How Video Games Can Become
Addictive
Submitted by Mitchell Goss,
Community Assistant, Garcia Hall,
New Mexico State University
How can a GAME be addictive?
Video Game
Addiction
Game Designers Use Many
Strategies to Keep Consumers
Playing
• Immersive Strategies
• Expansive Strategies
• Social Strategies
• Popular Strategies
Game Designers Use Many Strategies
to Keep Consumers Playing
Immersive- Modern games, especially
MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online
Roleplaying Games) like World of Warcraft,
are packed with incredibly amounts of
characters, scenery, and back story that are
only enhanced by the players’
imaginations.
Game Designers Use Many Strategies
to Keep Consumers Playing
• Expansive- Games often come out
with, prequels, sequels, add-ons,
updates, or expansions to keep the
content fresh and make players feel
pressured to keep up.
Game Designers Use Many Strategies
to Keep Consumers Playing
• Social- Games played online create intense
competition between players. Some games
require cooperation, which, while preferable
to complete social isolation, fosters addiction
through peer.
Game Designers Use Many Strategies
to Keep Consumers Playing
• Popular trends- games play on
trends in pop culture like
Zombies, various wars, music,
etc.
WHY so serious?
•
•
•
•
Expensive
Time consuming
Impacts sleep negatively
Increases irritability
Why is Game Addiction a Serious
Issue?
Expensive- Video games,
consoles, downloads, controllers,
and subscriptions can add up
hundreds of dollars a month
Why is Game Addiction a Serious
Issue?
• Time consuming- Games can
easily take up huge blocks of
time, or collectively add up. The
time spent playing often cuts into
time normally used for important
things.
Why is Game Addiction a Serious
Issue?
• Bad sleep habits- Staying up
playing until early hours of the
morning can disrupt sleep cycles.
It has even resulted in death by
exhaustion.
Why is Game Addiction a Serious
Issue?
Irritability- While some studies suggest
video games lead to increased violence,
most players will agree that a much
more realistic concern is the
overwhelming frustration that can
sometimes come from losing a match,
item, or standing in a game.
Warning Signs
• Playing for hours at a time
• Showing less interest in things you previously
did often
• Becoming anxious or depressed
• Playing secretly
• Making constant references about games or
talking about nothing but games
• Lying about getting other things done
Help!
• Counseling Center offers free sessions to
students?
• Try talking to your friends about their
addiction or about them helping you with
yours
• Online Gamers Anonymous
(www.olganon.org)
This can be used as a bulletin board or
a program