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Advantages and Disadvantages of Video Games

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Published: Feb 9, 2022

Words: 1148 | Pages: 2 | 6 min read

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Introduction, video games: advantages and disadvantages, works cited.

• Bavelier, D., Green, C. S., & Seitz, A. R. (2013). Learning through action video games. Nature, 12, 135-138.
• Chang, Y. C., & Huang, Y. M. (2015). Learning by playing: A cross-sectional descriptive study of nursing students’ knowledge acquisition in digital and non-digital games. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 18(1), 128-140.
• Ferguson, C. J. (2015). Do angry birds make for angry children? A meta-analysis of video game influences on children's and adolescents' aggression, mental health, prosocial behavior, and academic performance. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 10(5), 646-666.
• Gentile, D. A., Anderson, C. A., Yukawa, S., Ihori, N., Saleem, M., Ming, L. K., . . . Sakamoto, A. (2009). The effects of prosocial video games on prosocial behaviors: International evidence from correlational, longitudinal, and experimental studies. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 35(6), 752-763.
• Granic, I., Lobel, A., & Engels, R. C. M. E. (2014). The benefits of playing video games. American Psychologist, 69(1), 66-78.
• Hilgard, J., Engelhardt, C. R., & Rouder, J. N. (2017). Overstated evidence for short-term effects of violent games on affect and behavior: A reanalysis of Anderson et al. (2010). Psychological Bulletin, 143(7), 757-774.
• McGonigal, J. (2011). Reality is broken: Why games make us better and how they can change the world. Penguin.
• Russoniello, C. V., O’Brien, K., & Parks, J. M. (2009). The effectiveness of casual video games in improving mood and decreasing stress. Journal of Cybertherapy and Rehabilitation, 2(1), 53-66.
• Subramanian, V. (2018). Digital game-based learning: A review of the effectiveness of educational games. In T. Reiners, & L. C. Wood (Eds.), Gamification in education and business (pp. 43-73). Springer International Publishing.
• Vandewater, E. A., Shim, M. S., & Caplovitz, A. G. (2004). Linking obesity and activity level with children's television and video game use. Journal of Adolescent, 27(1), 71-85.

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Pros and cons of video games: Should kids play them?

Source: Image by Kendra

We debate the pros and cons of video games and to what extent kids should play them. We discuss the effects of  violent video games and gaming as an education tool

Should kids play video games?

Electronic games or video games involve human interaction with a computer monitor or a TV screen. The popularity of video games has reached unprecedented levels. In 2015, the video game industry generated $74 billion in revenues worldwide. In the UK, 8 to 15 year-old gamers spend in average 20 hours a week  playing video games either on PC, consoles, tablets or smartphones. Video games have evolved enormously since the first video games such as Atari's Pong and Taito's Space Invaders. Video games today are much more complex and require greater attention and intellectual engagement from the player.

Since they have become a central element of children's and adults' lives we need to understand better the pros and cons of video games and their potential positive and negative effects on our children. On one hand they help develop not only psychomotor skills but also other intellectual abilities. Many educators are starting to use games to teaching and learning tools. However, many parents are sceptical and fear the effects of video games on kids' development. They are not sure if they should or not let their kids play video games or for how long. Here we outline the main benefits and dangers liked to gaming and open the debate so you can share your thoughts and experiences with us on the discussion forum below.

Pros and cons of video games

Pros of video games

Playing video games has many benefits for the player.

• Learning: video games can help children learn math, spelling, manage resources, understand problems of the world, learn about animals and countries, etc. There are many educational games meant to contribute to our kids development. Through video games educators and parents can get the attention of the children and help them to supplement what they learn in class. Some studies also show that games are a good way to mitigate the effects of dyslexia .
• Problem-solving: there is a growing body of academic literature on the benefits of game-based learning . The potential of games as a teaching and learning tool is an evident opportunity. Video games do not have to be "educational" to help children and adults to develop some problem-solving skills. A variety of studies have shown that playing video games help exercising some mental abilities. They often face also puzzles and problems which become gradually tougher during games, helping the player to understand the logic behind these problems and learn how to solve them.
• Decision-making : video game players face often difficult decisions.  Role-play games and graphic adventure games in particular force players to make tough choices, often involving a cost benefit analysis and ethics. Would you save that person if that means a potential danger for the entire realm? 
• Memory :   Players need to memorize the movements of their characters and their opponents, where things appear on screen, how to avoid dangers, etc. All that stimulates their memory. For instance, researchers form the University of California, Irvine (UCI) found out that students who played Super Mario 3D World improved their scores on memory test designed to engage the brain's hippocampus.
• Spatial intelligence: Video games enhance children's spatial reasoning. 3D shoot-em-up and sandbox games contribute to developing a sense of orientation, and the ability to visualize three dimensional objects. Games such as Tetris, Portal and Minecraft can be particularly good to practice spatial reasoning and creativity. Spatial intelligence is strongly correlated with mathematical abilities and is extremely valuable in engineering and science occupations.
• History and culture: many video games inspire kids' interesests in history and culture. Video games and movies are often one of the first points of contacts with past cultures and civilizations for many children. Video games such as Age of Empires, Civilization, Assassin's Creed or Call of Duty can push children to become interested and read more about different epochs in history.
• Social interaction: although many people think that video games hinder social life and social skills some studies show the contrary. For instance researchers of North Carolina State University observed more than twenty public gaming events and found out  that video gamers spend much time engaged in social behavior online and offline. Gaming did not eliminate social interaction but supplemented it. Moreover, m any children make new friends playing video games online or in arcades.

​Cons of video games

These are the most commons criticisms or risks associated to video games:

• Violence: do video games cause violence? What are the effects of violent video games? Video games have been accused of glorifying violence. In most games players fight and kill enemies. Children are exposed the extreme levels of fictional violence in video games, such as Grand Theft Auto, Dead Island, and  Mortal Kombat . The video game industry has adopted the movie industry parental guidance rating system. However, in practice it is very difficult to prevent children from accessing violent content. Some children may want to imitate the, usually violent, protagonists of games. Not everyone manages to disentangle very clearly what is fiction from what is real life. 
• Real-life risks: video games may generate addiction . According to the University of New Mexico, 6 to 15% of all gamers display signs which can be characterized as addiction. Some children develop an excessive and compulsive pattern of use of video games which may interefere with their normal life and negatively affect their psychological development and personality . Moreover, according to a study published in the Psychological Bulletin based on more than 80,000 people, short-term and long-term risks of substance abuse, reckless driving, gambling and risky sexual behavior were more severe the longer they were exposed to video games and other media glorifying these practices.
• Cognitive functions:  playing video games may affect the way children use their brain. A  study from the University of Montreal shows that playing video games may increase in the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease . According to this study on which people have to move in a virtual maze, gamers use navigation strategies which rely on the caudate nucleus to a much greater degree than non gamers. Past research has shown that people who rely on caudate nucleus based strategies have lower functional brain activity in the hypoccampus and increased risk for nurological diseases such as Alzheimer's.
• Obesity: a study found out that young gamers burned in average 21 extra calories and hour than non players. However, gamers also consume nearly 80 extra calories and usually spend less time doing other physical activities. The World Health Organization blames video games as one of the main causes of childhood obesity.
• Less time to study: children who spend much time playing video games may not have time to do their homework and chores .
• Social consequences: the lack of social interaction is one of the most commonly argued cons of video games. Playing video games a few hours a week would not have a negative effect in kids behavior. However, obsessive gaming can have long-term social consequences. Isolationsim linked to gaming addictions is usually correlated with social awkwardness, which in term incentivizes futher insulation of the gamer.

What do you think, are video games overall good or bad for children? Do video games cause more violence than other modes of entertainment? Are the new generations smarter or more competent than previous ones, and if so, do video games play an important role on this? 

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Persuasive Essay: Video Games

Teenagers today often spend a great deal of time playing video games. These games are fun and engaging and young people often feel like playing games is a great thing to do in their spare time. However, you shouldn’t spend too much time gaming and there are a number of reasons for this: it’s unhealthy, you should spend more time studying, and you need to socialize more.

The primary reason to cut down on gaming time has to be that youths that spend a long time on computers and games consoles are often not getting enough exercise. With high obesity rates, it’s very important for young people to spend as much time being active as possible, especially since studies show that people who are overweight during childhood and adolescence are far more likely to become overweight adults than those of a healthy weight when they’re young. There is just as much, if not more, fun to be had in getting out and about and being active. This doesn’t have to mean going for long runs if that’s not your thing; team sports are both fun and great exercise. Dance or fitness classes are also a good option for those not into sports.

Secondly, getting a good education is that best thing that you can do for your future. If every teenager cut down on their gaming time by 30 minutes per day and used this time to study, the whole of that generation would achieve better results and be more likely to have the career that they want. With education, you get out what you put in, so it’s really up to you to put in the additional effort. If you want to go to a good college, extra study in your own time will be completely vital, but gaming can reduce your concentration span and make this more difficult.

The third main reason that playing video games too often is that it’s no good for your social skills. Some teenagers may argue that because they can now play their games online with friends, they are socializing in their own way. However, you can’t beat face-to-face contact, and if you want to succeed in interviews and build good relationships in later life, you need to develop some proper communication skills. This shouldn’t be a chore, or difficult, because hanging out with friends is far more fun than sitting indoors playing on games all day anyway!

In conclusion, there can be no doubt that spending too much time gaming isn’t good for you. You don’t have to stop all together, but it’s all about moderation. Cut down and allocate your additional free time to doing things that are good for you, and you definitely won’t regret it in later life.

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11 Advantages and Disadvantages of Video Games

Often based on fantasy, they also reflect both history and current events. But whether it’s a good or bad thing is up for debate. Even though video games are a household name today, they were born in the research labs of scientists.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Video Games

It all started in 1952 when British professor A.S. Douglas created OXO, better known as tic-tac-toe at the University of Cambridge. Then Spacewar! came out in 1962, which was the first video game that could be played on multiple computer installations.

In 1972, Atari introduced Pong, the first truly successful commercial arcade video game. Since then, video games have evolved from arcade systems to home consoles, handheld consoles, and mobile devices. Today, video games make up a massive $100 billion global industry.

Video games are often at the forefront of computer technology and they have been a part of our culture since the past few decades . But let’s face it, they have their share of Pros and Cons. Let’s take a further look at the pros and cons of video games.

Advantages of Video Games

Even though video games are demonized by most non-players, many scientists and psychologists find that video games can have many benefits. Some of them are explained below.

1. Improved Vision

Studies suggest that video game players may get an unexpected benefit from them; better vision. They have been shown to increase players’ ability to distinguish subtle differences in shades of gray.

They may also help players increase their ability to visually detect the direction of movement. It was found that gamers spotted targets on a cluttered screen 80% of the time, while non-gamers managed this only 30% of the time.

2. Brain Booster

Playing video games directly impacts regions of the brain responsible for memory, spatial orientation, information organizations, and fine motor skills. As people age, the importance of playing games tends to increase.

It could improve decision-making skills; compared to non-players, gamers who spend time daily with fast-paced games can react to questions or situations up to 25% faster.

3. Improved Life Skills

Video games involve taking risks, and the ability to strategize. It teaches patience, perseverance, and the right judgment. It also helps people find new friends and social connections. Besides, gamers become better at critical analysis and learn to concentrate on tasks at hand to completion.

4. May Ease Anxiety and Depression

It has been found that people are more confident, energetic and emotionally positive when they play video games, which is exactly the opposite of what depression brings about.

People who feel depressed lack physical energy, find it difficult to carry out daily tasks and are generally pessimistic. Thus, playing can reduce the risks for depression, help with arthritis, and even be a therapeutic option for aphasia.

5. Painkiller

According to a study from the American Pain Society, video games, and more specifically 3D ones, could help reduce the brain’s response to physical pain.

Playing an attention-grabbing video game may distract one away from a painful activity and help them with chronic pain conditions, especially children.

Disadvantages of Video Games

Video games can teach us high-level thinking skills, but too much of anything can be bad. Some consequences of playing these games are listed below.

1. Addiction

Video games are designed to be addictive, so it is essential to have some self-control. Especially people with poor impulse control or who have a hard time fitting in are most vulnerable to game addiction.

It could be because people tend to play games to fill the void that real-world problems leave behind. It is better to watch out for this form of addiction because it might eventually end up costing you a lot.

2. Social Replacement

Video games often act as a replacement for real-time human connections. People who find themselves playing hours upon hours of video games may find themselves losing touch with the relationships they’ve built with other people.

People argue that with internet -connected games, they can easily hang out with friends and families without ever leaving home, but this type of virtual get together is no replacement for actual face-to-face interaction.

New studies show that the risk of being overweight increases with every hour people spend on virtual play. Lack of motion and overplaying lead to muscle pain as well. Moreover, the addiction to these games leads to sleep deprivation which contributes to obesity.

Video game addiction could lead to other levels of psychological stress as well. Gamers may suffer from low self-esteem, have social anxieties, or even suffer from depression.

Excessive gaming can also inspire feelings of guilt and shame. It is possible that uncontrolled gaming could enhance the signs and symptoms of other mental disorders.

5. Could Limit Academic Process

Although video games can improve the strategic thinking decision-making process, they can also deteriorate them.

Students who use their free time to play video games can struggle to keep up with school/college. Most gamers have been seen to procrastinate on their studying, or they simply ignore a deadline just to play their favorite game.

6. Violence

Often, children playing violent video games depict a lack of self-control and an increase in emotional arousal. While violent video games could have different effects on different people, they are all concerning. So, it is better to choose games you feel are appropriate for both you and your children.

To Conclude

Video games aren’t bad for you as long as you aren’t overdoing. So, enjoy your downtime and relax with your games but get out there and keep your life as diverse as possible as well, because eventually, you have got to win the game of life.

• history.com
• dl.acm.org 
• www.cnet.com
• ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
• readersdigest.com.au

I am Ila Adhikari from Chauni, Kathmandu. I’m currently pursuing my Bachelors Degree in Computer Engineering from Kathmandu Engineering College, Kathmandu. I’m also a fellow at Women Leaders in Technology. I enjoy reading, gardening and doing cool DIYs. I have worked as a tech content writer for eSatya, a blockchain initiative in Nepal in the past. At present, I’m working on a blockchain based research project. As time flies, I want to listen to my heart in doing what I love and continue learning new stuff.

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Banning Violent Video Games Argumentative Essay

Introduction: banning violent video games, violent video games should not be banned, violent video games should be banned, conclusion: why video games should not be banned.

The essay is an argumentative one; violent games should not be banned. Recently there has been an endless and fierce debate on whether or not to banned violent video games. For instance, the countries that constitute the European Union are planning to ban some of the European games. However, it is the view of the majority of video games, just like any other games, are there to educate and entertain.

Although there are strong reasons brought forth by those who want violent video games to be banned, here are reasons why we should not; increases self-esteem, reduction of pain, encourages teamwork, sharpening players’ wit, among others (Sterngold, 2006).

With regards to those in support of banning the game, they hold the view that the games continuously poison the minds of the viewers, especially young individuals.

It is worth noting that there are indeed strong points that need to be given a second thought before we rush in banning violent video games. It has been argued and even proved that when kids play such games, especially when the multiplayer type of game is available, then the children get to learn at a very early age to work as a teammate, which requires teamwork. Arguably, this is advantageous as it helps in keeping children together in times of need (Lebrilla, 2010).

For this matter, when they grow up, such individuals will be in a better position to be good team players. This concept has been currently deemed very vital in ensuring the success of an organization. Throughout the game, it is indeed tough to beat the opponent.

However, through concentration, acquisition of skills, and knowledge on how to win, which has been learned from each other, children are capable of the emerging winner. With this, they grow, knowing that to win, there is a need to have a team behind them.

As suggested by Bissell, 2008 violent video games have been thought to help, especially those with very high tempers, to release their anger by not hurting anybody. When very angry and one feels like inflicting pain on another human being or even killing others, it has been thought appropriate to transfer such anger to violent video games. When one engages in a shoot-out with an enemy in a video game, he/she might feel that the mission is accomplished.

Aside from assisting young individuals in sharpening their wits and problem-solving skills, violent video game plays a significant role in helping young individuals, even a few older members of society, to learn how to persevere. On the same line of thought, these games have made it possible for people to have well-coordinated hand and eye movements (Craig et al. 2007).

This has helped in making sure that reflex action/response is normal. The advantage of this is that it will play a significant role in keeping progressive illnesses at bay.

Another major point that is in support of violent video games is that it helps in sustaining the country’s economy. It is apparent that the industry of violent video games has played a significant role in the economic growth of the country. The export of the same product to other nations generates foreign income for the country.

Additionally, a good number of Americans derive their daily bread from the same industry(Konijn et al., 2007). For this reason, banning of violent video games will mean that the unemployment rate will go up, and the money generated from the industry will be lost. The industry generates close to 21 billion dollars annually (Jones & Ponton, 2003).

Additionally, doctors have proved that despite violent games being useful; in releasing anger, it is also helpful in helping a patient reduce pain. The current efforts hospitals show this making to install such games. More importantly, the games help entertain the plays as well as the viewers.

Just like when people feel entertained by watching a football match, violent game provide the same to the affected party. Considering the fact that slightly over 70.0% of American teens play these games, if it is banned, then they will indulge in even more risky activities in their quest to be entertained, for instance, drug abuse (Goldstein, 1998).

It would not be rational if the argument that supports the banning of violent games were not brought to light. It has been brought into the violent limelight game that pollutes the minds of American children.

When young individual engages too much in these games, they are addicted. The result is that they will grow up and may put into practice what they saw. A recent incident where a student walked into an institution of learning and started shooting at others, killing them on the spot, has been linked to violent video games (Anderson & Dill, 2000).

Similarly, just like any other thing that can bring addiction, violent video games, when making a young individual addicted, can be detrimental to their quest to learn. This is because most of the time, whenever they are free will, they spend time playing such games (Ferguson, 2008).

Although it has been argued that the game fosters socialization skills, it is evident that when one plays in non-multiplayer support, they grow up being persons with poor skills to socialize.

From the review of the issue of violent games, even though the game is intense, banning it will bring more harm than good. For those who advocate for the banning, it would be rational to critically analyze the benefits of the game to individuals and even society at large. For instance, it enhances teamwork, helps reduce pain, aids in releasing anger, and improves wit and hand-eye coordination, among others.

However, the disadvantages include polluting or poisoning young individuals, and addiction eats their time hence cannot engage actively in other vital activities. This thus warrants careful consideration from relevant stakeholders such as parents and the government.

Anderson, C. & Dill, K. (2000). “Video Games and Aggressive Thoughts, Feelings and Behavior in the Laboratory and In Life.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , 78(4):722.

Ferguson, C. (2008). “Blazing Angels or Resident Evil? Can Violent Video Games Be a Force for Good?”, Review of General Psychology, 14(1): 68-81.

Konijn, E. et al. (2007). “I Wish I Were a Warrior: The Role of Wishful Identification in the Effects of Violent Video Games on Aggression in Adolescent Boys.” Developmental Psychology, 43(1): 1-12.

Craig, A. et al. (2007). Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents: Theory, Research, and Public Policy . Oxford University: Oxford University Press.

Bissell, T. (2008). Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter . New York: Macmillan Publishers.

Sterngold, A. (2006). “Violent video games.” Web.

Jones, G. & Ponton, L. (2003). Killing Monsters: Why Children Need Fantasy, Super Heroes, and Make-Believe Violence . New York: Basic Books. P. 172.

Goldstein, J. (1998). Why We Watch; The Attraction of Violent Entertainment . Oxford University Oxford University Press. P. 188.

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Argumentative Essay Sample: Children and Video Games

Argumentative essay is the most often assigned type of essay. And if you want to learn how to write one, you would need to read an argumentative essay sample. On Star-Writers blog you would be able to find a lot of sample argumentative essays, as well as articles on popular topics , which could inspire you with some interesting ideas for your own composition. In this post you have an opportunity to review a sample of argumentative essay about one very controversial topic. You will also benefit from the sample argumentative essay outline offered below. With the help of such argumentative essay outline sample, you would be able to compose your own essay much faster and with little effort. All sample argumentative essays that you will read on Star-Writers blog are original and unique. If you decide to save your time and order an essay from our professional writers, you can be sure that it will be custom written and edited just for you and no one else will have a similar paper.

Argumentative Essay Outline

Despite common belief, there are different types of argumentative essays. You will be able to read all of them if you follow Star-Writers blog. The one we are going to discuss today is called for and against argumentative essay . Unlike simple argumentative essay, which argues only one point of view, this type presents both sides of the argument without author appealing to any of the sides. It means that when composing your essay you have to learn to argue for the opinions which you do not share. It is a good thinking exercise and gives you an opportunity to demonstrate your analytical skills and broad worldview. To make the task easier for you we offer you to base your essay on the following outline:

Paragraph 1: Introduction . Introduce the subject you are going to discuss. Write a strong and compelling thesis sentence . Mention the two opposing points of view;

Paragraph 2: First supporting argument.  Present the side that supports the idea mentioned in the topic. Give their argument and support it with examples, facts or other evidence;

Paragraph 3: Second supporting argument . Present and explain the second argument of the supporting side;

Paragraph 4: First opposing argument. Present the side that argues against the matter mentioned in the topic. Give their argument and support it with examples, facts or other evidence;

Paragraph 5: Second opposing argument. Present and explain the second argument of the opposing side;

Paragraph 6: Conclusion .  Briefly sum up the information given in the preceding paragraphs. Offer a way to resolve the problem mentioned in the topic, as a rule you may suggest reaching a balance between two opposing points of view.

Free Argumentative Essay Sample

Topic: Should children be allowed to play violent video games?

Almost all children like to play video games. At times, parents can be shocked from all the violence and aggression they suddenly see in the video games. Some people say that these are only games and there is nothing to worry about. However, others argue that such violence is harmful for the developing personality of a young person. The question is, what should the parents do when they see their child playing such game? Should they regard it as a temporary interest and let it be, or should they forbid the game? It is a controversial subject with no definite answer. Nevertheless, the parents may take into account the following arguments for and against playing violent video games, when they try to come up with a right decision.

The supporters of violent video games advocate that playing such games allows teenagers to divert their aggression into the virtual world instead of the real one. Teenage is a complicated period for most of the children, when their bodies and minds undergo a lot of changes. At this time they often find themselves in the conflict with the surrounding world and experience a lot of negative emotions. Playing video games with violent pretext, gives them a chance to let out the steam. It serves as an outlet for their negativity, so afterwards they could return to reality with more peaceful mindset.

Moreover, the followers of this theory also believe that playing such video games helps children to understand and learn to control their emotions. The children, when faced with problems and disappointments often don’t know how to react. The society puts a heavy weight of expectations on teens and often they are not able to fulfill the hopes of their parents and teachers. It leads to an array of mixed emotions and feeling that children don’t know how to deal with. When playing video games that trigger the outburst of strong emotions, children learn to recognize their own feelings. It teaches them how to understand and control powerful negative emotions. 

Nevertheless, the opponents of violent video games are not convinced by these arguments and claim that such games have a strong negative effect on the developing minds of children and teenagers. They say that these games create even more violence and aggression. When a child constantly witnesses violence, blood and murders in the video games it leaves a certain imprint on his psyche. Such child would be more prone to aggressive actions against his siblings and friends. Moreover, the opponents state that children who play such games tend to become less social and their academic progress declines.

In addition, people who advocate against children playing violent video games argue that such games lead to violence in real life. Children are not able to separate the virtual and real world fully. That distinction is very blurry for the undeveloped young mind. They often confuse the two concepts, thus believing that what it acceptable in virtual world would be also fine in the real one. Therefore, they carry that aggressive violent attitude into their daily lives, harming the people around themselves. And afterwards, when they have to pay for the consequences of their actions, they cannot understand what they have done wrong. Thus, the opponents strongly disapprove the use of violent video games by children as dangerous and unpredictable.

Although, the two opposing sides of this argument would never agree to compromise, the parents of young people still must make the decision that would work the best for their children. It is true that video games are just games, however, it is a fact that they can be harmful if used thoughtlessly and without parental attention. It would be desirable to try reaching a certain balance in this matter. Games should be regarded as games, which must be playing sparingly. Moreover, the parents have to understand that instead of forbidding such video games, they must provide enough alternative, such as travelling, time outside, family board games, movies, reading, arts and sports.

Order Argumentative Essay Online

If you have to compose an argumentative essay for your high school or college, you can follow the outline advice and topic idea given in this post. However, you may also consider an option of ordering professional essay writing services from Star-Writers. If you have no time or necessary writing skill, you can rely on our writers to create an original and first-rate essay for you. The prices are very moderate that even a student can afford our services. If you have any questions or suggestions, you are welcome to contact our round-the-clock customer support. And follow up our blog for more free samples and writing tips.

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Video Game Addiction

The argument against video game addiction, many researchers are skeptical that video games are truly "addictive.".

Updated July 3, 2023 | Reviewed by Devon Frye

• What Is Video Game Addiction?
• Find a therapist near me
• Video games have many benefits for gamers.
• Research on gaming disorder—aka video game addiction—is flawed and not sufficiently conclusive.
• Because video games are less socially acceptable, they may be unfairly targeted.
• There are other explanations for many reports of video game addiction, including autism, ADHD, and depression.

This is half of a pair of articles that highlight the evidence for and against the existence of video game addiction . Read the counter-argument here .

For decades, psychologists, parents, and gamers have asserted that video games can be addictive. Although video games seem to influence enthusiasts differently from those of other hobbies, there is insufficient empirical evidence to designate them as an actual addiction . Further, video games are a fun and socially beneficial activity for many, so labeling them as addictive would prevent many from accessing these benefits.

For example, video games connect lonely or introverted people with one another , relieve stress , and even help people explore their own identities . Some therefore argue that, because of video games’ benefits and popularity, gaming addiction should not be considered an official diagnosis until overwhelming evidence supports this assertion.

Flawed Research

Several studies have concluded that gaming disorder qualifies as an addiction. Because addictions share several characteristics, researchers created theoretical criteria that a gamer must meet to have the diagnosis. For example, people with addictions suffer consequences in various aspects of their life and struggle to quit without help. This is true regardless of the substance.

Based on the assumption that people with video game addiction must be affected similarly, researchers have surveyed gamers on similar criteria to determine what percent have an addiction. These include questions such as, “How often do you find it difficult to stop gaming?” and “Have you deceived a family member, significant other, employer, or therapist regarding the amount of time spent engaging in gaming activities?”

Although questions like these may reasonably assess someone’s behavior, researchers use too many different questionnaires to be compared cleanly. Even when researchers use the same survey, they sometimes interpret the results differently.

In other words, someone would need to answer “Yes” to six of the eleven Gaming Addiction Screening questions to be considered addicted. They would need to respond “Sometimes” or “Often” to five or more of the ten questions in the Ten Item Internet Gaming Disorder Test to qualify. If the same person took both surveys, one survey might conclude that they had an addiction and the other might not. Further, some studies only measure how many hours per week a person spends gaming instead of targeting the effect games have on their functioning.

This has resulted in wildly different estimates of gaming addiction’s prevalence. It is difficult to draw meaningful conclusions from these data until researchers use standardized measures.

It is also very difficult to estimate one’s actual screen time each week. One meta-analysis of the research found that in 95 percent of studies, participants did not accurately report how much time they spend on screens . This calls into question all studies which rely on participants’ subjective estimates of how they use their time because they have based their conclusions on a statistic that is likely inaccurate.

Why Not Other Hobbies?

Other critics of the diagnosis point out that gaming has been unfairly targeted and pathologized. A person who plays golf instead of spending time with family is inconsiderate. A person who plays video games instead of spending time with family is addicted.

This demonstrates a clear bias . Society considers video games a waste of time, so an enthusiastic gamer is criticized more harshly than someone with a more acceptable hobby.

What Else Might Account for Excessive Gaming

Many of my clients report that they feel addicted to technology. When I continue the assessment process, many report that they were previously diagnosed with autism or ADHD . This complicates the diagnostic process because many people with these disorders already struggle to stop scrolling through social media or playing video games.

Most of us have looked up from our phones and realized that half an hour or more had suddenly passed. The hypnotic “flow” which we experienced blinded us to the passage of time. Autistic people* and those with ADHD are especially susceptible to this phenomenon. So if, for example, a person with ADHD finds it particularly difficult to turn off a game, does that person have an addiction or is it simply how this kind of stimulus affects those with ADHD?

Some research has found that heavy gamers have reduced gray matter in areas of the brain associated with attention , impulse control. However, these studies do not sufficiently demonstrate that gaming caused the differences, only that they are associated. Correlation is not causation. Some studies even show that brain scans for people with ADHD look remarkably similar to scans of those with gaming disorder , even after treatment.

One researcher pointed out this conundrum by relating it to depression . “We would not diagnose depressed individuals with hypersomnia with a comorbid ‘bed addiction.’” In other words, someone with depression might stay in bed for days, but this does not mean that they are addicted to the bed. In the same way, an autistic person or someone with depression or ADHD might appear to be addicted to video games even when they are not. In short, many diagnosed with gaming disorder may simply be autistic or have ADHD.

It is possible that video games are addictive. However, the current body of research is too flawed to state decisively that the negative consequences outweigh the benefits the games afford players. It is premature to consider gaming disorder to be an official addiction.

*Although many refer to autistic people as “people with autism” or “people with autism spectrum disorders,” almost 90 percent of autistic adults prefer “autistic person.” This language is used here to respect that preference.

Bean, A. M., Nielsen, R. K. L., van Rooij, A. J., & Ferguson, C. J. (2017). Video game addiction: The push to pathologize video games. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 48 (5). Retrieved from http://psycnet.apa.org/record/2017-29288-001

Diament, M. (2022, December 2). 'Autistic' or 'person with autism'? It depends. Disability Scoop. https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2022/12/02/autistic-or-person-with-auti…

Fishman, A. (2019, January 22). Video games are social spaces. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/video-game-health/201901/video-…

Fishman, A. (2022, November 7). Why it's so hard to walk away from a video game. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/video-game-health/202211/why-it…

Fishman, A. (2023, February 20). How gamers use video games to explore their gender identity. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/video-game-health/202302/how-…

Gentile, D. (n.d.) Gaming Addiction Screening. University of California, Santa Cruz. https://caps.ucsc.edu/pdf/gaming-addiction-screening.pdf

Han, D.H., Bae, S., Hong, J., Kim, S.M., Son, Y.D., & Renshaw, P. (2019). Resting-state fMRI study of ADHD and Internet Gaming Disorder. Journal of Attention Disorders, 25 (8). Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1087054719883022

Király, O., Bőthe, B., Ramos-Díaz, J., Rahimi-Movaghar, A., Lukavska, K., Hrabec, O., Miovsky, M., Billieux, J., Deleuze, J., Nuyens, F., Karila, L.M., Griffiths, M.D., Nagygyörgy, K., Urbán, R., Potenza, M., King, D.L., Rumpf, H., Carragher, N., Lilly, E., & Demetrovics, Z. (2019). Ten-Item Internet Gaming Disorder Test (IGDT-10): Measurement invariance and cross-cultural validation across seven language-based samples. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 33 (1). Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328615597_Ten-Item_Internet_Ga…

Parry, D.A., Davidson, B.I., Sewall, C.J.R., Fisher, J.T., Mieczkowski, H., & Quintana, D.S. (2021). Nature Human Behavior, 5 . Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-021-01117-5

van Rooij, A.J., Ferguson, C., Carras, M.C. Kardefelt-Winther, D., Shi, J., Aarseth, E., Bean, A., Bergmark, K.H., Brus, A., Coulson, M., Deleuze, J., Dullur, P., Dunkels, E., Edman, J., Elson, M., Etchells, P.J., Fiskaali, A., Granic, I., Jansz, J...& Przybylski, A.K. (2018). A weak scientific basis for gaming disorder: Let us err on the side of caution. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 7 (1) Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323542721_A_weak_scientific_ba…

van Rooij, A.J., Schoenmakers, T., van den Eijnden, R.J.J.M., Vermulst, A.A., & van de Mheen, D. (2012). Video Game Addiction Test: Validity and psychometric characteristics. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 15 (9). Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230696095_Video_Game_Addiction…

Andrew Fishman is a licensed social worker in Chicago, Illinois. He is also a lifelong gamer who works with clients to understand the impact video games have had on their mental health.

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OpenAI Unveils New ChatGPT That Listens, Looks and Talks

Chatbots, image generators and voice assistants are gradually merging into a single technology with a conversational voice.

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By Cade Metz

Reporting from San Francisco

As Apple and Google transform their voice assistants into chatbots, OpenAI is transforming its chatbot into a voice assistant.

On Monday, the San Francisco artificial intelligence start-up unveiled a new version of its ChatGPT chatbot that can receive and respond to voice commands, images and videos.

The company said the new app — based on an A.I. system called GPT-4o — juggles audio, images and video significantly faster than previous versions of the technology. The app will be available starting on Monday, free of charge, for both smartphones and desktop computers.

“We are looking at the future of the interaction between ourselves and machines,” said Mira Murati, the company’s chief technology officer.

The new app is part of a wider effort to combine conversational chatbots like ChatGPT with voice assistants like the Google Assistant and Apple’s Siri. As Google merges its Gemini chatbot with the Google Assistant, Apple is preparing a new version of Siri that is more conversational.

OpenAI said it would gradually share the technology with users “over the coming weeks.” This is the first time it has offered ChatGPT as a desktop application.

The company previously offered similar technologies from inside various free and paid products. Now, it has rolled them into a single system that is available across all its products.

During an event streamed on the internet, Ms. Murati and her colleagues showed off the new app as it responded to conversational voice commands, used a live video feed to analyze math problems written on a sheet of paper and read aloud playful stories that it had written on the fly.

The new app cannot generate video. But it can generate still images that represent frames of a video.

With the debut of ChatGPT in late 2022 , OpenAI showed that machines can handle requests more like people. In response to conversational text prompts, it could answer questions, write term papers and even generate computer code.

ChatGPT was not driven by a set of rules. It learned its skills by analyzing enormous amounts of text culled from across the internet, including Wikipedia articles, books and chat logs. Experts hailed the technology as a possible alterative to search engines like Google and voice assistants like Siri.

Newer versions of the technology have also learned from sounds, images and video. Researchers call this “multimodal A.I.” Essentially, companies like OpenAI began to combine chatbots with A.I. image , audio and video generators.

(The New York Times sued OpenAI and its partner, Microsoft, in December, claiming copyright infringement of news content related to A.I. systems.)

As companies combine chatbots with voice assistants, many hurdles remain. Because chatbots learn their skills from internet data, they are prone to mistakes. Sometimes, they make up information entirely — a phenomenon that A.I. researchers call “ hallucination .” Those flaws are migrating into voice assistants.

While chatbots can generate convincing language, they are less adept at taking actions like scheduling a meeting or booking a plane flight. But companies like OpenAI are working to transform them into “ A.I. agents ” that can reliably handle such tasks.

OpenAI previously offered a version of ChatGPT that could accept voice commands and respond with voice. But it was a patchwork of three different A.I. technologies: one that converted voice to text, one that generated a text response and one that converted this text into a synthetic voice.

The new app is based on a single A.I. technology — GPT-4o — that can accept and generate text, sounds and images. This means that the technology is more efficient, and the company can afford to offer it to users for free, Ms. Murati said.

“Before, you had all this latency that was the result of three models working together,” Ms. Murati said in an interview with The Times. “You want to have the experience we’re having — where we can have this very natural dialogue.”

An earlier version of this article misstated the day when OpenAI introduced its new version of ChatGPT. It was Monday, not Tuesday.

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Cade Metz writes about artificial intelligence, driverless cars, robotics, virtual reality and other emerging areas of technology. More about Cade Metz

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