I thought Turkle’s article about video games was really interesting, I have never thought about the psychology behind these games and why they become so addicting for people. I know that the video game industry is HUGE and there is a ton of money to be made off of gamers these days– I have a few friends who are definitely hooked on video games, always buying the latest ones as soon as they come out, they have all the systems, all the newest accessories, etc…I can kind of understand the addicting qualities of video games, the gamer’s ability to essentially get lost in another world, completely immersed, and control the outcome of the game– a certain power comes with gaming.
One of the most interesting parts of Turkle’s article for me was a quote from Jarish about the contrast between video games and real life and how he feels after finishing a game:
“You feel sort of cut off. When I play the game, I start getting into it, and you start taking the role of the person…and then the game ends. And you have just put all of your energy into it. It doesn’t make me angry, more like depressed. You walk out of the arcade and it’s a different world. Nothing that you can control.”
He’s describing the sort of video game hangover…there’s a certain disorientation one feels after immersing yourself in a video game for a length of time. When you go out into the real world afterwards, you feel kind of let-down. You are no longer able to control what goes on around you and you are no longer highly stimulated by the action on the screen. It’s easy to see how people can get so addicted to those feelings of control and excitement that video games allow. But addiction comes with a price! $$$$ (and sometimes a loss of friends…)
Original post by etimberlake
