Saw this video yesterday. A discussion on the ever returning subject of videogame addiction. They talk to a mama, who’s son committed suicide after getting addicted to EverQuest. She have started a site that focus on the addiction of videogames, for other parents to join the discussion and educate them about games.
I can respect and understand that, but what I react to is when she says that games are designed (especially through the different rewards systems) to be addictive. A good game is an experience that keeps the player playing, much like corporations want people to buy their products over and over again. Like the prime example World of Warcraft with its 9 million subscribers paying over 10 dollars a month! Now that company wouldn’t want that? Marketers work their asses of and spend million of dollars to get the same effect, and if they succeed, no one complain.
Then its always a question of personality. It differs from person to person who can handle their gaming. Same way with others addictive stuff like alcohol and sex, some people can’t handle them. But don’t go blame game developers for doing their jobs! They work til they bleed to create new and fun experience, and one component is a good reward system (among other) to keep people playing. And people obviously want that, cause game industry break new records every year. I just get so sick of this discussion. If games didn’t had that “thing” which makes gamers return, the game industry wouldn’t exist today. The game them self isn’t evil, its how people use them. Kind a like guns…
