Gaming addiction

As my final post, I thought I’d talk about this week’s topic dealing with gaming addiction. I am a big fan of the gaming app Temple Run. This game drives me nuts! I play this game everyday, whenever I have a spare minute or two.. Or three. People may say that I am an addict, but the underlying reasons why I continue to play seem to be based on bettering my score and reaching all objective targets. When looking at broad definitions online of the term ‘Addiction’, definitions suggest that this term can be viewed as a continued involvement with a substance or activity despite the negative consequences associated with it. The repeated playing of Temple Run does not have negative consequences on me, it does not affect me. So linking back to the lecture, the games must stimulate dopamine- which in the lecture was described as a neurohormone that is released during pleasurable events. I find pleasure in achieving higher scores and accomplishing objectives within the game.

In addition to this, have also held pre conceived views when thinking about gamers and gaming addiction. The image of them being anti-social and isolated can be true in some instances but not looking at people in my own life, this is not the case. The only problem with the continued use does link back to the idea that repeated play will cause negative consequences. An example of this can be seen with this YouTube clip which was a viral hit. I’m sure most of you have seen this, but thought it would be good to link to the topic.  Although there is no background information on the player, the reaction to his account being cancelled may be due to many reasons, however this could also suggest how the player’s immersion and state of world of concern for the game could have also contributed to this. This could also suggest how games become a part of people’s lives and daily schedules. In concluding, gaming addiction has provided two new views for myself. One being a state of pleasure or secondly a place of escape for players that continuously play to get away from real-world situations.