Video games and online gaming has become an increasingly popular leisure activity over the last 25 years. From games that individuals can play alone, to massive multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG), gaming offers a forum for many to engage in a manner that best suits their personal preferences, their lifestyle, and their schedule.

As gaming’s popularity has increased, so too has the negative commentary surrounding its usage, with many describing a lot of gamers as anti-social, lazy, unfocused and compulsive. Research has often shown that only a small minority of the gaming community exhibit negative behaviors, such as poor sleeping patterns, limited physical social interaction, and poor school / work productivity (Griffiths & Davies, 2005); however, the few do not represent the community as a whole, and it is often overlooked about the positives that can stem from gaming and the gaming community.

Recent research conducted and reviewed by ‘American Psychologist’ have highlighted that video games, even ones that depict violence, can positively boost a child’s physical health, social skills, and comprehension. Specific types of game’s, such as platformers and puzzle games, can help develop children’s problem-solving skills, and MMORPG’s can promote cooperation and social interaction.

Simple games, such as ‘Angry Birds’ or games like ‘Paper Toss’ have been shown to improve the mood of their players, acting as a form of stress relief and helping in warding off anxiety (Lobel et al., 2014). Learning to cope with repeated failures in gaming can also help to build emotional resilience.

As highlighted above, different types of games can have different types of positive impact on those playing, and can have an overall positive impact on multiple facets of an individual’s life when done in moderation.

The negative aspects of gaming are less to do with the game itself, and more to do with micro-transactions and purchasable items called loot boxes. These 2 facets promote negative attributes in games, that are both mentally and financially draining. Loot boxes in particular have a strong negative impact and promote gambling.

In video games, loot boxes are an in-game purchase consisting of a virtual container that awards players with items and modifications based on chance. Loot boxes are considered to be a type of micro-transaction.

Studies have clearly shown that there is correlation between the usage of loot boxes and problematic gambling behavior (Macey & Hamari, 2018); however, despite this, there are few to no safeguards surrounding their incorporation into games. Countries such as Belgium and Netherlands have understood the risk these loot boxes pose and have banned games that have the loot box feature.

Video games have both positive and negative attributes, and as a parent / guardian you must be mindful of the sort of things your children are playing, as it is often overlooked that many games have age restrictions, so make sure the games they are playing are age appropriate; and it must also be noted that anything in excess can be harmful, moderation is key.

References

Griffiths, M. D., & Davies, M. N. O. (2005). Video-game addiction: Does it exist? In J. Goldstein & J. Raessens (Eds.), Handbook of Computer Game Studies (pp. 359-368). Boston: MIT Press.

King, D. L., & Delfabbro, P. H. (2009a). Motivational differences in problem video game play. Journal of Cybertherapy and Rehabilitation, 2, 139-150.

Lobel A., Granic I., Engels R. (2014). Stressful gaming, interoceptive awareness, and emotion regulation tendencies: a novel approach. Cyberpsycholol. Behav. Soc. Netw. 17 222–227.

Macey J, Hamari J. eSports, skins and loot boxes: Participants, practices and problematic behaviour associated with emergent forms of gambling. New Media Soc. 2018 Jul 16;1461444818786216.