smoke.
Second, I think the fact that parents have more control over what games they play than if they smoke. Smoking is something done outside of the house where you won't get caught. Gaming is generally done in the living room with parents walking by every few minutes. Sure some kids play games in the privacy of their bedroom or what not but still, 90% of the time it's the parents who purchase these games. It's their responsibility to be informed.
Another personal note, I believe most kids (and adults) can play violent video games and not feel 'angry' or 'aggresive' or any of these other
buzz words to get the public riled up. I also believe kids see more violence on TV (watch the news for five minutes
) and in movies than video games. The fact that you interact with games adds another variable in the mix but IMHO it's a small factor in the big picture.