WATCH: Computer game draws actual blood every time your character takes a hit

Video game violence usually comes in for considerable criticism, but a Canadian firm is turning to bloody action to solve the country’s blood donation crisis.

Blood Sport works by rerouting electrical signals in the game controller that normally cause it to vibrate and rewiring them to suck blood instead.

The device is connected to one of the arm's major blood vessels and now every time your on-screen avatar takes a hit, you lose a corresponding amount of your own blood.

The brains behind Blood Sport have included a control mechanism to make sure the casual gamer doesn't end up losing too much blood due to their lack of skills.

After all, they're not in the business of causing real fatalities, it's all designed to make donating blood more fun.

Blood Sport is just one day into its Kickstarter campaign, where it is trying to raise €200,000 to bring the device to market.

Check out the video below - not for the squeamish.

H/T: Newstalk and breakingnews.ie