Why are video games addictive.What makes a video game addictive?Most kids like to spend at least part of their free time playing video games. But for some, whatstarts out as an innocent recreation can become an addiction.Soon friends, family, school and even hygiene are neglected, as nearly every spare moment is spentplaying the game.Game designBut what makes a game addictive? Are there certain characteristics that make some games moreaddictive then others are? Why are some teens more addicted to games then others?As with any addiction, video games or “gaming” addiction is usually a multi-faced issue. Gamedesigners are always looking for ways to make their game more fun and enjoyable in order toincrease the amount of time people spend playing them.As much as anyone gaming designers try themselves to answer the question, “what makes a videogame addictive “ they want you to not want to stop playing.But what begins as an immersive escape can, for some, they develop from a harmless form ofentertainment into a consuming addiction, plus the design of video games are similar to the designof a gambling casinos, which will allow players to earn small wins to keep playing.But there are several hooks that are built into games with the intent of making them addictive.The high scoreWhether you tried out the latest grand theft auto or haven’t touched a game since Pac-Man, thehigh score or completion percentage is one of the most easily recognizable hooks. Trying to beatthe high score (even if the player is trying to beat their own score) can keep a player engrossed forhours.Beating your rivalMore and more gamers are competing with or against friends and other players from all over theworld via the internet. There are many permutations of online competitive gaming. Some gamesinvolve forming clans to compete against other groups of players while others use the last manstanding “battle royal” format, most famously Fortnite. Here the goal may be to rise up theleaderboard or to gain bragging rights over friends.DiscoveryThe exploration or discovery tactic is most often used in role-playing games. One of the onlinegames with exploring online worlds is “world of Warcraft”, and a god portion of the game is spentexploring imaginary worlds. This thrill of discovery (even of places that don’t really exist) can beextremely compelling.RelationshipsMost individuals suffer from bullying or struggle with face-to-face communication may beparticularly vulnerable to withdraw into an online world that seems less judgmental and anxietyprovoking then their real world and most of them go into online role playing games allow them tobuild relationships with other people.by BrainstewWage This is why strategies for overcoming gaming addiction must be sensitive to the wider context of thepersons life and circumstances if they are to stand w chance of success. Therapists with experiencein treating gaming addiction know all to well that excessive gaming can co-occur with issues likedepression, anxiety, and ADHD.therefore, it’s vital to get to the core of the individuals problems in order to find strategies that work.ConclusionIts now believed that there may be a reinforcing element to addictive game playing. MRI studies, forinstance, it has showed those frequent gamers exhibit brain changes associated with increaseddopamine release. Dopamine is a mood regulating hormone associated with feelings of pleasureand similar changes have been observed in gambling addicts.Though the debate rages in as to whether gaming addiction is a diagnosable disorder, problematicbehavioral patterns undeniably exist for some. The combination of highly compelling gamingexperiences created by designers and the predisposition some teens have a addictive behavior andthis means this is a real issue that parents, teachers, and friends should be aware and take action toprevent.petEEI
