Todays society is full of many different addictive substances ranging from the scariest of addictive drugs, alcohol, smoking, tobacco, caffeinated beverages, gambling, pornography, and for some, even abusing their credit cards. When you hear the word addictive, it is quite common for your first thoughts to focus on one or two of these particular subject matters because many people today struggle with their addictive nature. However, how often do you associate addiction and its effects with the gaming industry?
Chances are most people do not classify the activity of gaming as one that is addictive, especially given that the American Medical Association recently determined that gaming was simply an hobby, not something you would compare to the addictive activity of gambling. The ironic thing about this is that although the American Medical Association may not be ready to make excessive gaming a sickness similar to that of alcohol abuse, there are places around the world today holding camps where people can go and get detox treatment for their gaming addiction. Yes, that is right " these centers are treating the gaming addiction of everyday individuals just as they treat a drug or alcohol addiction in other facilities. A proper detox, like any drug program requires people to quit cold turkey, and most people experience withdrawals.
This type of detox is not easy, especially for extreme gamers out there. Consider the couple in Reno, Nevada that neglected their children because they were so addicted to Dungeons & Dragons Online, or others who simply play for many hours and countless days forgetting to pay important bills. The addiction can become so extreme the gamers become like the zombies you actually see on some of the games! And, as luck would have it, the makers of these popular addicting games such as, StarCraft, EverQuest, Call of Duty, Dungeons & Dragons Online, and World of WarCraft actually prefer it this way.
In fact, Jason Kapalka, one of the co-founders of the gaming company PopCap confirmed this theory and said that PopCaps main goal was to design games that were addictive to gamers. The team at PopCap came up with a business model called the quick hit where games did not requirement as much of an initial commitment " basically the gamers could try it out before they bought it. However, once they tried these popular games like, Peggie and Bejeweled, they were instantly addicted and it motivated them to pay later.
You might be reading this thinking that these gaming companies are misleading and unethical. Yet, the bottom line is, they are simply doing what any other company is doing today " trying to make the best products and sell them. They do not sell products that are bad for our health like tobacco companies, however a game that is addictive tends to be successful in nature and some people think that crosses the line.
However, there is a lot of controversy surrounding the design of World of Warcraft some people jokingly refer to as World of Warcrack and the overall intentions and strategy among the company " were they simply trying to make a good game or were they trying to make one that was purely addictive in nature? When one of the lead producers, Shane Dabiri, of the game was questioned on the issue, he seemed to avoid the point of the question and said that the company used many of the same techniques that other role-playing games use. According to Shane, World of Warcraft is unique because of their companys care and the aspects they bring to the game including their customer support. As for it being addictive, that is up for those in the gaming industry to decide.
The designers and producers of these games are an easy target for placing blame on the addictive nature of gaming " after all, they do profit from it. However, when you dig deeper and look at the social networking aspects involved in gaming, there may be more than just the design that contributes to the gaming addiction. Before the Internet, people played games by themselves, however, now they can play with thousands of people across the world with which they share similar interests. It is definitely one more element contributing to their gaming addiction.
If you are unsure about this theory, just talk with any therapist, particularly one that specializes in working with those who suffer from Internet and computer addictions. According to research, most gamers happen to be teenagers or young men in there 20s with a lot of time on their hands, a lack of friends, no real companionship, or no love. Because of this they compensate using the Internet and gaming " their comfort zones " and it leads to serious addictions.
For those who do enjoy gaming, the challenge is to level with yourself and determine whether or not your time spent gaming is too much. If it is, you may need to take steps to find more balance in your life. In doing so, you will be healthier and free from controlling addictions that can only harm you.
Chances are most people do not classify the activity of gaming as one that is addictive, especially given that the American Medical Association recently determined that gaming was simply an hobby, not something you would compare to the addictive activity of gambling. The ironic thing about this is that although the American Medical Association may not be ready to make excessive gaming a sickness similar to that of alcohol abuse, there are places around the world today holding camps where people can go and get detox treatment for their gaming addiction. Yes, that is right " these centers are treating the gaming addiction of everyday individuals just as they treat a drug or alcohol addiction in other facilities. A proper detox, like any drug program requires people to quit cold turkey, and most people experience withdrawals.
This type of detox is not easy, especially for extreme gamers out there. Consider the couple in Reno, Nevada that neglected their children because they were so addicted to Dungeons & Dragons Online, or others who simply play for many hours and countless days forgetting to pay important bills. The addiction can become so extreme the gamers become like the zombies you actually see on some of the games! And, as luck would have it, the makers of these popular addicting games such as, StarCraft, EverQuest, Call of Duty, Dungeons & Dragons Online, and World of WarCraft actually prefer it this way.
In fact, Jason Kapalka, one of the co-founders of the gaming company PopCap confirmed this theory and said that PopCaps main goal was to design games that were addictive to gamers. The team at PopCap came up with a business model called the quick hit where games did not requirement as much of an initial commitment " basically the gamers could try it out before they bought it. However, once they tried these popular games like, Peggie and Bejeweled, they were instantly addicted and it motivated them to pay later.
You might be reading this thinking that these gaming companies are misleading and unethical. Yet, the bottom line is, they are simply doing what any other company is doing today " trying to make the best products and sell them. They do not sell products that are bad for our health like tobacco companies, however a game that is addictive tends to be successful in nature and some people think that crosses the line.
However, there is a lot of controversy surrounding the design of World of Warcraft some people jokingly refer to as World of Warcrack and the overall intentions and strategy among the company " were they simply trying to make a good game or were they trying to make one that was purely addictive in nature? When one of the lead producers, Shane Dabiri, of the game was questioned on the issue, he seemed to avoid the point of the question and said that the company used many of the same techniques that other role-playing games use. According to Shane, World of Warcraft is unique because of their companys care and the aspects they bring to the game including their customer support. As for it being addictive, that is up for those in the gaming industry to decide.
The designers and producers of these games are an easy target for placing blame on the addictive nature of gaming " after all, they do profit from it. However, when you dig deeper and look at the social networking aspects involved in gaming, there may be more than just the design that contributes to the gaming addiction. Before the Internet, people played games by themselves, however, now they can play with thousands of people across the world with which they share similar interests. It is definitely one more element contributing to their gaming addiction.
If you are unsure about this theory, just talk with any therapist, particularly one that specializes in working with those who suffer from Internet and computer addictions. According to research, most gamers happen to be teenagers or young men in there 20s with a lot of time on their hands, a lack of friends, no real companionship, or no love. Because of this they compensate using the Internet and gaming " their comfort zones " and it leads to serious addictions.
For those who do enjoy gaming, the challenge is to level with yourself and determine whether or not your time spent gaming is too much. If it is, you may need to take steps to find more balance in your life. In doing so, you will be healthier and free from controlling addictions that can only harm you.
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