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Students pick video games over social life

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Written by Simon Husted Thursday, 21 January 2010 22:13

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Are video games controlling your life?

Gamers hooked on fellowship

Kent State gamers admit playing video games can be addictive, but they said the social interaction is what keeps players coming back, not the game itself.

Brian Clark, sophomore computer information systems major, typically plays four to five hours a day. He said the term “video game addiction” is misleading because it’s a sensation gained from certain video games — typically video games with an engaging online community that’s addictive.

“There’s been stories about a lot of people in China, Japan and other Asian countries who play video games for social interaction,” Clark said. “Rather than craving the game itself, they crave the interaction they get in the game so rather than going out and having a real life social interaction, they’re having social interactions with other people on a game.”

Gamers who have anxiety or are nervous in social settings are also more likely to thrive on the social interaction provided by online video games, Clark said.

“People can’t really be addicted to video games,” Clark said. “They can be addicted to a feeling they get from them, but just classifying someone with a video game addiction doesn’t really say what the problem is.”

Clark said he knows a friend back home who, if anything, was addicted to the social interactions he received when playing the game “World of Warcraft.”

“World of Warcraft,” or WoW, is a popular online role-playing game that allows gamers to hunt for items or complete quests with other gam- ers across the globe. Because the online game is updated often with new content, WoW is unique in that it doesn’t necessarily have an ending and encourages players to continue playing, earning only small accomplishments along the way.

Clark said games and even online networks similar to the concept of WoW brought out a troubling gaming pattern in his friend.

“He would play some Xbox games just for the fact of getting achievement points (on Xbox LIVE) and feeling like he accomplished something,” Clark said.

The concept of a person addicted to video games has met intense debate in the scientific community. At the American Medical Association’s 2007 meeting in Chicago, the AMA considered adding video game addiction to its “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” or DSM – IV.

The proposal was denied so more studies could be done on the topic. Analysts suggest, however, that “video game addiction” will likely be considered again at AMA’s next meeting in 2012.

According to the AMA report proposing the existence of a video game addiction, anywhere between 10 to 15 percent of gamers may have an addiction. The report classifies an addiction as someone who has more control and success over his or her social relationships in the virtual world than reality.

A solid number is hard to reach because currently psychologists, psychiatrists and social workers aren’t trained to diagnose or treat it. Many health insurance companies do not cover individuals seeking help to treat their uncontrollable habits involving video games either.

Gamers on campus said they think the AMA should find another way to help troubled gamers, instead of attaching an even worse stigma to video games.

Connor Shivers, a gamer who typically plays two to four hours a day, said most video games like “Final Fantasy” or “Advance Wars” have stories with one ultimate reward that either ends the game immediately or doesn’t leave enough incentives for the player to keep playing. But WoW and games similar to it lack this type of reward.

“You’re basically doing a second job, trying to level up your character, find new equipment, join a group and do a bunch of raids,” Shivers said. “It doesn’t sound fun to an outside perspective because of all the work you have to put into it for the relatively low amount of satisfaction to get from it.”

“For games that don’t have an ending credit, it’s very hard to let it go because you’re always chasing the next reward,” Shivers added.

Not all gamers who play WoW get entirely hooked, however. Thomas Maisonville, a sophomore political science major, first began playing WoW last spring semester. Maisonville said the reason he began playing was because his friend, JD, played the game and pressured him to buy a subscription and make his own character. Although he claims video games hold little effect on his academics, Maisonville admits WoW was an exception and during the spring semester, distracted him from more important things.

“Those were dark times,” Maisonville said.

However once summer break began and JD didn’t return to Kent State the next fall, Maisonville said he was able to give up WoW pretty casually and move on to playing more traditional games like “Street Fighter” and “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.”

“Again, it’s that social thing,” he said. “When I play video games, a lot of time it’s about playing with people than playing by myself.”

Contact safety reporter Simon Husted at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it "="href:"mailto: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ""> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
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written by kids, July 21, 2010
I do believe games can effect you neurologically. we just have to balance it out. but a game like world of warcraft is really hard to balance depending what you are trying to do in the game. too many factors forces long hours of playing such as team members relying on your attendance to get a full 40 man raid going. which can take for hours. with game like wow you need to strip it out of your life completely i believe recently i had read an article in where it was said the this is one of the major reason kids are getting obsessed.

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written by Tower Defence games, March 06, 2010
I don`t think games affect studies and I also love to play Tower Defence games with my family and friends. I think this feel very entertaining and one of the best source to get in touch with your family friends as well as with the old friends.
Nice one..
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written by tastetherainbow, January 24, 2010
i was addicted to madden 2007 for the ps2. i got ranked in the top 100 WITHOUT glitching, one of the few, and also, i only played people with ranks in the top 500...but the social interaction had nothing to do with it, and actually i hated the anonymous social interaction, and disconnected my mic in no time.

the majority of the time people will say stuff to you that they'd never say in real life...so fucking annoying. i did meet some cool people playing, but this was rare. mostly it was just kids who'd call you fag because you'd run the same play that they couldn't stop...so why not keep running it?

my typical responds was "your mother", then i'd disconnect the mic. my reason for playing was that video games were much more amicable than people.


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written by aWoWLoser, January 21, 2010
I have been playing WoW for a little over a year now. It is easy to notice a decline in social life, but only if you let it consume you. It is a game unlike any other. Addiction can be a serious problem with this game more so than other video games. As I read about addiction to the game, I think of people our age (in college) as less severe as many cases out there. A surprisingly large majority of people I have encountered in game have very young children but still play 6+ hours a day. It is hard to think that people out there are losing precious time with their family members such as playing a part in their children's lives because of a video game.

Responsibility relies strictly on the player. I would recommend WoW to anyone and everyone out there. It is an enjoyable game, but it is easy to be consumed. As college students, we should be able to manage our studies over our social time, WoW being part of a social activity.. To be able to play this type of video game you must have your priorities straight, preferably before purchasing the game.

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