Thoughts on game addiction

[Meg]

This article got me thinking:

http://www.gamesradar.com/xbox360/x...a-20101201182210521085/g-20060321132945404017

Its a long running debate, so we might as well discuss!

What are you're thoughts on video game addiction? Can people get addicted? Is it the game or the person? What can the game industry do about it? Should they do anything?

 

[Nicodemus Zamoran]

My thoughts on the subject? It's not such a big deal really. Yeah, people can get addicted, but that's because they really like the game. Anything can be addicting. As for the game or the person, I think both. There are people who didn't like video games, but then found one that they actually liked, and got addicted. Then there are those hardcore gamers who will play just about anything that comes their way. The game industry would die without game addictions, so nothing should be done. The games are here to stay, and so is the addiction.

 

[LordOfDarkness]

It's not such a big deal really. Anything can be addicting

So very true.

As for my view. It's pretty much the same as Nic's. But I'll add something furthermore, so my comment was not to just agree.

If I look at the word addiction, its definition to me seems to be "becoming hooked, and almost dependant on something". I would class an addiction as perhaps an unwilling obsession to a certain thing.

However, if you're addicting to a certain type of food. Or a video-game, or whatever, then I don't think 'addiction' is the correct word. I think what we are saying here is video-game obsession.

 

[Chaos Raiden]

Agreed with the Nicodemus Zamoran and LordOfDarkness. It is up to you whether you like to play games or not, and whether you are addicted or not.

Personally, I find that playing games are sometimes more worthwhile doing compared with watching TV series and etc.

 

[Nicodemus Zamoran]

However, if you're addicting to a certain type of food. Or a video-game, or whatever, then I don't think 'addiction' is the correct word. I think what we are saying here is video-game obsession.

That's actually a pretty good point. +Rep.

I see the gaming industry needing this, really.

Fans come from obsession, profit comes from fans. Not everyone that buys it is a fan, though. The rest would be those who saw a good review, or thought they would like it and didn't. They are only the minority of the two, though.

This is my opinion. You are entitled to your own, so don't trust this.

 

[Meg]

Obession? *looks at avatar, sig, and Lightning action figure on desk* I don't know what you mean.

There may not be a chemical in video games that hooks you to it, but I do think someone with weak willpower can become "addicted" either in the traditional sense, or as you've said, LoD. Not sure.

 

[Dark Drakan]

People obsess about many things, if it wasnt games it would be something else. Certain movies, characters, games, bands whatever we seem to live in a society that seems to encourage obsession. Games just get a bad press from it because your not active when doing it and they can be violent. I think its down to the individual not the actual product.

 

[Esura]

Video games seem to be my cigarettes. I tend to buy cheap games like every time I get paid, and if I have even more money, I would buy a few 60 bucks games. So yeah, I need to slow down considering I dont even play half the games I buy and is just a waste of money for reals. Its a habit I guess.

Starting today, with Dynasty Warriors 6, I will not buy another game and just play the ones I have. People remember this...cause Imma stop...I swear :lol:

 

[Devil Hunter 95]

Right... The day you stop buying games is the day hell freezes over and heaven gets burning hot.

I have have to agree there is an addiction, but should we really do anything about it? I don't think so.

 

[Richtofen]

I believe there is an obession and addiction. It's just like anything else, some people need their 'escape' from reality and take a break. If fans like a game so much, they will get anything related to it. (Figurines, books, fan art you name it.) But they won't let it rule their life though in an unhealthy way. Of course, for addictions, some people go so far that they will play any game(s) they find interesting for hours, possibly days without any sleep and minimal food. But I believe it's the person at fault for making it as bad as it can get.

Video games are a virtual reality, a lot people love the aspect that you can do just about anything in them, it's limitless. Characters are another thing, same with the story. Companies want you to 'fall in love' with the games qualities so you keep buying more and more of them. You can't have one without the other.

Sadly, I kinda fall under both categories. :\

 

[Devil Hunter 95]

I do too! Holy crap!

 

[Dark Drakan]

Playing games helps to de-stress me and make me forget about the mundane days at work or getting up at 5am the next morning to repeat the process. I can relax and do what i want and chat to friends and just enjoy myself without harming anyone or anything totally stress free.

 

[wallE156]

I think people can get addicted to pretty much anything, considering it's a psychological thing. But out of all the things you can get addicted to I'd say video games are nowhere near the worse thing. Although I don't think an addiction of any kind is good. This is the reason I don't play MMO's I don't even play RPG's much anymore (cept for XIII ^_^ ). I mostly play games you can pick up, play for a bit and come back later.

 

[moseslmpg]

You people sound like you have no idea what addiction actually is. It is being dependent on something to the point where you neglect other areas of life. It isn't just a habit you enjoy.

Yes, anything that offers positive feedback can be addicting, but some things are more addictive than others. It isn't something that is simply "all in the mind" nor is it the fault of the person for just being weak or stupid or whatever. The fact of the matter is that games provide pretty much instant feedback of pleasure and satisfaction and even raise self-esteem, and that these stimuli can become supernormal (cf. supernormal stimuli) and elicit responses of greater magnitude than they should. It may be because the individual is biologically or psychologically prone to addiction, but none of that is their fault.

As for game addiction, I think it is just a horrible as substance addiction, because it forces people to ignore the real world in favor of a virtual one. There have been cases where people have literally died after playing games for such a long time without sleep or food, or where they have neglected or even killed their own children because of it.

The messed up thing is that the game industry doesn't really have an incentive to stop it, and especially games in genres like MMOs actually encourage addiction.

I would say what most people here are talking about is enthusiasm or some imagined need to decompress in a virtual world in an escapist sense, which does drive the industry to some extent and does create fans. Game addiction goes far beyond enthusiasm to total neurotic dependency; at that point it isn't even about fun anymore.

 

[Darth Angelo]

I enjoy games a hell of a lot less than I used to mainly because over the years I have become less and less tolerent of being screwed over by glitches and flawed game mechanics, pointless restrictions intended to painfully drag a game out and stuff like that grind on my nerves more than ever as ironicly there seem to be more around than ever before.
So to prevent giving myself a heart attack through screaming and swearing at a television at 22 I don't play games as much anymore.

If I can just start to brush them aside and lose interest after all these years they can't be that addictive.

 

[Meg]

I was addicted to video games for many years. I gained weight, my butt flattened (I kid you not), became near sighted, and never developed important social skills=no friends. A few years ago I broke my addiction and while still play games I do so in a healthy manner. I eat right, exercise, concentrate on school work, and such. While I've lost weight and my butt rounded out (you didn't need to know that :lol some of the lasting effects are still around. I have to wear glasses and I still don't have any friends.

I think I know better than most people how terrible game addiction is.

 

[moseslmpg]

Darth: I assume you came to that conclusion after deciding that you, one person, form a valid sample size for all gamers of all ages and backgrounds, playing every genre of game. And I guess because you smoked one cigarette and didn't get addicted, nicotine is just "in people's minds."

Please tell me you are not being serious, because if you are, I don't see any reason for us to converse further.

Meg: Were you really addicted? You sound like you just were a little unbalanced, like I used to spend hours playing games when I was little, but I wasn't addicted; I just grew out of it really as I had more responsibilities to deal with. What did you do to stop it? And btw, I find it very hard to believe that you have no friends. You didn't even play games with the other reclusive gamers?

 

[Meg]

@moses- I most certainly was addicted. Eventually my mom started kicking me out of the house, so I would go for a walk. I kinda liked it especially when I started bringing music along. It helped me think since I always enjoyed writing stories. I was talked into joining my school's track team and while it ended terribly it broke my addiction. And I played games alone, so I meant it when I said I had no friends.

 

[wallE156]

@moses I think you are thinking more in terms of substance abuse. No offense. But being "addicted" to video games is more of a behavioral addiction which can be summed up as an individual compulsively and repeatedly taking part in an activity regardless of the negative consequences. I'd say Meg was addicted too.

@Meg Glad you're not now though!! ^_^

 

[Meg]

^ Well thank you! I'm glad to. ^_^