Video Games: The Ups and Downs of a Virtual World

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What is it about video games that draws players in, and in some cases dominates an individual’s daily life more than their real life? The media often portrays the problem in a way that blames video games themselves for the rise in video game addiction. However, the issue really goes much deeper than this.

Video Game Addiction

Video game addiction is often portrayed by the media as the new addiction plaguing the modern generation. It should be noted, however, that in the most recent rendition of the Diagnostic Statistical Manual, the DSM-V, video game addiction was not listed as a diagnosable mental disorder. Internet gaming addiction is most frequently discussed, as seen in many case studies of people dangerously foregoing such necessities as sleep and food in order to keep playing games. Countries in Asia are the most seriously impacted by incidents such as these. In 2005, a man in South Korea died after playing an online game for over 50 hours. HBO has aired a documentary called Love Child which follows a couple who neglect their biological child to live in a virtual world.

Internet Gaming Cafe
Internet gaming cafe where players spend hours each day playing online games.

Video Game addiction is like a substance abuse addiction, with an added element. Substance dependency is well known for its stimulus-reward mechanism. While many substances we partake in today (like alcohol, sex, or coffee) have significant chemical rewards for our brains, not everyone who drinks alcohol becomes an alcoholic. The chemical response only scratches the surface. The real devil behind addictions is often its seductive ability in helping people escape reality.

The same can be said, possibly even more so, for video games. Most of the research on video game addiction focuses on online gaming addiction. MMORPGs like World of Warcraft are recognized as potentially causing players to form crippling addictions, as shown in this documentary done by Anthony Rosner. Scientists postulate this is because of the added social element to games (as well as the other factors). Online games allow players to enter a virtual world, while interacting with individuals in real life. This blurs the lines between the virtual world and the real world, adding that extra social element to an already enticing experience. 1

Many researchers looking at risk factors for developing video game addictions have identified psychopathology (mental illness) and social interaction factors (poor family relationships, low self-esteem, social anxiety) as among the top highest predictors of developing an online video game addiction. 2 This suggests that the social aspect of the game allows players to fulfill their need for social interaction and acceptance despite conflict at home or lack of respect due to a mental illness.

Researchers have identified two different motivating factors behind seeking social interaction through online gaming. Those who simply want to have fun and connect with others have a significantly lower risk of developing addictions than those who wish to escape their current reality. 3 Other researchers in Korea and Germany have found similar findings confirming that escapism is a high risk factor for developing a gaming addiction. 4 5

While the media often spouts this as an epidemic, many studies have shown that the number of gamers addicted is relatively small. 6 On top of that, reports have shown that these numbers vary quite a bit depending on the various parameters used to define what internet gaming addiction actually is. 7 What we do know is that addiction is not a black or white issue. Some individuals may show mild dependency while others show heavy dependency. The risks shown here could apply at least minimally to any gamer, online or offline. The issues raised here should cause concern or at least curiosity for how virtual realities hook us, and what that says about our life values.

For the purposes of this article, the word “addiction” will be used in its colloquial sense. I suppose “real” is being used in a colloquial sense as well. Without going into much detail, it should be noted that significant strides in physics have revealed how the “real” world is much less physical than it is often perceived as. The famous physicist, David Bohm 8, even goes so far as to suggest that we are actually living in a hologram. With this in mind, it makes even more sense that minds could so easily be drawn into virtual realities.

The Reward System

Many people are familiar with the concept of substance dependence. While there is no chemical substance given to us by the game, video games do elicit a chemical response within us. Video games are more than a substance, however, making the issue more existential than other kinds of addictions. The question explored here is why this might happen. Unlike life, which humans have adapted to, the video game world is adapted to the human brain. In the “real” world, some people simply have the cards stacked against them, while others have it easy from the beginning.

While the “rags to riches” stories might have fooled past generations, many are waking up to the realization that will power alone cannot always bring a hard working individual out of poverty, or into the fame they desire. In the game, the main character is put into a world designed to bring the player to the point where they are guaranteed to be a high enough level to beat the main “boss” or challenge in the game. No one ever plays a game, even a difficult one, wondering if winning will ever be possible (obviously there are a few exceptions to this). This could contribute to the escapist phenomenon discussed previously. Uncertainty is not very marketable. For most games, if the player practices they will win, plain and simple. Games are created by minds familiar with the common wants and desires of players, and are tailored to those specific needs. It takes the juicy bits of life, and packages them into something perfectly matched to a player’s abilities and desires.

In real life, individuals try to “level up” in many ways. People want to get older so that they can participate in more mature activities, like being able to buy certain water based beverages, or qualify for that senior discount at Arby’s. They want more money for that house or car that is better than the one they already have. They want more knowledge and skill so as to experience more of the world and get that promotion they have worked so hard for. While life might leave someone burned out after years of working hard with no results, video games carefully pace rewards to constantly reinforce the player to continue working towards goals. Many game theorists have written papers concerning that magical ratio of difficulty versus reward that keeps players hooked. One does not need to know the formula to understand just how enticing leveling up can be after playing a favorite game for a few hours.

Many Behaviorist Theorists starting with B. F. Skinner have proposed the idea that individual behavior can be explained through the stimulus that caused it. 9Any behavior not currently caused by an immediate stimulus is a “learned behavior”. While this gives us one piece to the puzzle of addiction, it completely disregards humans as autonomous agents. Though video games guide a player’s actions, the ability to choose how to direct the main character might possibly be the most tantalizing aspect of the game.

The Ego

Possibly the juiciest part of the video game is the ability to act out the fantasy of being the hero. This has been around since the beginning of storytelling. The human race simply cannot get enough of heroes, whether it be the story of Beowulf, Ulysses, or Luke Skywalker. Most of this stems from the desire to be the hero. Games can make this more of a reality for individuals. While stories try to formulate characters that are generally relatable, games let the player shape their own hero, making them extremely relatable. For instance, the popular game, Borderlands, allows the player to choose a character that fits their fighting style.

You can choose to pick the kind of fighter that likes to barge in and blow things up, or the kind that likes to attack with stealth from a distance. For those interested in the Hero and other archetypes, a wonderful article has been written by another author here at The Artifice that delves into this topic in much more eloquent detail than I could. A player who is actively participating in the story rather than passively taking it in, can feel more ownership in the successes of the story. Video games help embody this “hero” persona we wish to be, making the ideal more tangibly real. Even though it is still virtual, the simulation is more vivid and enticing. The hero’s journey gives players the need for control, excitement, and a heightened status all bundled up in an adventure with the mind at the steering wheel.

Art work from Skyrim
As the hero of Skyrim, players are able to experience this reality, rather than watching someone else save the day on the TV screen.

Skyrim is a great example of this. The player hears over and over that they are the only one who can save the world from the coming doom. The hundreds of “side quests” available to the player help them choose which types of skills they want to enhance, allowing their character to develop a distinct personality in the game. Even though the main character often has to go through certain actions for the story to continue, the hero feels more real because their skill and achievements have been molded and directed by their own hand as much as or more than the creator of the story.

How Real is Real?

Considering all of the similarities between video games and real life, one could go so far as to say that these virtual realities are much closer to home than we like to believe. Most people could probably name someone they know who is addicted to life in the same way we could be addicted to games. The recent movie The Wolf of Wall Street, outlines someone who becomes addicted to the pursuit of money, regardless of the amount he actually has. In certain parts of Asia, where internet gaming addictions are much more common, attitudes towards work also tend to be more “obsessive”. People are known to throw themselves into their work, spending long day after day trying to “level up” and get that pay raise or promotion. Maybe it is easy to blur the lines between fiction and reality because fiction can be incorporated into real life so seamlessly one can hardly tell the difference. A great example of this is the game, The Sims. Unlike other games which feature extreme adventure or fantastical scenarios, many versions of The Sims put players in a world extremely similar to their own.

Screen shot from The Sims game.
The virtual world of The Sims. Why are some players so hooked on a game that mirrors real life?

They do fairly normal things that we do in the real world. The difference is that attaining money and valuables in the game is more predictable and grants the player more certainty of success. (Whatever happened to awesome games like Oregon Trail?) Taking a step back from the fame, money, and power leaves a gaping hole in the meaning of life. Even though video games have an end that the player works for, most players would say that the main reason they play is not to win. There is something to be found in the excitement of struggling against the odds, failing and trying again, and growing in strength through perseverance. The trouble comes from not being able to see past this to the big picture. This is when players become hooked, because this is all that they see to invest in. Seeking money, fame, and power, either virtually or in real life, is not inherently bad. The problem is that it will feel empty when lacking the greater context within which everything resides. When we are finished with the game of life, our money, status, and influence with be gone. What is left?

The End of the Game

Many lives are lived progressing to the next “level”. Hopefully this article does not devalue these life experiences in any way. Video games are a pastime that allow players to test themselves with cognitive challenges that far exceed that needed for most forms of entertainment. This article is looking only at what happens when players get hooked on the pursuit, and lose sight of the big picture. To understand why anyone could get hooked on video games, it is important to explore why people get hooked on life. Why do some people obsess over gaining expensive possessions or getting that promotion to the point where all other life is basically excluded? If all of this goes away when the game is done, does that not mean the same thing for life? Maybe that is why people have difficulty when attempting to stop playing; they are afraid to die.

Death does not happen when your character dies, death happens when you stop playing. This of course, is not a real death, but a metaphorical one. What dies is not the actual person, but their idea of themselves as the main character. Each individual has their own personal story, but in someone else’s story they might simply be listed in the credits as “bystander number 3”. Each person can be the hero of their own story, without needing to be the hero of the world. When each of us can let go of our superficial needs, we can enjoy games both virtual and real in the context of the big picture. We are all important in our own ways, and leveling up in World of Warcraft is then seen as one goal, rather than an ultimate goal, allowing it to take the sideline to more important things like finding meaning in life and enjoying sincere relationships with loved ones.

Works Cited

  1. Kuss, D. J. (2013). Internet gaming addiction: Current perspectives. Psychology Research And Behavior Management, 6.
  2. Hyun, G. J., Han, D. H., Lee, Y. S., Kang, K. D., Yoo, S. K., Chung, U., & Renshaw, P. F. (2015). Risk factors associated with online game addiction: A hierarchical model. Computers In Human Behavior, 48706-713.
  3. Hellström, C., Nilsson, K., Leppert, J., & Åslund, C. (2012). Influences of motives to play and time spent gaming on the negative consequences of adolescent online computer gaming. Computers in Human Behavior, 28(4), 1379-1387.
  4. Koo, H. J., & Kwon, J. (2014). Risk and protective factors of internet addiction: a meta-analysis of empirical studies in Korea.Yonsei Medical Journal, 55(6), 1691-1711.
  5. Rehbein, F., & Baier, D. (2013). Family-, media-, and school-related risk factors of video game addiction: A 5-year longitudinal study. Journal Of Media Psychology: Theories, Methods, And Applications, 25(3), 118-128.
  6. Grüsser, S., Thalemann, R., & Griffiths, M. (2007). Excessive Computer Game Playing: Evidence for Addiction and Aggression?.Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 10(2), 290-292.
  7. Hussain, Z., Griffiths, M. D., & Baguley, T. (2012). Online gaming addiction: Classification, prediction and associated risk factors.Addiction Research & Theory, 20(5), 359-371.
  8. Bohm, D., & Nichol, L. (2003). The essential David Bohm. London: Routledge.
  9. Slife, B., & Williams, R. (1995). What’s behind the research?: Discovering hidden assumptions in the behavioral sciences. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications.

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64 Comments

  1. Benitez
    3

    I’ve pretty much loved videos games sense the 80’s but i could remember a time around 11 years ago when it got pretty unhealthy for me.From about 2001 to about 2006 I got obsessed over games lol! what happen was I graduated high school and got a job and was pretty much able to buy games when ever I wanted them. Before then I would only be able to play a few games a year because of school and I was obsessed over bike riding(still am) but once i graduated I had a lot more free time and for a while there lost intrest in bike riding.I remember I gained a lot of weight and I was fine just playing games pretty much all the time.Then in 2005 I started seeing one of my co-workers and that pretty much started taking up all my time lol! but it was weird after me and her broke up I couldn’t go back and play games as much as i did lol! I’m still a avid gamer but i also have a whole bunch of other activities going on in my life now.

  2. George Lu
    1

    If a game has a good storyline, gameplay, and replay value I will more than likely be addicted to playing it.

  3. Little Samson
    0

    I have a pretty addictive personality so I’ve been really addicted of gaming. Pretty good atm with it but it’s been pretty bad.

  4. I’m addicted to more unhealthy things…

  5. WOFFORD
    0

    Gaming is one of those things that can provide that one place, where players can come, and for once, have everything under their control. That’s one of the reasons why I think video games as an art form are addictive.

  6. Excellent article. Nice one, Danny!

  7. Virtually anything can be addictive.

  8. Joe Manduke

    A very relevant issue in our society. Certainly has pros and cons

  9. Aaron Hatch

    It is scary to think how easily people in todays society can get addicted to video games, and technology in general. It is very hard in our technology driven culture to determine the line between reliance on technology, and full on addiction.

  10. I seem to find that my personality changes when I play video games (much like when I play sports). I’d say I’m a competitive person and that rather than being addicted to the game itself I feel like I have to win. I.e. Unable to quit CoD/Fifa/Skyrim/Pokemon if I can’t win a game, finish a quest or beat a gym leader. And I never really thought of this until reading this article. Well played.

  11. I hesitate to say that getting addicted to a video game is all that different from getting addicted to any other type of media. For me at least, being engrossed by a book or binge watching a TV show elicits the same type of response as playing a video game. I get completely absorbed, and being torn away makes me very irritable when I’m at my worst. I feel like the reason video game addiction has been getting more attention of late is more so due to the genre coming into its own as an art form and being able to tell more complex stories, rather than some special property exclusive to gaming.

    • That’s an important point, for sure. Video games are similar to other forms of entertainment, with the added element of active participation. In the case of online gaming, there’s the social aspect as well. This doesn’t set them completely apart, but it does create a new playground of exploration where we can compare styles of video game playing and styles of life. You’re also absolutely right in that video games are a very new art form. As with anything new, there tends to be a bit of trial and error before we discover how to enjoy some new technology while avoiding pitfalls that come with it. I would attribute the way the media often jumps to conclusions about video games to this uncertainty. I can’t wait to see the new directions video games take us.

  12. Visenya

    I agree with your point on video games being very addictive and your article is very well written and informative. I really enjoyed reading your paragraph on the reward system, it is a very accurate portrayal of the role of reinforcement in video games.

    However, I think you are mistaken in comparing video game addiction to substance abuse. Substance abuse can be as mild as a media addiction but it can also be a serious and life threatening disorder. Substances manipulate our body’s chemistry in order to create a biological dependency. I don’t personally see a comparison here with video games. Some of the psychological aspects are quite similar, but the danger of substance abuse addiction is the dangerous combination of psychological and biological dependency.

    • You’r absolutely right. I think this is part of the hesitation the APA has with labeling video game addiction as one on par with substance abuse. What I tried to do here is more the discussion away from a comparison with substance abuse (without ignoring the similarities), and instead show the existential or emotional underpinnings of online gaming addictions. I hope I didn’t come off as disrespectful. Thank you for reading!

  13. I love how you wrote the whole article in the format of someone’s (even more specifically, an addict’s) life cycle, especially the ending. Metaphors galore! This is a great balance of your own ideas and sources. Keep up the great work!

  14. I had an addiction to 2d Runescape a long time ago

  15. Pannell
    0

    World of Warcraft, played that game religiously and made money from it. MW 2, played to the point where getting a nuke was child’s play.

  16. Cash Bunting
    0

    Does playing elder scrolls for 150 hours constitute being addicted?

  17. The only game I recall ever feeling addicted to was World of Warcraft. I never played it all that much – a few hours most weeknights – but since I quit ~10 months ago after playing for a year and a half, to this day I still want to go back and play it.

  18. Good games are better than cocaine.

  19. While playing video games is certainly addicting, as we have all had those all nighters with a new favorite game, I wouldn’t say it is an addiction itself. It is our choice of entertainment for whatever reasons we have for loving the wonderful medium of video games.

  20. Goodrich
    0

    Addicted is the wrong word I think just madly,deeply and truely in love I would say. Otherwise I’m addicted to my wife to…or is it?

  21. Darling
    0

    Interesting Topic! I was into video games since I was a kid, and not until the 7th generation of consoles; that I got more and more obsessed.

  22. gosh I have vision problems, the tetris effect, migraines..

  23. Lexzie

    As an avid gamer I can easily find myself spending entire nights playing a video game. If a game is really engaging I can replay it multiple times and I find myself coming back for more even though I know what to expect. For most people it isn’t an addiction, but the psychological points that you made make sense and it can be a serious issue for some people. Overall it is an interesting topic and is certainly becoming more prevalent. It will be interesting to see how virtual reality mechanisms, such as the Oculus Rift, will psychologically affect people and if it will lead to an increase in gaming addiction or not.

  24. Letterz
    0

    I can quit whenever I want, I just don’t want to.

  25. video games are only addicting to those who have addictive personalities. i consider my self a more than moderate gamer but i can play from 0-5 hours a day i dont need to play video games i enjoy and want to. hell there will even be times when i can go weeks or even a couple months without ever touching a game because its just not what i want to do.

  26. Jeffery
    0

    This was a really good article.

  27. I like these articles that challenge people and show them new ways of looking at things.

  28. Yoko Sotelo
    0

    I’ve often thought we fear the thought of addiction more than addiction itself. It is basic that self esteem would demand we think the best of ourselves, and that we would, should that be our preference attempt excellence in all we do, whether in games or out lives.

  29. MickNix
    0

    For the past few years I’ve been encouraged by teachers to play my video games. I mean, yeah, there’s all these bad things, but they also serve as a brilliant distraction when your mind is in a bad place. I can kind of disconnect from a dangerous place in your head for a bit, and afterwards I usually feel a lot better. I mean I suppose they see video games as not exactly brilliant, it’s the lesser of two evils. Aside from that, they’re really enjoyable and, hell, I’ve learned loads from playing them.

  30. Video games are something that I have grown up with my whole life. I always consider them the equivalent of books that you interact with. That being said, there are absolutely mindless games that are all action based and are devoid of true story: this is where I see addiction as a reocurring problem. The online games such as a League of Legends and MMO’s where there is no clear end in sight allow for this sort of proxy life. Not to say there is anything wrong with these types of games (I have played these myself for longer then I am proud of). I guess the point I am leading towards is that with all this talk of addiction and the harmful effects of video games, all video games get bundled together as the problem. Nothing is more frustrating then hearing someone begin speaking of all video games as a waste and some type of bane to society. I really enjoy this article because of how well you approach the topic, and the ways in which I see you relating to it. Great work once again

  31. Moulton
    0

    I often find myself feeling “off” whenever I leave a task to do another and am so relieved when I finish the first task. In this way, games are actually a love/hate relationship. You feel frustrated all the time yet in that frustration there is a sense of relief and accomplishment.

  32. You became accustomed to playing them over an extended period of time, so your routine is to be adjusted in their absence. Gaming addiction is not real because it does not exist…

  33. it was either being addicted to games or drugs…i chose games..its more fun

  34. Nicely written article, really puts things in perspective. Like most things in life, you have to keep a moderation. Add some variety and don’t stick to only one thing.

  35. I liked the coverage of the idea that video games remove some of the uncertainty from success. Perhaps one reason why video game addiction has even become a problem is because games were historically harder, and did not guarantee any form of reward simply for time put in.

  36. Hinojosa
    0

    I spend more time reading video game articles then I spend playing video games.

  37. HoseaEasterling
    0

    Why is it “addiction” to play a video game for four hours straight but it is considered fine to watch TV for four hours straight if its sports or a Top Chef marathon?

  38. gallant
    0

    Wonderfully written article.

  39. I´m still very proud to say that at my age (34) i never lost “that felling” of when you really enjoy playing a game on the same level as when i was very young and little. And i hope i never lose it, since videogames are not only a huge part of my life and surroundings, they are a huge part of what i am.

  40. heather
    0

    My 2 yr relationship has and IS suffering from my boyfriend playing excessively, to point where plays till sun comes up…

  41. tylerjt
    tylerjt
    0

    Loved reading this article and I do sincerely agree that if you can manage having gaming in a virtual world be a side benefit and not as your entire life goal than you can live a prosperous life.

  42. Excellent article.

    I’ve always wondered just how much the time spent vs rewards factor can effect the rate at which players play a game. I’m aware that a lot of research goes into the production of games that balance these elements precisely, but I can’t help but think that if a game were made that modelled the real world as closely as possible there would still be a large number of people that would play it.

  43. Jeffrey MacCormack

    I’m pleased to see that you are thinking critically about how virtual environments can be used. My research looks at virtual environments for the instruction of social skills for kids with ASD. I feel that increasingly virtual environments will be seen as a viable place to learn and play and grow.

  44. Interesting thing to note: people who are easily addicted to things often have greater academic talents than others. (Although is offset by the time they spend doing things other than study because they are easily addicted…)

  45. I’m interested about how your take on games like Farmville or Dungeon Keeper Mobile might be different. If Skyrim can be addictive to a small subset of players, despite the fact that it doesn’t actively try to be (as far as I can tell), then should we be working to stop games like DKM, which uses techniques like long waiting times and reduced productivity to prod the player into paying for borderline-useless services, from operating the way they do?

  46. Jeffrey MacCormack

    While it is true that DSM-V does not include “video game addiction,” Internet gaming addiction IS listed for further study. It will likely be included in version 6, as the research catches up with the apparent need.

  47. villakesh
    0

    video games are the crack cocaine of the electronic industry. i love it.

  48. Emina J

    I knew that gaming addictions had their consequences, but I had no idea they could cause things like low self-esteem. And the story about the man who died after playing for too long is unbelievable! This is a great article with lots of good evidence.

  49. Really interesting read, but I can’t say that the “low self esteem” angle is completely true for everyone; it depends on why you’re playing a game to begin with.

  50. Excellent article. This is definitely something that has affected me during various times of my life. Most notably was with a game you referenced heavily in the article: World of Warcraft. A family friend of my parents introduced me to what this game was. I had played Warcraft 3 previously and he had told me this was the next step in that world of characters. I was incredibly intrigued, who wouldn’t be at 13 years old? So I started the free trial and immediately connected to the tasks given and the overall goal of the game itself which is to level up and become the best of the best. Back at that time in 2007 it was much harder to level up in the game than it is now, but I was never the less convinced that my life had been leading me to play this game. It definitely became an obsession. By the time I was 17 I was nearing greatness in the game. I was being collaborative in a guild and we were striving together to complete the next challenge. There were times where I would lay awake from 10pm to midnight just wait for my parents to go to sleep before sneaking back upstairs to sign on for a large 3-4 hour game session in the middle of the night. My addiction got to the point where I lied to my parents and to myself about what it was this game was doing to me. During those years in high school I went from a B average student to a C average. I called in 20 minutes before a shift one day at a grocery store I worked at to quit so I didn’t have to spend just one 9-hour period away from the game. It became a destructive pattern and eventually my parents were able to steer me towards a more constructive path, especially once I was able to get another job later on after I quit the one.

    This is not an easy thing to experience, and it happens everywhere. I still play World of Warcraft, and many other games for that matter, but I am now able to limit my time in those other worlds. If there are any positives to garner from my heavily addicted time, it is that I was able to gain a perspective as to how destructive I could be to myself. I chose to play a video game that much. The game didn’t consume me on its own, I allowed it to. I can’t tell you why I did it, right now I still try to convince myself that it was to enjoy myself, but sadly it always is something more.

  51. I remember for a time being semi addicted to everwuest. I don’t think it was the virtual world that did it I think it was the idea that others who had the same last tone as me were always songs and understood one aspect of my life others couldn’t.

  52. Correction Everquest

  53. The movie is actually called “The Wolf of Wall Street” (not “on”) and the game is called “The Sims” (with a “the” and not in all caps).

  54. Adnan Bey

    I like the way you put human psychology into this and cited many good works to compliment your article. Games can be really addictive, I think the final verdict is that gaming is, in itself not bad, but too much gaming is. Like too much of anything is bad for a person, gaming is no different.

  55. This article: http://kernelmag.dailydot.com/issue-sections/headline-story/13506/avalon-neverending-mud/ examines to a point the reasoning behind player engagement in a virtual world, taking as its example piece the longest running online RPG in history.

    I greatly enjoyed reading the article on here and as a long time online roleplayer having experienced various degrees of addiction, I can certainly empathise.

  56. I currently play World of Warcraft as well, and I can empathize greatly with this article. It’s good to remember that the virtual is not the only reality, nor the more important one. But it can be quite entertaining and inspiring!

  57. Emily Deibler

    Great article. Excellent point about the “death” of the player occurring when the narrative ends. I guess that’s why I enjoy a game like World of Warcraft with a nonlinear model and a massive open world with near-endless quests.

  58. Kevin Mohammed

    With people becoming more integrated into gaming and virtual reality, this article continues to increase in how relevant it will become to the newer generation who was born and raised in this extremely technologically literate age.

  59. Pamela Maria

    very important article. Addiction doesn’t necessarily have to come from illicit substances, but from anything that becomes habitual to a point of enslavement. Much like Kevbin Mohamemd, I’m curiously to see what will happen when virtual reality and full body gaming becomes much more accessible and popular.

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