Online Gaming Essay | Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Gaming

Online gaming is the most talked about fun topic among the teenagers of the 21st century. At the same time, it is the most talked about serious topic among the parents and teachers. Everyone has their own reasons to discuss online gaming. Our reason today is to help you write an Essay on Online Gaming so that you are exposed to the unseen side of online gaming addiction.

Long Essay on Online Gaming Addiction in 500 words | Argumentative Essay on Online Games Good or Bad

How online gaming started.

The Internet has changed the way we live, we eat, we dress, we work and we play. It has become a preferred and comfortable mode which has made our lives way too easy. Today almost everything is available at the click of a button. You ask for a thing and it reaches your doorstep within days. Amidst these gratifying moments, when we are saved from the daily hustle-bustle, another trend of online gaming has emerged. 

Advantages of Online Games

Online gaming is a huge platform today. A platform that has broken all barriers and boundaries amidst countries around the world. In online gaming, you can connect to anyone anywhere in the world and play. Sometimes you don’t even know with whom you are playing and this mystery makes the experience even more thrilling. It also gives the player an opportunity to make new friends from other countries and get a chance to showcase their talent worldwide.

Nowadays, many online gaming championships are organized where gamers get a platform to compete with the best of the best and enhance their skills. It has gained much popularity over the years because one can play an online game on even a basic smartphone. What one requires is a consistent internet connection. Developing, designing and marketing online games has turned into a full-fledged profession and many are earning their bread and butter through it. 

Disadvantages of Online Gaming

But then there is always the other side of a coin which is often dark and dingy. The other side of online gaming is not only dark but dreadful too. Many tend to become addicted to online gaming and it takes away all of their productive time. When money gets involved in it through betting, families are ruined. It pulls an individual into isolation as mostly online gamers play alone. Their social interaction becomes nil which leads to depression and loneliness.

Online harassment through many gaming sites is not a new thing. Children can easily be trapped in this way. Long hours spent in front of the computer can harm their posture and eyes too. These games, through their catchy visuals, entice young children and they become addicted to them to such an extent that they forget to eat or sleep and prefer to sit in front of the screen all the time. Such addiction not only harms the individual but the whole family suffers due to it. Besides social effects, there are many psychological symptoms like anxiety, irritability and uncontrollable mood swings which take a toll on the health of an individual due to addiction.  

Ways to Control Online Gaming Addiction

Self-control, time management and focus can serve as the three pillars for fighting the addiction to online gaming. The external prohibitions from the government in the form of laws, certain regulations and even a ban on a few of them are not going to solve the problem. Good parenting, positive family time and socializing with friends can prove to be helpful.  In some severe cases, guidance from a counsellor could become necessary. Positive reinforcement & support from loved ones is required for an individual to come out of this addiction. 

‘Nothing can be more exciting and thrilling than a victory in real life’. So, let’s look forward to a win in real life than online.

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The Pros and Cons of Online Competitive Gaming: An Evidence-Based Approach to Assessing Young Players' Well-Being

Sarah kelly.

1 University of Queensland Business School, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

Thomas Magor

Annemarie wright.

2 Honorary Fellow, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

3 Victorian Health Promotion Foundation, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Associated Data

Raw data will be supplied by the authors upon request.

This research addresses a lack of evidence on the positive and negative health outcomes of competitive online gaming and esports, particularly among young people and adolescents. Well-being outcomes, along with mitigation strategies were measured through a cross sectional survey of Australian gamers and non-gamers aged between 12 and 24 years, and parents of the 12–17-year-olds surveyed. Adverse health consequences were associated with heavy gaming, more so than light/casual gaming, suggesting that interventions that target moderated engagement could be effective. It provides timely insights in an online gaming landscape that has rapidly evolved over the past decade, and particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, to include the hyper-connected, highly commercialized and rapidly growing online gaming and esports sector.

Esports as an increasingly popular form of competitive online gaming and can be defined as “… a form of sports where the primary aspects of the sport are facilitated by electronic systems; the input of players and teams as well as the output of the esports system are mediated by human-computer interfaces.” (Hamari and Sjöblom, 2017 , p. 211). Its commercialization, globalization and popularity has grown exponentially, evolving to become both a leisure and professional activity (Reitman et al., 2020 ). Seo et al. ( 2019 ) assert that as computer game consumption becomes more complex, interactive and ubiquitous within a context of online and mobile gaming, research focussed upon interaction among consumers, technology, culture, and well-being is critical. Examination into this gaming consumption and its well-being outcomes extend to whether gaming may enhance well-being (e.g., Howes et al., 2017 ), and on the other hand, manifest as addictive consumption (Frölich et al., 2016 ). Compounding potential issues of addiction, online gaming is also associated with sedentary lifestyles, poor sleep, unhealthy dietary habits and is a known risk factor for obesity (Boyle et al., 2016 ; Hoyt et al., 2018 ; Taylor, 2018 ; Jeong et al., 2019 ).

Contrary to this view, some research suggests that competitive gaming can have positive outcomes upon players, relying on heavy exertion, cognitive spatial awareness, decision-making under pressure, and is, by definition, a collaborative endeavor [for a review, see Boyle et al. ( 2011 ) and Halbrook et al. ( 2019 )]. Video game playing is associated with stronger cognitive abilities and certain positive neurological effects (Nuyens et al., 2019 ) and when gaming is balanced with physical activity (Halbrook et al., 2019 ). Social factors associated with video gaming, based mainly on samples of young people with internet gaming disorders (or high gaming frequency), include poorer social skills, lower educational attainment, behavioral problems, and fewer friends offline, but can also include increased social networks from online friends (e.g., Lobel et al., 2017 ; Van Den Eijnden et al., 2018 ).

Psychological and physiological effects of participation in online gaming have attracted the attention of policy makers, health practitioners, and the community alike, fuelling a need to provide evidence-based research. A lack of governance in esports potentially compounds well-being issues associated with gaming. Unlike traditional sports, control of the content and accessibility of gaming titles rests largely with game publishers (Hollist, 2015 ; Hall Wilcox, 2017 ). This research is particularly important during the current COVID-19 pandemic, which has seen an escalation in online gaming participation due to isolation restrictions (Forrester, 2020 ). While past research has focussed upon physical health outcomes associated with video gaming among adolescents and young adults, none has examined outcomes associated with different forms of gaming participation in the new gaming era, and their potential differential health outcomes across different consumer segments, including heavy users, casual users and non-gamers.

The aim of this research is to therefore address a deficit of empirical knowledge on the well-being outcomes associated with gaming competitively, whether recreationally or intensively, among young people. Unlike traditional sports, in which athletes who spend long hours training are praised for their dedication, spending an excessive amount of time gaming could be considered unhealthy (American Psychiatric Association, 2013 ; World Health Organisation, 2018 ). The weight of research however, suggests an optimal well-being gamer profile reflecting more recreational, or casual engagement, in contrast to heavy engagement with gaming (e.g., Longman et al., 2009 ; Halbrook et al., 2019 ). Moreover, it is possible that this optimal gamer profile may actually lead to better well-being outcomes relative to non-gamers. We therefore test the following hypotheses in the context of competitive online gaming in our study:

  • H1: That casual gamers will exhibit less harmful well-being outcomes than heavy gamers.
  • H2: That non-gamers will exhibit less harmful well-being outcomes than heavy gamers.
  • H3: That casual gamers will exhibit less harmful well-being outcomes than non-gamers.

To test these hypotheses, we undertook a cross-sectional online survey of young Australian gamers and non-gamers aged between 12 and 24 years and parents of minor participants.

Participants and Procedure

An online survey was conducted via opt-in “research only” online panels. The in-scope population for the survey was residents of the state of Victoria, Australia who are parents of 12–17 year olds, their children aged 12–17 years old (hereby referred to as minors), and young adults aged 18–24 years old. Panelists were recruited via a blend of print media, online marketing initiatives, direct mail, social media platforms, affiliate partnerships, personal invitations, and a range of other ad-hoc initiatives. Respondents received a nominal incentive for their participation in line with panel guidelines. The survey was conducted from 31 May 2019 to 11 June 2019 and received university ethical clearance. Responses from the parent and minors were compared for consistency, however, we mostly report on competitive online gaming outcomes based on responses collected directly from the youth gamer's themselves. The final sample included 905 respondents comprising parents of minors ( n = 316, 65.2% female), minors aged 12–17 years ( n = 184, 37.5% female), and young adults aged 18–24 years ( n = 405, 69.6% female).

The survey captured the extent of gaming behaviors, the contexts in which online competitive games are played, attitudes toward online competitive gaming, general health/lifestyle measures, and demographic information (see Table 1 for a summary of measures). The survey took ~10 min to complete. The number of panelists who responded to the survey invitation as a proportion of total invitations was 12.4%, which is an acceptable rate for online surveys conducted via non-probability panels (Pennay et al., 2018 ).

Description of key survey measures.

Respondents' general life satisfaction usingThe 11-point, single item scale ranging from 0 = “completely dissatisfied” 10 = “completely satisfied” in reponse to the statement, “thinking about your own life and your personal circumstances, how satisfied are you with your life as a whole?” originally developed by Diener et al. ( ), well-validated (Lucas and Donnellan, ; Jovanović, ). Using the reported population average from the VicHealth Indicators Survey (Victoria State Government, , p. 29) for adults (M = 7.80), responses above 7 on the scale of life satisfaction were coded as “high,” and those below the state average were coded as “low.”
Social connection with othersLevels of agreement with the statement “I feel connected with others” on a 6-point Likert scale ranging from 1= “strongly disagree” to 6= “strongly agree” (Nicholson and O'Halloran, ). In the version of the survey completed by children, a pictorial representation of social connection using overlapping circles was used.
Medical consultation linked to gamingRespondents indicated whether they had ever (within their lifetime) visited a health expert in relation to a health condition they considered to be linked to their gaming (including any visits to a physiotherapist, optometrist, psychologist, or general practice doctor in relation to a physical or mental health issue).
Physical Activity• The number of days in a typical week that rigorous activity was engaged in for at least 1 h derived from a single item physical activity measure (O'Halloran et al., ).
• Types of physical activities with which respondents engaged
• 3. The number of hours spent sitting down on a typical weekday/weekend
Soft drink consumptionOrdinal variable ranging from none to more than five cups per day.
Alcohol Consumption• Consumed an alcoholic drink in the 12 months prior
• Frequency of partaking in heavy drinking (five or more standard drinks in a single session) which was rated on a 5-point scale ranging from never to daily.
• Occurrence of underage drinking based on the responses given by both the parents reporting on their child's drinking habits and children reporting about their own drinking habits.
Incidence of smokingFrequency of smoking was rated on a 5-point scale ranging from never to daily.
The incidence of experiencing trouble sleepingRecorded on a 5-point ordinal scale ranging from never to three to four times per week.
Bullying as a result of gamingRespondents were asked whether they had experienced any bullying that occurred at any point in time either online (e.g., on social media, during gaming sessions, etc.) or in person at school or at work. Examples of bullying were provided in the survey. The extent of bullying was dichotomised into high/low levels for those who had experienced bullying, with low frequency defined as “less than once or twice” and high frequency as “more than every few weeks” within the 4 weeks prior to completing the survey.
Mitigation strategiesA simple binary response to whether each of a list of mitigation strategies were being used (parents) (e.g., the setting of time limits on their child's gaming, ensuring physical activity, encouraging open lines of communication).
Gaming addictionGaming and Addiction Scale (adapted) for Adolescents (Lemmens et al., ). The responses were recorded on the scale from 1= never to 5 = very often with respect to the incidence of various behaviors associated with gaming addiction. The scale items used were are listed below.
• Have you ever thought about playing a game for most of the day?
• You spend increasing amounts of time on games?
• Sometimes, you play games to forget about real life?
• Others have unsuccessfully tried to reduce your game use?
• You felt bad when you were unable to play?
• Have you ever had fights with others (e.g., family, friends) over your time spent on games?
• Have you ever found yourself anticipating when you would go online again?
• Have you chosen to spend more time gaming instead spending time with others in person?
• Have you grades or schoolwork suffer because of the amount of time you spent gaming? [Minors only]
• Has your work suffered because of the amount of time you spent gaming? [Young Adults only]
• Has your study suffered because of the amount of time you spent gaming? [Young Adults only]

Data Analysis

Respondents were first grouped based on a screening question “[Has your child/Have you] played an online multiplayer game in the last 3 months?”. Those who answered “yes” were coded as “gamers” (minors n = 150, young adults = 250), and those who answered “no” as “non-gamers” (minors n = 68, young adults = 155). Only gamers were asked gaming-related questions, while all participants were asked questions about their health and personal demographics.

Within the gaming cohort, responses were divided into subgroups based on their reported daily gaming frequency to examine associations between gaming extent and health and well-being. Individuals were classified as light/casual gamers if they reported 1–2 h or less time gaming on a general weekday and as heavy/frequent gamers if they reported more than 2 h, Participants who reported they had not played an online competitive game in the 6 months were classified as non-gamers. Gamers were also asked to indicate at which time of the day they played. For all gamers, the most common times were between 6 and 10 pm. The second most common time of day to play for minors was between 4 and 6 pm, while for young adults was between 10 pm and midnight.

A mixture of primarily cross tabulations using chi-square tests for differences in proportions, t -tests and one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) for variables which were measured continuously, were used to determine statistically significant differences in the health and well-being outcomes of the different gamer groups.

Gaming Frequency and Differences Between Cohorts

We conducted quantitative comparisons within each of the cohorts of minors and young adults based on their gaming classification: light/casual gamers, heavy/frequent gamers and non-gamers. Overall life satisfaction, social connection, physical activity, diet, sleep quality, and other activities related to school or work were assessed. In the minor cohort ( n = 184), 63% ( n = 115) were light/casual gamers, 19% ( n = 35) were heavy/frequent gamers and 18% ( n = 34) were non-gamers. In the young adult cohort ( n = 405), 48% ( n = 194) were light/casual gamers, 14% ( n = 56) were heavy/frequent gamers and 38% ( n = 155) were non-gamers (see Figure 1 ).

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Percentage of gamer types in each cohort.

Overall Life Satisfaction and Social Connection

The levels overall life satisfaction was first compared between gamer types using an ANOVA for the differences in means between groups. For minors, the results are inconclusive as the assumption of equal variances is not upheld in this cohort as Levene's test indicated unequal variances [ F (2,N=177) = 5.17, p < 0.01], although using Welch's test, which is more robust against unequal means, shows there is an insignificant difference between groups F (2,N=58.2) = 1.33, p = 0.21.

For young adults, Levene's test shows equal variances F (2,N=400) = 0.71, p = 0.49, and the ANOVA reveals a significant differences in life satisfaction between gamer types, F (2,N=400) = 1.24, p < 0.05. Heavy/frequent gamers report the highest level of overall life satisfiaction among young adults scoring an average of 7.46 ( SD = 2.08) on the 11 point scale, compared to 6.71 ( SD = 1.83) in casual/light gamers and 6.94 ( SD = 1.88) in non-gamers.

The reported population average from the VicHealth Indicators Survey for adults is 7.80 (Victoria State Government, 2015 , p. 29). Using this estimated population average as a basis for dichotomising the responses on overall life satisfaction into “high” and “low” does not lead to a substantially different interpretation of the data for minors, although does it permit for a more robust statistical test as there are above the minimum required cell counts in the contingency table (zero cells have an expected count <5 in both the minor and young adult data). Among minors, the proportions of those reporting a low/high level of life satisfaction did not differ significantly between gaming groups in the minor cohort, χ ( 2 , N = 184 ) 2 = 3.60, p = 0.16. For young adults, the interpretation of the data vis-à-vis our interpretation of full scale data does not change. We find heavy/frequent gamers are more likely to be satisfied in life with 59% reporting high life satisfaction compared to 32 and 41% in casual/light gamers and non-gamers respectively with the difference in these proportions being statistically significant, χ ( 2 , N = 405 ) 2 = 0.22, p < 0.05, (see Figure 2 ).

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Overall life satisfaction (dichotomised) among minors.

The levels of social connection were compared between gamer types using an ANOVA and t -tests for differences in means between groups. No significant differences in the mean levels of social connection between gamer types were found in either cohort. The level of social connection reported by minors averaged 4.73 ( SD = 0.92) for light/casual gamers, 4.42 ( SD = 1.37) for heavy/frequent gamers and 4.52 ( SD = 1.25) for non-gamers on a 6-point scale. The differences in these means were not significantly different, F (2,N=179) = 1.26, p = 0.29. The mean levels of social connection reported by young adults were 4.34 ( SD = 1.03) for light/casual gamers, 4.34 ( SD = 1.39) for heavy/frequent gamers and 4.33 ( SD = 1.07) for non-gamers on the 6-point scale. The differences in these means were also not significantly different, F (2,N=401) = 1.26, p = 0.99.

Physical Activity

Using a one way ANOVA, no significant differences were found within gamer types in either cohort with respect to physically active days. The number of physically active days reported by minors was on average about 3 days, F (2,N=144) = 0.76, p = 0.47. Physically active days reported by young adults was also on average about 3 days, F (2,N=326) = 1.28, p = 0.28.

In relation to minor's inactivity however, significant differences on average hours of sitting down with heavy/frequent gamers sitting on average for 3.84 h ( SD = 1.88) on weekends, compared to light/casual gamers and non-gamers who reported sitting for 2.95 and 2.85 h ( SD = 1.62 and SD = 1.28) respectively, F (2,N=159) = 5.02, p < 0.001. There differences in inactivity for minors on weekdays was also significant, but less significant than on weekends, with heavy/frequent gamers sitting on average for 3.66 h ( SD = 1.04), compared to light/casual gamers and non-gamers who reported sitting for 2.95 and 3.15 h ( SD = 1.27 and SD = 1.26) respectively, F (2,N=159) = 5.02, p < 0.05. For the young adult cohort, there were no significant differences in the average number of hours sitting on either weekdays or weekends, with F (2,N=395) = 0.16, p = 0.98 for weekdays, and F (2,N=392) = 0.14, p = 0.77 for weekends ( Figure 3 ).

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Means plot of hours sitting down on weekdays and weekends.

Soft Drink, Alcohol Consumption, and Smoking

In the young adult cohort, heavy/frequent gamers were more likely to be heavy consumers of soft drink compared to both light/casual and non-gamers with 64% of heavy/frequent gamers reporting drinking more than 1 cup of softdrink per day, compared to 47 and 39% in the casual/light and non-gamer cohorts respectively. The differences in these proportions amongst minors was approaches statistical significance with χ ( 2 , N = 182 ) 2 = 5.02, p = 0.08. This is driven by the high percentage (74%) of non-gamers who report drinking <1 cup of softdrink per day, however the difference between the two gaming groups is minimal, as summarized in Figure 4 .

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Softdrink consumption among minors and young adults.

Among young adults, heavy/frequent gamers reported a significantly higher frequency of engaging in harmful drinking, with 60% reporting drinking more than five standard drinks on a more than monthly basis compared to 50 and 40% in the casual/light and non-gamer groups respectively. The differences in these proportions was statistically significant, χ ( 2 , 345 ) 2 = 6.45, p < 0.05. For minors, the incidence of alcohol consumption was too low to conduct any robust statistical tests between gaming groups, so we conclude it unlikely there is an association between gaming and alcohol consumption in minors. We checked for consistency between minor's reporting and their parents reporting with respect to own their children's smoking habits and alcohol consumption. We must consider that these measures are self-reported which may impact the accuracy of this measurement.

From our sample 10 minors reported having used a tobacco product at least once, with 14% heavy/frequent gamers reporting having smoked compared to only 4% of casual/light gamers and no non-gamers reported smoking. As the difference in these proportions is statistically significant, χ ( 2 , N = 183 ) 2 = 7.49, p < 0.05, further research into the incidence of smoking among minors who are heavy/frequent gamers. Our data further suggests the incidence of smoking increases into adulthood as 48% of heavy/frequent gamers report having smoked tobacco compared to 28% in casual/light gamers and 22% in non-gamers, χ ( 2 , N = 403 ) 2 = 13.7, p < 0.05.

Sleep Quality

The levels of sleep was compared between gamer types using an ANOVA for the differences in means between groups. The assumption of homoscedasticity is satisfied for both groups. For minors there are differences in their reported sleep quality dependent on their gaming extent, F (2,N=179) = 3.67, p < 0.05. Among minors, heavy/frequent gamers report the most trouble sleeping with the mean for heavy/frequent gamers being 3.63 ( SD = 2.08), which is trouble sleeping on an almost weekly basis. For casual/light gamers the mean value was 2.74 ( SD = 1.80) and for non-gamers it was 2.52 ( SD = 1.95), both corresponding to experiencing trouble sleeping about once a month. No significant differences in sleep emerged for the young adults group with the average level reported corresponding to experiencing some trouble sleeping about once every 1–2 weeks for young adults.

Bullying Related to Online Gaming

The reported occurrence of bullying among minors reveals 16.9% have experienced some form of bullying related to online gaming. This figure is 15.1% among young adults.

The frequency of bullying was compared between gamer types using an ANOVA for the differences in means between groups. The assumption of homoscedasticity is satisfied for both groups. For minors, heavy/frequent gamers reported being bullied on average “every few weeks”, M = 3 ( SD = 1.18) compared to casual/light gamers reporting being bullied closer to only “once or twice”, M = 1.90 ( SD = 0.94). These differences are statistically significant in the cohort of minors, F (2,N=22) = 5.71, p < 0.05. The frequency of bullying between gamer groups was not significantly different in young adults, F (2,N=53) = 0.56, p = 0.46. Non-gamers were not asked whether they had experience bullying related to online competitive gaming.

Parental Mitigation Strategies

Parents were asked about mitigation strategies they might be using to reduce the extent of their child's gaming. The response format was a simple binary response to whether each of a list of mitigation strategies were being used (e.g., the setting of time limits on their child's gaming, ensuring physical activity, encouraging open lines of communication). We conducted paired samples analysis using data from only those parents for whom a corresponding minor could be matched in the data ( n = 184). Some mitigation strategies used by parents were found to be significantly associated with less harmful reported behaviors by minors. These include parents setting time limits, which was associated with lower reported daily gaming hours of between 1 and 2 h by minors whose parents set limits compared to between 3 and 4 h per day by those whose parents do not, F (1, 132) = 10.12, p < 0.05. Parents ensuring their children are physically active was associated with minors reporting a greater number of days they are physically active, F (1, 125) = 7.92, p < 0.05.

Problematic Gaming

With only a few exceptions within the young adult cohort, heavy/frequent gamers reported significantly higher levels of problematic gaming compared to light/casual gamers. For example, amongst gamers who “[…] thought about playing a game for most of the day,” 24% were heavy/frequent gamers while only 10% were light/casual gamers. This difference in proportion was statistically significant χ ( 1 , N = 136 ) 2 = 17.66, p < 0.001. A similar pattern persists through all of the gaming and addiction scale items in the minor cohort. The exceptions within the young adult cohort are the items: “Sometimes, you play games to forget about real life?,” “Others have unsuccessfully tried to reduce your game use?,” “Have you felt bad when you were unable to play?” and “Have you chosen to spend more time gaming instead spending time with others in person?”. For these items, there were no significant differences between gamer types (heavy/frequent vs light/casual gamers) in the young adult cohort.

As a more general measure of health-related impacts of online competitive gaming, we also asked gaming respondents to indicate whether they had ever (within their lifetime) visited a health expert in relation to a health condition they considered to be linked to their gaming. Amongst children, 10 individuals representing 7.5% of the total population of children reported having sought medical advice related to their gaming, 80% of which were heavy/frequent gamers compared to 20% light/casual gamers. Of those who did not indicate ever having sought medical advice related to their gaming, 43.1% were heavy/frequent gamers compared to 56.9% light/casual gamers and the differences in these proportions are statistically significant for children (χ 2 = 5.07, df = 1, p < 0.05). In the young adults cohort, 19 individuals representing 8.7% of the total population indicated having sought medical advice for a health concern connected to their gaming, 73.7% of which were heavy/frequent gamers compared to 26.3% of light/casual gamers. Of those who had not sought health advice, the proportions are more evenly distributed with 47.2% of heavy/frequent gamers and 52.8% of light/casual gamers. The differences in these proportions is statistically significant in the young adult cohort (χ 2 = 4.85, df = 1, p < 0.05).

Based on these results, both hypothesis 1 and 2 were supported. Casual gamers and non-gamers reported less harmful well-being outcomes (e.g., less sedentary time on weekends for minors, lower soft drink and alcohol consumption, lower proportions of smokers, and less reported trouble sleeping) compared to heavy gamers. On the other hand, hypothesis 3 was not supported, as no notable differences on health and well-being outcomes between casual gamers and non-gamers emerged.

The aims of this research were to gain insight into the positive and negative well-being outcomes associated with online competitive gaming among young players, in addition to identifying suitable mitigation strategies. Overall, our findings suggest that gaming engagement in moderation is preferable for health across minor and young adult cohorts. In fact, casual/light gamers reported similar health and well-being outcomes to non-gamers.

There are similarities and differences between the two cohorts (minors and young adults) with respect to the specific associations between heavy gaming and adverse well-being outcomes. In both cohorts, there is a higher likelihood for heavy gamers to be heavy consumers of soft drink, to have smoked at least once and to have seen a health professional for gaming related health problems. Amongst young adults, heavy gamers were more likely to engage in heavy drinking which may be due to their exposure to higher rates of alcohol advertising (Kelly and Van der Leij, 2020 ). In regard to bullying, the only significant difference was found in the young adult cohort where light gamers were more likely to have experienced bullying than heavy gamers. Another surprising finding was that in the young adult cohort, heavy gamers had significantly higher life satisfaction. Minors who were heavy gamers were more likely to have difficulties sleeping and spend the most amount of time sitting, whilst minors who were light gamers spent the least amount of time sitting (even less than non-gamers). For both cohorts, our findings also reveal that non-gamers were not necessarily more physically active than gamers. This suggests that non-gamers likely spend their sedentary time on other activities.

Results indicate that parental mitigation strategies were effective in relation to determining whether a minor was a casual or heavy gamer. The monitoring strategy of parents setting time limits on their children's gaming frequency is shown to be associated with a reduced number of hours gaming on weekdays according to responses given by both parents and minors, but was not associated with reducing the number of hours minors gamed on weekends. Specifically, minors whose parents impose time limits report closer to 1–2 h of weekday gaming vs. 3–4 h from minors whose parents did not impose limits. In addition, minors whose parents make sure they do physical activity report significantly more engagement in physical activity.

It should be noted that there are some limitations to this study, including the self-reporting and cross-sectional nature of the survey method, requiring a high degree of self-awareness and insight that young people may not necessarily have well-developed. The path from casual gaming to heavy gaming is also not identified due to the cross-sectional design, but would be of interest for future research. Measurement of casual gaming may also underestimate health outcomes associated with gaming, as some of these outcomes are related more generally to screen time, which may not include gaming in isolation. It may therefore be important in future research to consider other screen-based activities in association with online competitive gaming. The small sample size across the cohorts and the sub-categorization into gamer types may have diminished power to conduct robust analyses for some variables. As this research was only intended as an initial snapshot of the current gaming landscape, several items were adapted from more extensive and validated scales due to length restrictions.

Future research is warranted, extending on these findings, to gain causal understanding into relationships identified, such as the role of mitigation strategies, parental monitoring, parental engagement in gaming and the optimal ways to prevent heavy gaming tendencies, whilst not completely restricting gaming engagement. This is particularly important for those young people who have experienced lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, when rates of online gaming have increased due to the limited number of social and recreation activities external to home (King et al., 2014 ; Victoria State Government, 2019 ). Our findings in relation to competitive online gaming align with earlier research which investigates the protective role of parental media monitoring more broadly (Padilla-Walker et al., 2018 ). Examination of structural aspects in popular games identified is also needed to gain insight into possible cues driving heavier gaming behavior. As younger cohorts of millennial parents emerge, who are themselves avid gamers, it will be critical to educate them about the influence they may have upon their offspring. Further survey evidence could examine heavy gaming cohorts in a more granular approach, given the negative health outcomes that have been revealed as associated with this cohort. Positive outcomes of casual gaming including what appears to be social connection, self-esteem, and well-being need to be emphasized and examined further, perhaps through observation and in-depth interview studies of gamers, in addition to replication cross-culturally.

Another avenue for future research may concern how those who engage in a casual/light extent of gaming balance other screen and non-screen based activities, compared to those frequent/heavy gamers and those who do not engage with gaming but may engage in other screen based activities (e.g., excessive social media usage). While previous research has found health outcomes associated with gaming behaviors (e.g., Rosen et al., 2014 ; Boyle et al., 2016 ), there is limited research which examines lifestyle and well-being associated with gaming, especially in children. In addition, the evolving, highly connected and competitive gaming context associated with esports also warrants examination, along with the significant “passive” engagement through streaming.

This study provides useful initial insight into the online gaming behaviors and associated well-being outcomes of gaming among minors and young adults. It addresses a gap in knowledge of gaming well-being outcomes in the current age of gaming-mediated entertainment and socialization, and illuminates both behaviors and protective health strategies that ensure positive engagement in gaming. Given the burgeoning participation, commercial growth and professionalization of the gaming industry, this research is timely and relevant in providing empirical evidence of both the positive and adverse health associations with gaming, and typical gaming behaviors. Our results demonstrate differential trends associated with gaming frequency and age cohorts and is among the first to examine the health, lifestyle and social outcomes of online gaming among young gamers. Given the growing participation in playing and streaming competitive online gaming and esports, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, further research is needed to monitor gaming behavior and well-being outcomes and build on research such as this to establish causative links between gaming behavior and it's outcomes on health and well-being.

Data Availability Statement

Ethics statement.

The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by University of Queensland Human Ethics Clearance. Written informed consent to participate in this study was provided by the participants' legal guardian/next of kin.

Author Contributions

All authors listed have made a substantial, direct and intellectual contribution to the work, and approved it for publication.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Funding. The authors would like to acknowledge funding received from Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth) for this research.

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Positive Effects of Video Gaming

This “positive effects of video games” essay explores the benefits of games on education, cognitive skills, social side of gaming, and other aspects. Get some ideas for your “positive effects of gaming” essay with the help of our sample.

Introduction

Gaming and cognitive skills, social side of online gaming, the matrix has you: gaming and self-perception, the major danger, works cited.

The influence of video gaming on an individual’s physical and psychological health is a rarely debated issue in psychology and psychiatry. The majority of the research focuses on the adverse effects of video gaming such as insomnia, depression, social isolation, and even heart failure (Sublette and Mullan 4). Nevertheless, primary targets of such research are obsessive video gamers who sometimes play video games for thirty hours straight or more (Sublette and Mullan 4). While excessive video gaming can be harmful to an individual’s physical and psychological health, moderate gaming can positively influence players by developing their cognitive and social skills, as well as improving the satisfaction with life and motivation.

First-person shooters (FPS) are frequently blamed for violent gameplay and excessive exposure to blood and other disturbing imagery. The influence of FPS on the cognitive skills of players remains a peripheral topic among psychiatrists and psychologists. However, Colzato et al. point out that playing FPS improves one’s ability to react faster, as well as monitor and update working memory (238). The violence of battles in FPS can indeed be disturbing to some, but approximately the same level of violence can be seen in average action movies about wars or city gangs.

The benefit of games is that they allow the player to interact with the environment, encouraging him or her to react to situations faster, conduct complex decision-making, and refer to the collected information to ensure accurate navigation. My experience has shown me that gaming can significantly improve personal ability to navigate in an unknown place by implementing the same set of skills necessary for video gaming: attention to details, analysis of the environment, and logical reasoning.

Puzzles and quests are other types of games that also require the player to use logic and attention to complete a task. It should be noted that early childhood programs also can include puzzle games where children need to match geometry figures and shapes or find a way in (or out of) a maze. Despite their seeming simplicity, such puzzles help children think symbolically and establish cause-effect relationships. One can also pay attention to eSports professionals to understand how computer games influence our cognition. The majority of them display an incredibly fast reaction to what is happening during the game and notice any changes before other viewers are aware of them.

Their experience in games that require full attention and rapid thinking allows them to evaluate a situation much faster, and, based on this evaluation, suggest one or several decisions. The importance of decision-making in college and career is discussed extensively, but there are few suggestions on how such a skill can be improved. My suggestion is that we should play puzzle and quest games more often to evaluate our own ability to think logically and make decisions based on the limited information we have. While a game is a more or less notional situation, we have to provide multiple choices each day, and not all of them are right. I believe that games can improve this ability.

Shooter video games are perfect training bases for those who want to improve their spatial resolution and attention. As Granic et al. notice, those participants who played FPS showed “faster and more accurate attention allocation, higher spatial resolution in visual processing, and enhanced mental rotation abilities” (68). Furthermore, the improvement in spatial skills from playing FPS was equal to the effects of university-based courses that help attendants work on the same skills. Spatial skills, in return, can predict achievements in technology, science, engineering, and mathematics (Granic et al. 68).

Another fact that can support my opinion about the importance of games is the extensive use of gaming in education and healthcare facilities. Students learn to understand complex concepts such as magnetic fields or Earth rotation by playing specifically designed video games, and young patients learn new information about diseases and vaccines with the help of applications and interactive games. At the same time, future health care professionals use serious games for training and medical education (Wang et al. 45). If games begin to enter education and healthcare, it is unreasonable to argue that their main aim is still entertainment. As we can see, they become another advanced learning tool that helps users improve their target skills or knowledge.

The social side of gaming is addressed more often but with a negative attitude as well: researchers pay attention to the development of addiction in online gamers, isolation from peers, and lack of social contact with family and friends. This stereotype is based on an excessive type of gamers and not on moderate or naive (with little experience) gamers who typically use online games as a means to entertain or communicate. Trepte et al. argue that online gaming and gamers’ interaction with their clan results in better interactions offline as well; if gamers are willing to engage in team management, “they seem to gain more social support in both settings, online as well as offline” (837).

Technology and gaming are often seen as negative influences on the development of social bonds among adolescents and young adults. It happens due to the common stereotype about gamers in particular and millennials in general that portrays them as persons who prefer to spend their time on their phone or PC/laptop and write thousands of messages per day.

However, before such technologies as the Internet and instant messaging emerged, personal contacts were limited to a more or less narrow circle of family members, friends, neighbors, colleagues, and other acquaintances mostly from the same city or country. Today, adolescents and adults use the Internet, including online gaming, to find friends from other continents and countries, discuss their interests, and share important aspects of their life via social media and gaming as well. Bonding in online games is also successful because it attracts people with similar interests who are more likely to become friends exactly due to their corresponding perceptions of entertainment and hobbies.

Online gaming in teams also helps gamers develop leadership and management skills by providing them an opportunity to form and rule a clan or a team, where the leader will help others achieve the team’s goals and gain some benefits. In-game terms, these benefits usually include gold or artifacts (weapons, spells, etc.). In real life, the knowledge about group management can come in handy during collective work on a project at the gamer’s place of employment. I would not say that the gamer will become a leader instantly, but, instead, he or she will use the acquired skills in a real-life setting, thus gaining real benefits from them. Online games “reward effective cooperation, support, and helping behaviors”, thus teaching players to build relationships offline efficiently (Granic et al. 73).

Such findings sometimes can lead to expected, but false conclusions: only nonviolent cooperative games lead to increased prosocial behavior in players, whereas violent video games’ influence is still more or less negative because they lead to increased aggression and competitiveness. In a way, this is true, but one should pay attention to the context in which violent games are defined as negative influences. If players choose a violent game that encourages (or requires) cooperation, they are more likely to display prosocial and helping behavior after the game is over (Granic et al. 73). What is more, cooperative gaming decreased the feelings of hostility in individuals compared to those players who preferred to play alone.

The research also found that adolescents who preferred playing cooperative games were more likely to be engaged in different civic movements such as charity or volunteering (Granic et al. 73). The potential of games in encouraging cooperation among citizens is often overseen due to their status as common, even “dumb” ways of entertainment that are more associated with adolescents and children than adults. However, the ability to cooperate is one of the major tools that human beings use to conduct research, invent, discover, and share. Therefore, I cannot agree with opinions that view gaming as a degrading experience. In its core, it targets unique human abilities such as the utilization of language and motion to achieve a goal, analysis, and decoding of abstract concepts and situations to choose the right time to take action, and desire to share positive and negative emotions with other human beings.

More than half of all Americans play video games (59%: 52% male and 48% female Americans) (Grooten and Kowert 70). Despite the frequent use of the word “gamer” in everyday lives, people often have a different understanding of gamers as persons. Some believe that gamers are those individuals who merely like to play from time to time. Others tend to view gamers as persons significantly immersed in the gaming world, i.e. interested in gaming news and fashion. According to Grooten and Kowert, “a player” is a temporary status that a person acquires when he or she plays any game (73). “A gamer”, however, is a more complex concept that relates to the cultural and social capital of a person. A gamer is not simply interested in playing games; he or she also finds a specific value in them and views him/herself through the prism of what he/she understands as “being a gamer”. For example, if a person has other social contacts interested in discussing games, he or she can perceive him/herself as a “gamer” during such conversations.

The concept of a “gamer” as a social identity becomes a part of the individual’s self-concept (how they see themselves), and this self-concept includes parts or characteristics associated with the social group “gamers” that further define person’s preferences and interests. The stigmatization of gamers as a social group is possible due to the existing stereotypes about this community. Gamers are often portrayed in the media as isolated, pale, overweight or malnourished individuals (more often male than female) who display an apparent obsession with games and gaming culture (Grooten and Kowert 75).

I frequently notice such stereotypes; they make me wonder whether the marginalization of the gaming community happens precisely due to negative associations (Internet addiction, mental illnesses, violent behaviors) related to gamers and gaming experience in psychological research. My decision to reference “The Matrix” in this section was due to my belief that social identities (including gamers) and self-perception often merge, creating a desired or partly illusionary self-concept, which incorporates both social and individual beliefs and stereotypes about “gamers” as a social group. For example, despite having a rich social life and harmonious relationships with peers, some gamers that I have met confessed that their primary interest in life was gaming and nothing else.

Such self-perception is the result of external labels created by pop-culture and internal desire to see oneself as a part of a social group that is famous for its obsession with a particular form of entertainment (gaming). I believe that gamers purposefully choose these labels to feel like a legitimate part of the cultural/social group they appreciate. Another problem of gamers’ self-perception emerges due to the lack of any clear consensus about the definition “gamer” in the gamers’ community as well (Grooten and Kowert 76).

More experienced or “hardcore” gamers (as they call themselves) might not accept a “newbie” who recently joined the community and is familiar only with a majority of recent mainstream games. At the same time, the “newbie” gamer would be seen as an experienced gamer by his peers who are completely unfamiliar with the gaming culture. Thus, the definition of a “gamer” changes depending on the perspective of the beholder.

It should also be noted that the uniqueness of a gamer identity is in its duality: when logging in a game, the gamer acquires a new personality (or an avatar) that she or he will be associated with. The importance of the avatar should not be underestimated. For example, recent complaints of female gamers about the lack of strong female protagonists in games led to the emergence of games with such avatars (“Syberia”, “Life Is Strange”, “Horizon Zero Dawn”, “The Last of Us”). Furthermore, some developers decided to allow the player to choose a female or male protagonist (“The Elder Scrolls”, “Prey”, “Dishonored 2”, “Mass Effect”, various massively multiplayer online role-playing games).

However, the gamer’s identity can experience even more radical transformations in games, where they can play as animals and supernatural or divine beings (“Ori and The Blind Forest”, “Divinity: Dragon Commander”, “The Elder Scrolls”, “Vampyr”, “Spore”, “Black and White”). The opportunity to perceive oneself as a supernatural deity or animal is yet another factor that, in my opinion, attracts gamers because they acquire a chance to become someone (or something) else. This is the reason why gamers are perceived as escapists who prefer imaginary life to the real one (such perception is also one of the major stereotypes about gamers).

Life in a virtual community has its established values, beliefs, cultures even that encourage gamers to identify with their guilds (e.g. by wearing a particular type of coat of arms, weapons, or having an identifiable nickname such as “Tom_Team_Raven”, etc.). In the offline world, gamers can also use such markers to show other members of the community their values or allegiance to a certain clan. Various merchandise sold by the biggest online retailers also helps gamers translate their adherence to a game via key chains, T-Shirts, backpacks, badges, etc. Thus, the virtual life goes beyond its digital frames and integrates with the gamer’s real life, affecting and changing it.

The line between the real and the digital life is clear to some gamers but extremely blurred to others. Addiction to video games (including online ones) is the currently debated topic among psychologists and psychiatrists; the reasons behind this addiction can be different, from increased stress levels to depression and compulsiveness (Whang et al. 146). As intriguing and attractive as the digital world might be, an extensive immersion in it can significantly worsen one’s quality of life and well-being.

If an interest in gaming transforms into an addiction, there is little chance that the discussed cognitive and social benefits will be derived. Instead, the person will find that she or he is unable to control her /his life, think about anything else, or find other hobbies interesting. Moreover, since the human body is not designed for a sedentary lifestyle evolutionally, addicted gamers can experience back pains, fatigue, severe headaches, and insomnia. Their social ties often crumble as well: frequent conflicts with parents about the addiction, reluctance to meet with offline friends, and a reduced interest in other activities are common among excessive gamers (Liu and Peng 1306).

Like any other addict, excessive gamers show signs of psychological dependency, which eventually results in loss of control over one’s time and life. Digital life becomes more valued by gamers because they believe that they are more loved or respected there. For some, the opportunity to experience fantasy adventures (slay dragons, shoot zombies, create spells, etc.) becomes more attractive than the real-life itself. The distortion in the self-perception is also typical because gamers see their digital self as more important than the real one. The adverse impact of gaming is evident, but it only emerges when the gamer loses control over his/her hobby and prefers it to the offline life.

However, I believe that individuals can protect themselves from these consequences by paying attention to their behavior. If any negative effects of gaming outweigh its positive ones, it is advisable to stop playing any games immediately and restrain from them for several days or even weeks. If a person is interested in deriving positive benefits from gaming, he or she should play moderately, i.e. devote a limited amount of time to gaming per week (a couple of regular gaming sessions will provide the necessary benefits). Only a reasonable approach to gaming will allow one to reap the rewards.

Interest in digital games and gaming should not be perceived as a sign of possible addiction or negative quality of life. Moderate gaming can improve one’s social and cognitive skills, build new online and offline relationships with other like-minded persons, and make one’s free hours more adventurous and exciting. Despite the violence that repels some, brutal games can encourage a person to display helping behavior more often, thus strengthening their offline social ties.

Games exist not only as a form of entertainment. Simulators, also known as “serious games”, are developed to help different professionals acquire necessary skills via completing digital tasks and trying out their future role in a virtual environment. Games teach individuals how to react to events faster, solve puzzles and problems in a limited amount of time, and employ decision-making skills for a better situational outcome. Thus, gaming has significant potential in developing our cognition and making us more aware of our unique personality.

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Essays About Video Games: Top 12 Examples and Prompts

Video games have revolutionized the way we have fun today. If you are writing essays about video games, check out our guide to inspire your writing.  

Few can contest the fact that video games have taken over the world. From the basic, almost “primitive” games of the 1970s like Pong to the mind-bending virtual reality games of the 2020s, they have been a source of entertainment for all. Moreover, they have proven quite profitable; countries like Japan and the United States have made tens of billions of dollars solely from the video game market.

Despite their popularity, much has been debated over the potentially harmful side effects that video games may have, particularly on children. One side argues that playing certain video games can lead to people exhibiting violence in the future, while others believe that video games teach players essential life skills. Regardless, they will continue to be a part of our lives for the foreseeable future. 

For engaging essays about video games, read the essay examples featured below for inspiration.

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1. What electronic games can teach us by Kendall Powell

2. designers are imagining video games without guns by keith stuart, 3. playing video games all summer won’t make you feel worse by nicole wetsman, 4.  violent video games bad by andrea newman.

  • 5. ​​The health effects of too much gaming by Peter Grinspoon

Writing Prompts For Essays About Video Games

1. video games: good or bad, 2. the benefits of video games, 3. what is your favorite video game, 4. do video games cause people to become violent, 5. video games in your life, 6. video games vs. traditional games, 7. is the video game rating system enough.

“In other studies, researchers found that gamers who trained on Tetris were better at mentally rotating two-dimensional shapes than those who played a control game. Students who played two hours of All You Can E.T., an educational game designed to enhance the executive function of switching between tasks, improved their focus-shifting skills compared with students who played a word search game.”

Powell explains a few possibilities of applying video games to education. As it turns out, certain video games can improve players’ skills, depending on the mechanics. Researchers are inspired by this and hope to take advantage of the competitive, motivational nature of gaming to encourage children to learn. New games are designed to help kids improve their focus, coordination, and resilience, and game designers hope they will succeed. 

“Imagine a game where you’re a war reporter seeking to capture the most iconic, representative images in a battle environment: You’d still get the sense of peril that audiences expect from action adventures, but your relationship with the environment would be more profound. It would be Call of Duty from the perspective of a creative participant rather than a violent interloper.”

The graphic nature of some video games is said to make kids violent, so it is only natural that some creators try to change this. Stuart writes that it is possible to maintain the fun that shooter-type games induce without using guns. He gives examples of games where you do not kill your enemy, simply stunning or capturing them instead. He also suggests photography as an alternative to killing in a “shooting” game. Finally, he suggests basing video games around helping others, making friends, and doing more peaceful, creative tasks.

“Any role video games play in skewing well-being that did pop up in the study was too small to have a real-world impact on how people feel, the authors said. People would have to play games for 10 more hours per day than their baseline to notice changes in their well-being, the study found.”

Wetsman counters the widespread belief that video games “destroy your brain.” Research done with a sample of 39,000 players over six weeks has shown that whether one plays video games for long or short periods, their mental health is not impacted much. There are some exceptions; however, there are not enough to conclude that video games are, in fact, harmful.

“Some people believe that the connection between violent games, and real violence is also fairly intuitive. In playing the games kids are likely to become desensitized to gory images;which could make them less disturbing, and perhaps easier to deal with in real life. While video games aren’t about violence their capacity to teach can be a good thing.”

In her essay, Newman writes about the supposed promotion of violence in some video games. However, she believes this violence does not cause people to be more aggressive later. Instead, she believes these games expose children to certain atrocities so they will not be traumatized if they see them in real life. In addition, these games supposedly promote connections and friendships. Finally, Newman believes that these “harmful” can make you a better person.

5. ​​ The health effects of too much gaming by Peter Grinspoon

“Gamers need to be educated on how to protect their thumbs, wrists, and elbows, their waistlines, their emotional state, their sleep, and their eyes. Simple education around taking breaks, stretching, eating healthy snacks, and resting and icing your thumb, wrist, or elbow when it starts hurting can address injuries early, before they become significant. For the eyes, gamers can try the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, try to look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.”

Grinspoon discusses both the benefits and the health risks of gaming. Video games allow people to interact with each other remotely and bond over specific missions or tasks, and some research shows that they have cognitive benefits. However, some gamers may develop vision problems and hand and wrist injuries. Gaming and “staring in front of a screen the whole day” is also associated with obesity. Overall, Grinspoon believes that gaming is best done in moderation.

Looking for more? Check out these essays about hobbies .

Many parents believe that their children’s “bad behavior” is because of video games. Based on your experience and others, decide: are video games good or bad for you? Make sure to read viewpoints from both sides and write an essay based on your position. Would you encourage others to play video games? Discuss these pros and cons for an interesting argumentative essay.

Like anything else, video games have both positive and negative aspects. Explain the good that video games can do for you: the skills they can equip you with, the lessons they can teach, and anything else. Also, include whether you believe their benefits outweigh the disadvantages they may pose. 

For your essay, write about your favorite video game and why you chose it. What is its meaning to you, and how has it affected your life? Describe the gameplay mechanics, characters, storyline, and general impact on the gaming community or society. You can write about any game you want, even if you have not played it; just ensure the content is sufficient.

Many claim that playing violent video games can make you violent in the future. Research this phenomenon and conclude whether it is true or not. Is the evidence sufficient? There are many resources on this topic; support your argument by citing credible sources, such as news articles, statistics, and scientific research.

Video games have been a part of almost all our lives. Recall a treasured experience with video games and explain why it is significant. How old were you? Why do you remember it fondly? How did this experience make you feel? Answer these questions in your own words for an exciting essay.

Essays About Video Games: Video games vs. Traditional games

There are stark differences between video and traditional games, such as board games and card games. For an engaging essay, compare and contrast them and write about which is more entertaining, in your opinion. Be creative; this should be based on your own opinions and ideas.

The video game content rating system is used to classify video games based on their appropriateness for specific ages. However, parents complain that they are not strict enough and allow the display of violent content to children. Explore the criteria behind the rating system, decide whether it needs to be changed or not, and give examples to support your argument.

If you are interested in learning more, check out our essay writing tips !

Tip: If writing an essay sounds like a lot of work, simplify it. Write a simple 5 paragraph essay instead.

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107 Video Game Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Video games have become a popular form of entertainment for people of all ages. From action-packed shooters to immersive role-playing games, there is a video game out there for everyone. With such a wide variety of games to choose from, it can be overwhelming to decide on a topic for an essay about video games. To help you get started, here are 107 video game essay topic ideas and examples to inspire your writing:

  • The impact of violent video games on children's behavior
  • The evolution of video game graphics over the years
  • The rise of esports and its influence on the gaming industry
  • The benefits of playing video games for cognitive development
  • The representation of gender and race in video games
  • The history of virtual reality gaming
  • The psychology of loot boxes in video games
  • The role of music in enhancing the gaming experience
  • The ethics of video game journalism
  • The impact of video game addiction on mental health
  • The cultural significance of video game franchises like Mario and Pokemon
  • The future of cloud gaming and streaming services
  • The role of storytelling in video games
  • The influence of video games on popular culture
  • The relationship between video games and education
  • The impact of video game censorship on creative expression
  • The portrayal of mental health issues in video games
  • The role of social media in video game marketing
  • The history of video game consoles
  • The impact of online multiplayer games on social interaction
  • The evolution of game mechanics in the survival horror genre
  • The representation of LGBTQ+ characters in video games
  • The influence of Japanese culture on video game aesthetics
  • The role of nostalgia in the popularity of retro gaming
  • The impact of microtransactions on player experience
  • The relationship between video games and violence in society
  • The role of artificial intelligence in game development
  • The impact of video game streaming platforms like Twitch
  • The representation of disability in video games
  • The influence of game design on player engagement
  • The evolution of mobile gaming
  • The role of virtual economies in online multiplayer games
  • The impact of video game sound design on immersion
  • The portrayal of mental illness in video games
  • The influence of Eastern philosophy on game narratives
  • The role of user-generated content in game communities
  • The impact of fan culture on video game development
  • The representation of indigenous cultures in video games
  • The influence of literature on game storytelling
  • The role of game difficulty in player satisfaction
  • The impact of video game piracy on the industry
  • The portrayal of war in military shooter games
  • The relationship between video games and sports
  • The influence of board games on video game design
  • The role of player choice in game narratives
  • The impact of virtual reality on therapy and rehabilitation
  • The representation of historical events in video games
  • The influence of film on game aesthetics
  • The role of gender stereotypes in video game marketing
  • The impact of game mods on player creativity
  • The portrayal of mental health professionals in video games
  • The influence of tabletop role-playing games on video game mechanics
  • The role of game mechanics in promoting teamwork and cooperation
  • The impact of game development crunch on industry workers
  • The representation of animals in video games
  • The influence of science fiction on game narratives
  • The role of player agency in game storytelling
  • The impact of game difficulty on player motivation
  • The portrayal of addiction in video games
  • The influence of mythology on game aesthetics
  • The role of puzzles in game design
  • The impact of game reviews on player purchasing decisions
  • The representation of mental illness in horror games
  • The influence of architecture on game environments
  • The role of game soundtracks in enhancing the player experience
  • The impact of game tutorials on player learning
  • The portrayal of robots and AI in video games
  • The influence of fashion on character design in games
  • The role of humor in game narratives
  • The impact of game localization on cultural representation
  • The representation of environmental issues in video games
  • The influence of psychology on game design
  • The role of game narratives in exploring complex themes
  • The impact of game communities on player engagement
  • The portrayal of mental health struggles in indie games
  • The influence of mythology on game storytelling
  • The role of player feedback in game development
  • The impact of game accessibility on player inclusivity
  • The representation of gender identity in video games
  • The influence of surrealism on game aesthetics
  • The role of morality systems in game narratives
  • The impact of game tutorials on player retention
  • The portrayal of mental health professionals in horror games
  • The influence of psychology on game narratives
  • The role of player choice in shaping game outcomes
  • The impact of game aesthetics on player immersion
  • The representation of LGBTQ+ relationships in video games
  • The role of environmental storytelling in game design
  • The impact of game streaming on player engagement
  • The portrayal of mental illness in puzzle games
  • The role of player feedback in shaping game development
  • The impact of game aesthetics on player perception
  • The representation of LGBTQ+ characters in horror games
  • The influence of film noir on game narratives
  • The role of environmental storytelling in shaping game worlds
  • The impact of game tutorials on player skill progression
  • The portrayal of mental illness in narrative-driven games
  • The influence of science fiction on game aesthetics
  • The role of player choice in determining game endings
  • The impact of game aesthetics on player emotional response
  • The representation of LGBTQ+ relationships in indie games
  • The influence of literature on game design
  • The role of environmental storytelling in immersive game worlds
  • The impact of game streaming on player community building
  • The portrayal of mental health struggles in interactive fiction games

Whether you are writing a research paper, a critical analysis, or a personal reflection on video games, these topics provide a diverse range of ideas to explore. From examining the psychological effects of gaming to analyzing the cultural significance of game narratives, there is no shortage of fascinating topics to delve into. So, pick a topic that interests you and start exploring the world of video games through the lens of your essay. Happy writing!

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Essay on Gaming in 900 Words in English for School Students

essay on online gaming

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  • Jun 18, 2024

Essay on gaming

Essay on Gaming: Do you play PUBG or BGMI? If you do, then you might remember the auto-generated guideline at the beginning of every match; ‘This is a simulation game set in a virtual world and does not represent real life. Please play in moderation and responsibly.

Playing multiplier games has become a trend. Everyone, young and old, likes sitting on the couch and holding the joystick in their hands. Gaming has come a long way. With growing technological advancements and better infrastructure, new and fast gaming consoles are being developed. Popular gaming companies are Tencent Holdings Limited, Microsoft Corporation, Apple Inc., Sony Corporation, Krafton, etc. 

Table of Contents

  • 1 Introduction to Gaming
  • 2 Importance of Gaming
  • 3 Advantages and Disadvantages of Gaming
  • 4 Career in Gaming: eSports
  • 5 Conclusion
  • 6 Top 10 Online Games

Games offer cognitive benefits, can help improve strategic and creative thinking and some even educate us. We all played the games of the early 2000s, like GTA Vice City or NFS Most Wanted. These games were so addictive that children like us would spend hours without caring about the outside world and delving into the missions and races. While playing games, a simple thing we need to understand is, ‘Anything too much is dangerous’.

Introduction to Gaming

Today, the Internet, Google Play Store and Apple Store are flooded with games. If you search for one game, you will get a list of 20 similar games as well. So far, the gaming market has evolved. However, this was not the case when games were first introduced. Do you know the name of the first computer game? Spacewar! 

This influential computer game was developed in 1950 while scientists were still discovering computer software for the gaming future. Then Microsoft Corporation took the gaming market by introducing interesting games Bubble Space, Spider Solitaire, Pinball, and Age of Empires. 

While Microsoft was leading the gaming industry, American gaming companies like Electronic Arts Gaming and Activision Blizzard took the world by storm with their new gaming series like Call of Duty, FIFA, Need for Speed, etc.

As technology improves, gaming platforms have switched from desktops and consoles to mobile phones. These days, mobile games like PUBG, Candy Crush, Subway Surfers, Clash of Clans, etc. are the most popular games. 

Quick Read: How I Spent My Summer Vacation Essay

Importance of Gaming

Playing games is important as it helps improve our cognitive functioning, problem-solving, creative thinking and situational awareness. Every individual must play games to learn how to solve complex problems and adapt to the changing environment and social interaction.

Online gaming encourages social interaction as we connect with online friends and players. Competitive gaming, or esports, has become a major industry. Professional gamers and teams compete in tournaments watched by millions, creating a sense of community among fans.

Might sound cliche but gaming also serves as a powerful educational tool. They enhance learning through engagement and interactivity, which can make difficult subjects more accessible. Some ‘Minecraft’ are used in classrooms to teach subjects such as mathematics, science, and engineering. They encourage creativity and logical thinking.

Quick Read: Essay on Child Labour in 1000 Words

Advantages and Disadvantages of Gaming

Games are interesting, some play for learning purposes, while others build a hobby. We get to learn a lot from games, which can improve hand-eye coordination, enhance memory and concentration, serve as a stress reliever, and lead to the development of persistence and resilience.

However, games are not just about benefits and cognitive development. There are disadvantages associated with gaming as well. Parents and lawmakers around the world are worried about the physical and mental health issues associated with excessive gaming. Long hours of exposure to computers and mobile screens weaken our eyesight and can lead to obesity, cardiovascular issues, and poor posture.

Continuous use of game controllers, keyboards, and mice can lead to repetitive strain injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Gaming addiction, also known as Internet Gaming Disorder, is a growing concern. It can lead to compulsive gaming behaviours, neglect of personal responsibilities, and significant distress or impairment in daily life.

Excessive gaming can also have negative effects on our social lives. Spending long hours on games can result in social isolation, as individuals may prioritise virtual interactions over face-to-face relationships. Its addiction can strain relationships with family and friends and lead to neglect of social responsibilities and interactions.

Other disadvantages of excessive gaming are behavioural issues, financial impact and ethical and societal concerns. 

Quick Read: Essay on Child Labour

Career in Gaming: eSports

Modern gaming has given birth to a new type of employment; esports. This new industry offers employment opportunities to programmers, game developers and designers, animators, etc. Professional gamers and online streamers compete in esports tournaments for prize money and sponsorships. This career requires exceptional skill in a specific game, dedication, and regular practice. 

Gaming involves a lot of research and development, such as the psychological effects of gaming, game design methodologies, and their economic impact. This role often requires advanced degrees and strong analytical skills.

Gaming is both good and bad. It is good when played in moderation, but bad when it disturbs our day-to-day activities. Gaming companies and governments are becoming more and more aware of the challenges posed by excessive gaming, and therefore several policies have been implemented. We need to understand that gaming is good for us and can improve our intelligence, but only when played in moderation.

Top 10 Online Games

Here’s a list of top 10 online games played today:

  • Call of Duty
  • World of Warcraft
  • Rocket League
  • Red Dead Redemption 2

Ans: Games are an important part of our life. They teach us many valuable lessons, improve our cognitive functioning and offer several other benefits. Online gaming encourages social interaction as we connect with online friends and players. Competitive gaming, or esports, has become a major industry. Professional gamers and teams compete in tournaments watched by millions, creating a sense of community among fans. It might sound cliche but gaming also serves as a powerful educational tool. They enhance learning through engagement and interactivity, which can make difficult subjects more accessible. Some ‘Minecraft’ are used in classrooms to teach subjects such as mathematics, science, and engineering. They encourage creativity and logical thinking.

Ans: Games present players with challenges and goals, giving a sense of accomplishment when these are achieved. Many games have multiplayer features that allow players to interact with friends or meet new people. Games often have built-in reward systems, such as points, levels, achievements, and in-game items. 

Ans: Playing games is important as it helps improve our cognitive functioning, problem-solving, creative thinking and situational awareness. Every individual must play games to learn how to solve complex problems and adapt to the changing environment and social interaction. Online gaming encourages social interaction as we connect with online friends and players. Competitive gaming, or esports, has become a major industry. Professional gamers and teams compete in tournaments watched by millions, creating a sense of community among fans.

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Video Game - Essay Examples And Topic Ideas For Free

The video game industry has evolved from a niche entertainment medium to a significant part of modern culture with a vast and diverse audience. Essays could delve into the historical development of video games, from the early arcade and console games to the modern, sophisticated online gaming experiences. They might also explore the technological innovations that have driven the industry forward, and the cultural shifts that have accompanied the rise of gaming. Discussions could extend to the social, psychological, and educational impacts of video gaming, exploring both the benefits and potential downsides. The discourse may also touch on the economic aspects of the gaming industry, including the rise of eSports, mobile gaming, and the future trends that could shape the gaming landscape. A vast selection of complimentary essay illustrations pertaining to Video Game you can find at Papersowl. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

Do Video Games Promote Violence?

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Can Video Games Make you Smarter?

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Benefit of Playing Video Games

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The Impact of the Video Games on Children

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Effects of Multi Media on Violence in School

School violence on students can cause psychological and physical pain. The physical pain they get can cause them to be hospitalized. Sometimes that school violence cause students to shoot up schools. People's aggressive behavior increased watching aggressive programs on TV. Students that watch aggressive TV show start to become tougher and less emotional. TV mainly effect students because in the show they watch they become aggressive with other people. Research has also shown that the viewers who watch violent shows […]

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Violence and Video Games

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Violence in Media

Researchers from Ohio State did a study where they showed one group of 8-12 year olds a movie where the characters used guns and another group a movie where the characters did not use guns. When the group that watched the movie with guns were handed a real, unloaded gun, they pulled the trigger on average 2-3 times more than the group that was not shown the movie (LoBue). The idea that violence shown through media is the source of […]

Video Game Rating System

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Do Violent Video Games Make you Violent?

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Negative Effects of Media on Teenagers  

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Virtual Violence and Video Games

Virtual violence in video games has become more and more realistic in recent years which has created an area of concern regarding whether the aggression and violent actions experienced during play have an impact on real-life situations. Over the past 15 years many studies have been conducted and significant research has been done that focus on the relationship between interactive, realistic, violent video games and violent behavior. This relationship is questioned in many of the studies, and the ultimate results […]

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I am against video games because they promote violence, addiction and expenditure. Video games are good when life gets bored and monotonous with the same schedule every day, but people now have made gaming as their profession, which affects them adversely. I played video game for the first time when I was 12 years old. It was fascinating and easy to learn than any other of my course content so, I got addicted to gaming. I found myself depressed and […]

Why Violent Video Games is not the Reason for Violence

Even if people believe that video games has caused violence, video games has definitely brought new ways of benefiting the young minds. Since the 1970s, video games introduced a new way of entertainment for children and teens. Video games has produce a wide variety of games, ranging from peaceful and adventurous to violent and fast-paced. Video games has grown tremendously in the twenty-first century, the most trending games today are violent such as Activision's Call of Duty series, which is […]

Fortnite for me

Fortnite has been out for a year now and it has changed a lot with the release of the Battle Royale edition which was released on September 26th of last year.From map changes to weapons being vaulted and new skins with new seasons being in the game. Which today marks the first day of Season 7. Fortnite is the best game because of the pickaxes,skins,and emotes. Fortnite is a great game because of the great pickaxes. The Rainbow smash pickaxe […]

How Video Games are Good and Bad for your Health?

Are video games good or bad for your health? I think video games would be good for your health because when I play video games I feel more relaxed and at ease than aggressive and mean. I think that some people only use it as a little getaway from the world which is fine as long as they come back to the world rather than becoming anti-social. Which video games are good for communicating with each other? The ones that […]

Video Games and Their Impact in Sports

Introduction As an avid fan of Soccer and a fondness for the Fifa video game franchise, I was interested in delving deeper into the details and trying to find an arbitrary relation between the two. While the importance of physical abilities and motor coordination is non-contested in sport, more focus has recently been turned toward cognitive processes important for different sports. Coaches should be innovative in their methods and use concepts familiar to children. If that means allowing the next […]

Video Games in Education

The use of a video game for education is a two-sided coin with each side pushing strong arguments for and against the use of them to teach and help students retain information. There is supporting research for both the detrimental effects of games and the real learning power they can foster. It is my belief, however, that games can truly be harnessed to promote the development of learning behaviors, not only in children but in adults and the elderly as […]

Video Games – Game over

Anyone who has ever picked up a controller knows that "game over" is a temporary state of being. If a particularly challenging level bests you, most games give you an immediate chance to retry, now armed with more of the knowledge, experience, and skill needed to complete your quest. For many gamers, real-life works the same way. A team of 25 scientists from Europe and North America recently reported that people who played nine or more hours of video games […]

Effects of Fortnite Games

Advances in technology since the 1980s has led to a rapid increase in the computer video gaming industry. Different categories of the online video games have been developed during the period including fortnite games which have become craze currently. From the study by Groves and Anderson (2013), the video game industry has been growing rapidly with market volume rising from 100million to about 4 billion in a five-year period between 1985 and 1990. Jones (2018) also finds that there has […]

The Effects of Video Games

The industry of video games has grown exponentially over the past twenty to thirty years, and the amount of games available to the public has skyrocketed (Green 2). The first video games were being made only 50 years ago. Access was not widely available, and content was limited to very simple games such as Pong, which in itself became popular. However, in a world where computers are becoming ever more essential to everyday life, the video game industry can only […]

Violence Video Games

The first video games emerged in the late 1970s with poor graphics and a low amount of depicted violence. Since then, video games have become much more violent with far more sophisticated graphics making the games seem almost lifelike. This has prompted concerns from the media and psychologists concerns that frequently resurface in the wake of school shootings. For example, following a 2006 school shooting in Montreal, the Associated Press reported that the shooter had been "fascinated by the video […]

Video Games are not the Cause for Mass Shootings

Video games, one of the greatest sales in the entire world, are currently found as a threat. It is usually characterized to be evil and a bad influence on people around the world, especially to minors. It makes children more ""violent and aggressive"" (Laczniak 70). President Trump stated, ""Video game violence & glorification must be stopped""it is creating monsters!"". There have been many comments are arguments over this situation. But is all that true? All these stereotypes and miss understandings […]

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How To Write an Essay About Video Games

Introduction to the world of video games.

Writing an essay about video games requires an appreciation of the medium as both an entertainment form and a cultural phenomenon. Begin by introducing the broad world of video games, covering their evolution from simple pixelated adventures to complex, narrative-driven experiences. Highlight the diversity in genres, from action and adventure to strategy and simulation, and acknowledge the vast demographic that video games appeal to. This introduction should provide a general background that sets the stage for a deeper exploration of specific aspects of video gaming, such as their impact on culture, psychological effects, or the gaming industry’s evolution.

Analyzing Specific Aspects of Video Gaming

The body of your essay should delve into the particular aspect of video gaming that you wish to explore. If you're focusing on the cultural impact, discuss how video games have influenced and been influenced by popular culture. For a more psychological approach, explore how gaming affects cognitive skills, behavior, and social interactions. If your angle is industry-focused, consider discussing the evolution of game design, breakthrough technologies in gaming, or economic aspects like the esports industry. Use specific examples and case studies to support your analysis, demonstrating a deep understanding of the chosen focus area.

Debating Controversies and Ethical Considerations

An essential part of writing about video games is addressing the controversies and ethical considerations surrounding them. This may include the debate over video game violence and its impact on players, the portrayal of gender and minorities in games, or issues related to gaming addiction and mental health. Present various perspectives on these debates, offering a balanced view that considers both the concerns raised by critics and the arguments put forth by proponents of video gaming. This section should engage critically with these topics, showing an awareness of the ongoing discussions in the world of video gaming.

Concluding with a Personal or Predictive Touch

Conclude your essay by summarizing your main points and offering either a personal reflection or a prediction about the future of video games. If you choose to reflect personally, share how your understanding of the topic has evolved or why it holds significance for you. Alternatively, offer predictions about how video games might continue to evolve and impact society. This could include advancements in technology, shifts in societal perception, or potential new areas for growth in the industry. A strong conclusion will not only tie together your essay but also leave the reader with a lasting impression of the depth and complexity of video gaming as a subject.

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Sample Essay On Online Gaming

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Internet , Policy , Video Games , Workplace , Gaming , Sociology , Students , Organization

Published: 12/27/2020

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1. Public opinion, social movements, and the media are linked together and bound together by the social movement’s messages (Amenta 1). 2 Online gaming can lead to real war as most of it is about shooting people or something (Cohen). Online gaming has affected people's mind and people in this forums have started a real war. He gives an example of a player who describes shooters in a game as Lebanon and Israel fighting an indication of what goes in the mind of many individuals. 3. Online gamers are always joking around even on serious matters, for instance, a friend talked of a student who happened to respond to the teacher “Roger that” and the other one “affirmative”. The students are so fascinated by the Terms especially the nerdy online gamers whose social life is online. That shows the level at which the online games have gotten into the minds of the students and activists trying to counter the matter want the children to have a physical, social life rather than the current virtual socialization.

Step 1 1) Policy stream model focus on a number of issues such as the manner in which policies does get to the legislative agenda. The policy as well helps in the process of claims making as the problem recognition stream falls under this category. The policy makes the work easier for policy makers given that the certain views are readily available. 2) The current political situation has changed to fit the diverse world and the competitive political system of today. Public opinion is of uttermost importance to the policies as those in power wants to meet the needs of the citizens to maintain their positions (Andrews 2). The competitive nature of the politics has contributed to formulation of new political ideologies to meet the current needs, for instance, the some believe gaming is good for the child’s brain and at times politicians will accept that just to fit in the society.

1) a) A trade organization named as Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association (GBGA) is a good example of an organ helping the online gaming industry to have one word in the issues concerning legislators, regulators, and decision makers.

I. There are several gaming policies depending on the target population. The University of Dallas, for instance, has an online gaming policy to protect their students from the addictive online games. II. Students are the main target for the policy as online gaming is part of their lives and to meet this needs schools are opening ports on their firewalls to accommodate some games for the students. III. The policy is generally meant to control the kind of games played by the students and the time they spend on the computer against their study time. IV. The policy shows support for online games and at the same time controls the level at which the students are involved.

1) a. What organization does this social problems worker belong to? What is the mission statement of this organization? How might this mission statement impact the work of this social problems worker? b. Chinese workers in the Apple Company have been complaining for some time now on regards to the low wages and involuntary labor. The worker problems in Apple are as a result of the company’s negligence and concentration on meeting the customers’ needs more than they look after their workers. The mission statement is Apple designs Macs best personal computers in the world. The mission is only aimed at improving the products but not improving or creating a perfect working environment. c. The workers problem interact with employees in the lower ranks. The low ranked employees have no much say in the organization a disadvantage to them as claiming fair pay and better-working environments is difficult. 2) a. the social problem is in an industrial institution b. the occupation safety and health governs, evaluates and controls hazards which may arise from workplaces. The organ ensures everything that would impair the worker’s health and well-being is taken care of by the management (Alli 1-2). 3) Apple values their image much, and the media depiction can change their status and view of the customers. To make sure they maintain their customers, Apple Company would not allow negative depiction through the media. To ensure changes are incorporated in the Chinese branch, the media needs to report the real situation of the workers to show the world the kind of leadership practiced in the organization. Having informed the public the policymakers will react towards the needs of the workers and the first step will be ensuring the company follows the policies.

Works Cited

Alli, Benjamin. "FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY." International Labour Organization. N.p., 2008. Web. 22 July 2015. Andrews, K. T. and N. Caren (2010). "Making the News: Movement Organizations, Media Attention, and the Public Agenda." American Sociological Review 75. COHEN, MAXWELL. "War Without Tears - Offworld." Boing Boing. N.p., 18 July 2015. Web. 21 July 2015. <http://boingboing.net/2015/07/21/war-without-tears.html>. GBGA. "THE GIBRALTAR BETTING AND GAMING ASSOCIATION LIMITED." N.p., 2015. Web. 21 July 2015. <gbga.gi/>. "The Effects Of The Political Landscape On Social Movement Organization Tactical Choices." (2012): OAIster. Web. 21 July 2015.

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The Impact of Online Games on Student Academic Performance

21 Pages Posted: 1 Jun 2023

Beimbet Beibit

Nazarbayev Intellectual School

Date Written: May 12, 2023

Online video gaming has become a popular leisure activity among students, but concerns have been raised about its potential impact on academic performance. While some argue that video games can enhance cognitive skills, others claim that excessive gaming can lead to poor academic performance and even addiction. This research aims to investigate the influence of online video gaming on the academic performance of students. The study will examine the relationship between online gaming and academic performance, as well as factors that may moderate this relationship, such as the days of gaming sessions, gender, and academic performance. A survey was conducted among a sample of students from NIS school(73 participants), to collect data on their gaming habits and academic performance. The data collected will be analyzed using statistical methods to determine whether there is a significant correlation between online gaming and academic performance. The findings of this study can be used to inform educational policy and practice, and to promote healthy gaming habits among students.

Keywords: video games, academic performance, addiction, influence

JEL Classification: I

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

Beimbet Beibit (Contact Author)

Nazarbayev intellectual school ( email ), do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on ssrn, paper statistics.

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Persuasive Essay: Video Games

Teenagers today often spend a great deal of time playing video games. These games are fun and engaging and young people often feel like playing games is a great thing to do in their spare time. However, you shouldn’t spend too much time gaming and there are a number of reasons for this: it’s unhealthy, you should spend more time studying, and you need to socialize more.

The primary reason to cut down on gaming time has to be that youths that spend a long time on computers and games consoles are often not getting enough exercise. With high obesity rates, it’s very important for young people to spend as much time being active as possible, especially since studies show that people who are overweight during childhood and adolescence are far more likely to become overweight adults than those of a healthy weight when they’re young. There is just as much, if not more, fun to be had in getting out and about and being active. This doesn’t have to mean going for long runs if that’s not your thing; team sports are both fun and great exercise. Dance or fitness classes are also a good option for those not into sports.

Secondly, getting a good education is that best thing that you can do for your future. If every teenager cut down on their gaming time by 30 minutes per day and used this time to study, the whole of that generation would achieve better results and be more likely to have the career that they want. With education, you get out what you put in, so it’s really up to you to put in the additional effort. If you want to go to a good college, extra study in your own time will be completely vital, but gaming can reduce your concentration span and make this more difficult.

The third main reason that playing video games too often is that it’s no good for your social skills. Some teenagers may argue that because they can now play their games online with friends, they are socializing in their own way. However, you can’t beat face-to-face contact, and if you want to succeed in interviews and build good relationships in later life, you need to develop some proper communication skills. This shouldn’t be a chore, or difficult, because hanging out with friends is far more fun than sitting indoors playing on games all day anyway!

In conclusion, there can be no doubt that spending too much time gaming isn’t good for you. You don’t have to stop all together, but it’s all about moderation. Cut down and allocate your additional free time to doing things that are good for you, and you definitely won’t regret it in later life.

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Essay On Online Games

**Meta Title: Insights on Online Gaming: Impact and Popularity**

Explore the extensive impact and rising appeal of online gaming across the globe. Understand how digital games influence culture and personal connections.

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Insights on Online Games: A Deep Dive

Explore the world of online gaming with our comprehensive Essay On Online Games. This guide is tailored for students, parents, and educators looking to understand the impacts and benefits of video games. Featuring insightful analysis and latest trends, it helps readers make informed decisions about gaming, promoting a balanced approach to digital entertainment.

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  • Our Official List of Great Video Game Essay Topics

Content our official list of great video game essay topics

Any essay that you write should be well-written, accurate, and interesting to your audience. That begins with finding a great topic for your essay. Check out our list of the best essay topic ideas. You should be able to write a great essay about gaming with one of these topics. If you struggle with it, you can always order a custom essay on video games.

Topics on Social Issues

The topic of video games comes up quite frequently when various social topics are being discussed. If you are taking classes such as sociology, public health, political science, or journalism, your essay might focus on the many social issues relating to video games. Writing essays on violence in games is always an option, but there are others as well. Here are a few topic ideas:

Persuasive Essays Related to Social Issues

  • Do Violent Games Cause Behavior Problems?
  • Convince readers, in an essay about violence in games, that the average person will not be affected in a negative way.
  • Should video game rating systems be more stringent?
  • Are parents ultimately responsible for what their kids play?
  • As a society, do we unfairly blame video games when we should be focusing on personal responsibility?

Narrative Essays on Video Games And Their Impact on Society

  • Write about a video game that you played as a child that was too violent for you
  • Have you ever been addicted to online gaming? What was that like.
  • Talk about an incident of harassment that you witnessed when playing online video games.
  • Write essays on violence in gaming and the impact of that in early dating relationships

Expository Essays on The Social Impact of Video Gaming

  • Write a  short essay  on the impact of video gaming on health and wellness
  • Compose a research paper that addresses the effects of allowing young children to do violent video games
  • Write a case study about a young adult who has never been exposed to video games vs. one who has been

General Essay Ideas That Relate to Social Issues

  • What should be done about sexism in gaming?
  • How can the gaming industry become more inclusive as a whole?
  • Why is sex and violence such a common theme in video games?
  • Does early exposure to video games impact the ability of children to self-regulate?
  • What are the biggest social problems related to gaming?

Video Game Essay Topics New Technology

If you are an avid gamer, you probably keep up with the latest technologies, reading specialized magazines, and eagerly await the latest and greatest releases. You may have even been part of a beta testing new things or involved in open source gaming projects. Most importantly, you likely have lots of knowledge and opinions on gaming technology. Check out these essay ideas:

Persuasive Essays on Gaming Technology

  • Will virtual reality impact video game technology or is it simply a fad?
  • Which release is causing the most buzz?
  • Streaming will replace consoles, yes or no?

Expository Essay Ideas on Gaming Technology

  • Pick an up and coming technology and explain how it works
  • Explain the history and development behind an upcoming technological advancement in video tech
  • Discuss the trend of gamers as designers

Other Video Technology Essay Ideas

  • Write a compare contrast essay on virtual reality in gaming vs. augmented reality
  • Write a review of a new gaming system that you have recently tried out.

Topics About Educational Games

Persuasive Essays on Video Games in Education

  • Should children spend more time focusing on lectures and hands-on work than gaming?
  • Argue which educational video game parents of toddlers should choose
  • Video games have no place in education. Argue a side
  • Is gaming a possible solution when dealing with disengaged students?

Expository Essay Ideas For Gaming in Education

  • Explain how gaming is used in special education
  • Describe the features that make a game educational vs. entertainment
  • Research and explain the process educators use to integrate gaming into the classroom

Other Educational Essay Ideas

  • Review the most popular educational games that have been released this year
  • Write a paper about the differences between educational games today vs. 10 or 20 years ago
  • Write a case study about a school that incorporated gaming into their classrooms    

Essay Topics For Passionate Gamers

If you don’t find anything that interests you above, don’t fret. You can still improve your writing skills while expressing your passions for gaming. If you have an interest in gaming, you have many options when it comes to writing essays. This is especially true when it comes to classes where you have a bit more flexibility in your writing assignments. Check out these topic ideas:

  • Write a descriptive essay about the first gaming experience you have had
  • What are your predictions about the future of console gaming
  • What is the funniest thing that happened to you in an online gaming experience
  • What 10 worst things that impact the world of video gaming be opinionated!
  • Compare and contrast the first release of a video game with the most current
  • If you could invent a video game, what would it look like
  • Write a review of the most popular game available today

Remember that you must balance your passion for the topic of gaming with good writing skills and factual knowledge. You will still have to research, cite your sources, and do the other work that goes into writing a good paper. As always, if you need help with a gaming essay remember that we are available to help as we are top essay writing service . Happy gaming!

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Home — Essay Samples — Entertainment — Video Games — Video Games Have Benefits

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Video Games Have Benefits

  • Categories: Video Games Violence in Video Games

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Words: 625 |

Published: Jan 30, 2024

Words: 625 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

Table of contents

Cognitive benefits, social benefits, emotional benefits, counterarguments and refutations.

  • Green, C. S., & Bavelier, D. (2006). Effect of action video games on the spatial distribution of visuospatial attention. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 32(6), 1465–1478.
  • Bavelier, D., Green, C. S., & Dye, M. W. G. (2010). Children, wired: For better and for worse. Neuron, 67(5), 692-701.
  • Granic, I., Lobel, A., & Engels, R. C. M. E. (2014). The benefits of playing video games. American Psychologist, 69(1), 66-78.
  • Baldwin, T. (2013). The impact of adolescent online gaming and social networking. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 42(8), 1185-1198.
  • Chapin, L. A., & Shah, M. (2017). Video game playing and stress reduction:Gaming preference, favorite games, and symptoms of stress. Journal of Counseling and Development, 95(3), 226-235.
  • Ferguson, C. J., & Kilburn, J. (2010). Much ado about nothing: The misestimation and overinterpretation of violent video game effects in Eastern and Western nations. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 43(1), 58-76.

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essay on online gaming

Addiction to Online Gaming: A Review of Literature Essay

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Introduction

The problem of interest, the qualitative research method to be used, the review of literature.

The rapid development of technologies has led not only to numerous breakthroughs in various spheres of people’s lives but also to significant issues related to the inability of some individuals to limit their time spent on gadget use. Whereas the Internet has presented ample opportunity for communication and research, it has also become the reason why too many users have become dependent on it. The selected topic of research is the addiction to online gaming among adults. This specific kind of addiction does not produce such a devastating effect on one’s health as the excessive consumption of alcohol or drugs. However, online gaming addiction poses other threats, which are no less severe both for the addicts and their close ones.

Researchers have presented evidence on the severity of online gaming addiction (Marino & Spada, 2017). Still, too many people continue to neglect the issue’s potential adverse outcomes. Therefore, more research is needed to investigate the problem from different angles, which will suggest viable solutions to it. The present paper is an overview of scholarly sources on online gaming addiction and the analysis of narrative inquiry as the most suitable qualitative research method to use for the investigation of this problem.

Despite the constant development and enhancement of community resources and entertainment opportunities, the number of individuals addicted to online gaming is growing annually. What previously used to be viewed merely as a leisure activity has now come to be considered as a serious threat due to its potential to provoke addiction in users. Online gaming is related to social and psychological problems by facilitating self-regulation deficiency (Gong et al., 2019). Furthermore, the age of gamers has increased considerably, and the activity is no longer regarded as a teenage male hobby (Pietersen et al., 2018). Whereas, in the past, playing video games online, was considered as a useless pastime, at present, it has become an important part of many people’s lifeworlds. The increasing popularity of online gaming is associated with the idea that video games are “richly expressive and creative,” and they grant people much more immersive experience than other media forms do (Pietersen et al., 2018, p. 123). Therefore, one of the core aims in performing current research is to enhance the understanding of people’s likelihood to become addicted to online gaming.

Another rationale for selecting the problem is the need to analyze the possible ways of mitigating a growing issue of online game addiction among the population. Typically, game addicts are male individuals who report unique experiences related to their gaming activity and a high rate of engagement as the triggers of addiction (Tang et al., 2017). However, it is evident that the problem affects not only those directly involved in it but also anyone they interact with within their personal, professional, social, and family lives. Specifically, as Tang et al. (2017) mention, addiction to online gaming can cause a range of social and family problems that present a significant public health concern.

With the increasing interest of researchers in the question of problematic use of the Internet by gamers, a new clinical definition has been suggested to characterize the issue: Internet gaming disorder (Marino & Spada, 2017). Other terms utilized to denote the problem include ‘online gaming addiction,’ ‘problematic online gaming,’ ‘pathological gaming,’ and ‘video gaming dependence’ (Marino & Spada, 2017). The prevalence of Internet gaming disorder is reported to vary from 1.6 to 8.5% among Western youths. Furthermore, the disorder is frequently accompanied by other psychological problems, such as depression, anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and social phobia (Marino & Spada, 2017). Thus, it is crucial to analyze the available research in order to synthesize what has already been found and single out questions for further detailed research.

The main focus of the study will be the development of online gaming addiction and individuals’ feelings about it. According to Monacis et al. (2017), excessive use of technology has become an emerging issue of concern in the past few decades. The most common symptoms of online gaming addiction are unpleasant feelings when there is no access to the Internet (emptiness and depression), excessive investment of time spent on playing online games, and the refusal to admit a problem (Monacis et al., 2017). One of the major motives for engaging in online gaming is seeking sensation (Hu et al., 2017).

Other common reasons for developing online gaming addiction are concerned with coping, escape, competition, fantasy, and social motives (Šporčić & Glavak-Tkalić, 2018). Hence, it is crucial to investigate why individuals develop an addiction to online gaming and how they feel about it at the stage when they are only starting to engage in excessive Internet use and at the point when online games begin to take up too much time and initiate psychological problems. Personal stories of online gamers will serve as a solid ground for identifying the principal problems and suggesting solutions to them.

Taking into consideration the nature of the problem under investigation, the most suitable qualitative research method to employ in the study is narrative inquiry. This method involves the process of collecting data from respondents through storytelling. The study of the narrative becomes the means of understanding the ways people perceive the world and various situations in their lives. The self-narrative construction is manifested both in the content and form of narratives (Androutsopoulou & Stefanoua, 2018). According to Lieblich et al., there are two core dimensions for interpreting and scrutinizing narratives: “holistic versus categorical” and “content versus form” (as cited in Androutsopoulou & Stefanoua, 2018, p. 130).

According to Androutsopoulou and Stefanoua (2018), the most beneficial approach to employing a narrative inquiry analysis is a holistic one. The holistic-content dimension implies that the researcher should use the whole life story of an individual, which allows focusing on emerging topics. Meanwhile, the holistic-content mode presupposes that researchers look inside the structure of a respondent’s life story (Androutsopoulou & Stefanoua, 2018). As a result, the use of narrative inquiry helps to understand people’s attitudes toward the events happening in their lives and the ways they feel about them.

The selected research method enables scholars to focus on respondents’ thoughts about their lives rather than on events happening. By using this holistic approach, an individual is able to construct a coherent story of their life with the past, present, and future (James, 2018; McAlpine, 2016). When one tells a researcher about their experiences, the latter becomes “narratives as part of inquiry” and makes the audience “vicarious” participants of these experiences (Chen, 2019, p. 382). Narrative inquiry is composed of three dimensions: temporality, sociality, and space (Kovinthan, 2016). These presuppose a transitional movement of people and places in the story, the revelation of the person’s emotions and feelings, and the possibility of the physical space of inquiry to change (Kovinthan, 2016). Overall, narrative inquiry allows for receiving valuable and reliable first-hand information about the researched issues and problems.

Benefits and Limitations of the Selected Research Design

As a research design, a narrative inquiry has a number of advantages and disadvantages that should be considered before utilizing it. The major benefit is undoubtedly the possibility to receive information from the respondent openly, honestly, and without bias. Narrative inquiry is considered to be the most suitable way of uncovering and understanding people’s complex problems (James, 2018). The next advantage of the selected research design is placing the respondent’s self in the central part of the story (Gordon et al., 2015). As a result, the narrator is able to present and construct events, identities, and realities in close synergy with others (Gordon et al., 2015). With the help of narrative research, individuals find it easier to story and re-story their lives in various problematic contexts (Sheilds et al., 2015). Another strength of the narrative inquiry is the likelihood of improving people’s well-being by allowing them to express their thoughts and apprehensions (Ho et al., 2020). When an individual receives an opportunity to express their problems out loud, the chances of coping with these issues increase.

What is more, narrating personal experience equals making sense of it (Ho et al., 2020). In the case of online gamers, the use of narrative inquiry enables researchers to understand “what it means to be a gamer” (Pietersen et al., 2018, p. 123). With this information available, scholars can understand the mechanisms of addiction better since unique personal data allows for a thorough analysis of how people develop an addiction to online gaming and how they feel about it. The next benefit of the selected research design is that it incorporates not only inward but also outward analysis. According to Law and Chan (2015), narrative inquirers consider both the participants’ and researchers’ identities, feelings, hopes, moral tendencies, the environment, conditions, and people affecting the forces and factors from respondents’ contexts. Kovinthan (2016) reports that narrative inquiry helps researchers to cross the boundary between themselves and participants. Additionally, the selected research design enables scholars to investigate the issues faced by respondents and draw out the implicit beliefs and values of researchers (Kovinthan, 2016).

One more advantage of narrative inquiry is the possibility of this approach to unite not only participants and researchers but also the readers of results obtained. As Martinie et al. (2016) note, the audience is likely to reevaluate their own experiences and views on the problem investigated in a study. According to Clandinin and Murphy, narrative inquiry gives knowledge about the experiences of people “composing lives within complex storied landscapes” (as cited in Martinie et al., 2016, p. 659). Finally, as McAlpine (2016) notes, narrative research is a beneficial research design due to creating the opportunity to value different ways of learning about people’s problems and experiences. Therefore, narrative inquiry offers numerous advantages to researchers and, consequently, to research participants.

Disadvantages

What concerns the research design’s limitations is that it must be acknowledged that personal narratives cannot be void of subjectivity without the opportunity to check the information given by respondents (Bruce et al., 2016). Another problem is that the selected research design is not suitable for investigations involving a large number of participants. As James (2018) remarks, since narrative inquiry requires an in-depth and holistic approach to each participant, this method is not appropriate for the studies covering large samples. A limitation closely related to this one is the lack of the possibility to generalize findings due to the uniqueness of each participant’s story (Sheilds et al., 2015). One more difficulty is the fact that narrative inquiry is interpreted and implemented differently by various scholars (James, 2018). Due to this aspect, some researchers argue for the need to draw a firmer line between what narrative inquiry is and what it is not (James, 2018). A disadvantage is also presented by the potentially lacking understanding and trust between participants and researchers or researchers and ethics review boards (Bruce et al., 2016).

The next limitation is concerned with the fact that identity construction that is described in the narrative constitutes only one of the features presented by identity-in-action (McAlpine, 2016). Also, according to Taylor, the narratives’ innate structure frequently leads to the problem of overlooking the “overarching sense of indeterminacy, partiality, and complexity” (as cited in McAlpine, 2016, p. 46). Hence, researchers should be cautious of the information that is left out from respondents’ stories and mind the inconsistencies in narrations. Along with this difficulty, there is a challenge of the researcher’s wrong interpretation of the data given by respondents. Finally, there is a limitation concerned with narrowing the focus of research and ignoring the broader structural problems (McAlpine, 2016). Thus, despite the variety of benefits presented by narrative inquiry, researchers utilizing this approach should be highly attentive to avoid possible mistakes in the process of collecting and analyzing data.

The Evaluation of the Selected Software Analysis Program

Electronic analysis of research data has been commonly associated with quantitative methods. However, one must admit the presence of a sufficient amount of software for qualitative data analysis. Still, despite their availability, these tools are not favored by qualitative research specialists, and the most probable reason for it is the difficulty mastering the software (Zamawe, 2015). In the present study, the software analysis program to be utilized is NVivo. This program is aimed not so much at analyzing the collected data but at aiding the process of analysis (Zamawe, 2015). NVivo is a popular data management program that has such features as multimedia functions, rich text capabilities, and character-based coding. Furthermore, the program incorporates built-in facilities enabling individuals from different geographical areas to operate the same information files simultaneously via a network.

Another benefit of NVivo is in its high level of compatibility of the program with research designs. Since NVivo is not “methodological-specific,” it can be utilized with a variety of qualitative research designs and data analysis methods, including ethnography, grounded theory, literature reviews, discourse analysis, phenomenology, conversation analysis, and mixed methods (Zamawe, 2015, p. 13). NVivo has been available since the 1980s, but only a small amount of researchers have utilized it. Zamawe (2015) notes that despite some limitations, the program is rather useful, and, hence, underestimated. For instance, an evident advantage of NVivo is “easy, effective and efficient coding,” making the retrieval process easier (Zamawe, 2015, p. 14). The program also enables scholars to gather information across sources to group the material that is related (Dollah et al., 2017). Apart from easy data management, NVivo offers such advantages as simplicity in finding topics, the opportunity to save time, and the simplification of data classification.

At the same time, it is necessary to admit some drawbacks of the system. For instance, researchers admit that NVivo may present difficulty processing audio files (Zamawe, 2015). What is more, the program requires much time to master (Dollah et al., 2017). Also, NVivo may be expensive for researchers, as well as it may present complications when attempting to interpret data (Dollah et al., 2017). Still, taking into consideration all advantages and disadvantages of NVivo and bearing in mind the purpose of the present research, it is relevant to use the selected software for the simplification of data analysis in the process of work on the research problem.

Validity Threats in the Selected Qualitative Design

As with any qualitative research design, narrative inquiry meets threats to validity. There are two major dimensions in which the selected method’s validity may be undermined. Firstly, there may arise the problem of a disparity between individuals’ experiences and the stories they tell about these experiences (Wang & Geale, 2015). Secondly, there may emerge wrong connections between the stories told and the interpretations of these stories. In case any of these two issues appear, the validity of research will inevitably suffer. To avoid these common problems, the researcher has to make sure that participants understand the purpose of the study and are aware of the need to be precise and objective about their narratives. On the other hand, the researcher also should do their best to remain impartial and help respondents to uncover their stories in a logical and untwisted way.

Validity in qualitative research is established through such qualities as confirmability, credibility, trustworthiness, and dependability. Apart from that, rigorous data collection and analysis are required, as is member checking (Byrne, 2015). There may also emerge some validity threats of narrative inquiry as a research design in connection with these issues. Confirmability is related to the establishment of trustworthiness and the level of confidence that the study is based on respondents’ narratives rather than on the researcher’s biased opinions (Abkhezr et al., 2020; Heilmann, 2018). In order to make sure that the study focuses on participants’ narratives solely, the researcher has to reflect on their choice of the topic and the attitudes toward data collection and interpretation.

Another important aspect that can pose a threat to validity is credibility. According to Haydon et al. (2018), researchers have to consider whether narrative inquiry has the potential to answer the research question. One of the ways of overcoming this threat is long-term communication between the researcher and the participant, which allows for the confirmation of data collection, thus leading to a higher level of rigor and credibility (Haydon et al., 2018; Nolan et al., 2017).

To mitigate threats to dependability and trustworthiness, narrative inquirers need to be highly attentive when listening to individuals’ stories. Furthermore, as Nolan et al. (2017) mention, it is of utmost importance to respond to critics’ notes. Without a sober reaction to criticism, a researcher risks making the study biased, which can lead to a lack of trustworthiness and dependability. It is a good idea to let participants check the final interpretation of their narratives to evaluate whether it coincides with the experience they described in their stories (Nolan et al., 2017). Harfitt (2015) also emphasizes the significance of validating the field notes with participants as a crucial prerequisite of maintaining trustworthiness. The process of data analysis is no less essential than that of data collection when it comes to maintaining the study’s validity. As Wang and Geale (2015) remark, it is necessary to perform validation checks throughout collecting and analyzing data. Furthermore, the researcher should maintain a close connection with the participants at all stages of the study to ensure its dependability and trustworthiness.

Potential Ethical Issues

When considering narrative inquiry as a research design, ethical issues are probably the most significant ones to be addressed. The main problem that may arise is that sharing one’s experiences may turn into something more personal than mere information exchange (Caine et al., 2019). As a result, by the end of the study, investigators may develop too friendly relationship with their respondents. Another potential ethical issue is that researchers place the narratives of the participants within a larger narrative, which means that scholars are imposing meaning on respondents’ experiences. Consequently, there may arise the problem of the misinterpretation of data.

The next ambiguous issue is the subjectivity of the study on the part of a researcher (Caine et al., 2019). Because some of the personal narratives are ambiguous, it is impossible to rule out researchers’ personal assessment of the situations, through the prism of which respondents’ narrations may be altered from what they were meant to uncover initially. Narrative inquirers should also bear in mind that their relationships with the participants can affect the final result of the study (Law & Chan, 2015). Therefore, researchers should be cautious of their own interpretations of the respondents’ narratives, as well as they should make sure that their interactions do not influence the final result.

In order to minimize the risk of the mentioned ethical issues in the current research, the following steps will be taken. Firstly, the researchers will make it a rule not to become too close or friendly with the participants in order to remain as objective as possible throughout the whole process of the study. Secondly, the researcher will listen to the narratives attentively and ask clarifying questions if needed, which will enable avoiding misinterpretations. Finally, at all stages of the research project, the researcher will refrain from offering a personal assessment of situations described by participants. By following these steps, it will become possible to avoid the most viable ethical concerns.

Summary of Research

Research on the topic of online gaming addiction available so far is rich in directions of investigation. Scholars have analyzed individuals’ disposition toward engaging in online gaming (Balakrishnan & Griffiths, 2018; Pietersen et al., 2018; Tang et al., 2017), the desire for online group gaming (Gong et al., 2019), and dysfunctional cognitions associated with Internet gaming disorder (Marino & Spada, 2017). These and other topics of research allowed for an in-depth understanding of the research question, but they have not answered all the questions related to online gaming addiction.

A connection between individuals’ loyalty toward online gaming and developing online gaming addiction has been found. Research findings reveal that addiction to online mobile games is associated with game loyalty (Balakrishnan & Griffiths, 2018). Furthermore, scholars report a positive relationship between online gaming addiction and the tendency to purchase mobile in-game applications. Finally, researchers have investigated that online gaming loyalty boosts players’ desire to buy online game applications. However, researchers failed to provide a discussion of how these processes evolve.

A study by Gong et al. (2019) has resulted in finding a positive correlation between the desire for playing online games and addiction to this activity. Additionally, the authors have found that the desire for group gaming is connected with people’s social identities, expected enjoyment, and specific attitudes. However, the research lacks generalizability since Gong et al. (2019) have analyzed only one type of social game played online. Meanwhile, each online game has its own unique features aimed at supporting specific social ties, which can have different effects on players’ predisposition toward becoming addicted to playing.

Marino and Spada (2017) have examined the peculiarities of the gaming disorder with the help of a narrative review, which makes this study especially valuable in light of the selected topic and research design. Scholars report that online gaming-associated dysfunctional conditions are numerous, and their quantity increases with the growth of the industry. Marino and Spada (2017) remark that it is crucial to differentiate between dysfunctional cognitions and metacognitions in Internet gaming disorder. Implications for future research based on these findings include the comparison between dysfunctional cognitions and metacognitions with the aim of finding effective evidence-based treatment for online gaming addictive individuals.

Findings of Tang et al.’s (2017) research suggest that males are usually more addicted to online games than women, whereas females are more predisposed to online social networking addiction. Pietersen et al.’s (2018) study has resulted in valuable insights into what it is to be a gamer based on online gaming addicts’ personal narratives. Whereas these studies have addressed some of the aspects of online gaming and the development of addiction to it, more thorough research is needed in various dimensions of the research topic. Specifically, it is important to focus research on understanding the development of online gaming addiction and people’s feelings about it.

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Androutsopoulou, A., & Stefanoua, M. M. (2018). Seeking “home”: Personal narratives and turning points in the lives of adult homeless. The European Journal of Counselling Psychology , 7 (1), 126-147. Web.

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Chen, J. C. (2019). Restorying a “newbie” teacher’s 3d virtual teaching trajectory, resilience, and professional development through action research: A narrative case study. TESOL Quarterly, 54 (2), 375-403. Web.

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James, G. (2018). A narrative inquiry perspective into coping mechanisms of international postgraduate students’ transition experiences. American Journal of Qualitative Research , 2 (1), 41-56.

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Essay on Online Games Addiction

Students are often asked to write an essay on Online Games Addiction in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Online Games Addiction

Understanding online games addiction.

Online games addiction means playing games on the internet too much. This happens when someone spends more time playing games than doing other important things. This can cause problems like poor grades in school, less time with friends and family, and even health issues.

Reasons for Addiction

There are many reasons why people get addicted to online games. Some people play to escape from real-world problems. Others find the games exciting and challenging. Some people even play to feel a sense of achievement.

Effects of Addiction

Playing games too much can cause many problems. It can lead to poor performance in school or at work. It can also cause health problems like eye strain and lack of sleep. It can even hurt relationships with friends and family.

Overcoming Addiction

Overcoming online games addiction can be tough, but it’s possible. It’s important to set limits on how much time you spend playing games. It can also help to find other hobbies or activities to do instead of playing games. It might also be helpful to talk to a counselor or therapist.

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250 Words Essay on Online Games Addiction

What is online games addiction.

Online games addiction is when a person cannot stop playing games on the internet. They spend too much time playing these games and ignore other important things in life. This can harm their studies, health, and relationships.

Why Do People Get Addicted?

People get addicted to online games for many reasons. Some find these games fun and exciting. They enjoy the challenges and rewards that these games offer. Others use these games to escape from stress or problems in real life.

Effects of Online Games Addiction

Online games addiction can have many bad effects. It can cause poor grades in school because students spend too much time playing games instead of studying. It can also lead to health problems like eye strain and lack of sleep. Moreover, it can harm relationships with family and friends because the person is always busy with the games.

How to Overcome Online Games Addiction

Overcoming online games addiction is not easy, but it is possible. One way is to set a limit on how much time you can spend on games each day. Another way is to find other fun activities to do, like playing sports or reading books. It can also help to talk to a trusted adult about the problem.

In conclusion, online games addiction is a serious issue. It can harm a person’s studies, health, and relationships. But with the right help and effort, it can be overcome. It is important to balance online gaming with other activities and responsibilities in life.

500 Words Essay on Online Games Addiction

Online games addiction is when a person spends too much time playing games on the internet and finds it hard to stop. This can lead to problems in other parts of life like school, work, or relationships. It’s a bit like when someone can’t stop eating sweets, even though they know it’s bad for them. They might want to stop, but they find it very hard to do so.

There are many reasons why people get addicted to online games. Some people play games to escape from real-life problems or to feel good about themselves. Games can make people feel like they’re winning or achieving something, which can be very satisfying. Other people might get addicted because the games are so much fun and they lose track of time. Sometimes, people get addicted because they’re trying to be the best at the game and can’t stop until they are.

The Impact of Online Games Addiction

Secondly, addiction can harm relationships. If a person spends too much time playing games, they might not spend enough time with their friends and family. This can make people feel lonely and isolated.

Lastly, spending too much time playing games can also be bad for health. It can lead to problems like poor posture, eye strain, and lack of physical activity.

How to Prevent and Overcome Online Games Addiction

Preventing online games addiction starts with setting limits. It’s fine to play games, but it’s important to have a balance. This means making time for other activities like studying, playing sports, or spending time with friends and family.

If someone is already addicted to online games, it might be hard for them to stop on their own. In this case, it can be helpful to seek help from a professional, like a counselor or a psychologist. They can provide guidance and support to help the person overcome their addiction.

In conclusion, online games addiction is a serious problem that can affect a person’s school, work, relationships, and health. It’s important to balance time spent on gaming with other activities and seek professional help if needed. Remember, games are meant to be fun, not something that takes over your life.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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Console yourself – research finds gaming may actually boost mental health

Digital athletes enjoy positive effects in japan study, but too much screentime sees diminishing returns.

A study of nearly 100,000 people in Japan has found that gaming may be good for the player's mental health, contrary to the prevailing narrative around the popular pastime.

While popular opinion holds that video gaming can be bad for you, and the World Health Organization has labeled gaming disorder as a health condition, there is little in the corpus of scientific evidence to suggest a strong link between video games and mental health. Recent observational studies have recorded both positive and negative impacts, researchers report.

A new study published in Nature Human Behaviour used data provided by the shortage of gaming consoles in Japan during the pandemic to help understand whether gaming, the most popular local form of entertainment, has ill effects on mental health.

During 2020 to 2022, Japanese retailers used lotteries to assign two different consoles to consumers. Hiroyuki Egami, economist at Nihon University in Tokyo, worked with his colleagues to use this random distribution to try to understand how video gaming might impact distress and life satisfaction.

essay on online gaming

"Amid escalating concerns about the negative effects of gaming, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that emerged in 2020 temporarily spotlighted video games as a preferred form of leisure that fit social distancing guidelines," the paper says. "The global number of individuals playing video games has reached nearly three billion, accompanied by an increase in gaming time."

The study surveyed 97,602 people across Japan between the ages of 10 and 69. Of this sample, 8,192 had been part of the console lottery. The survey sought to examine console ownership, gaming preferences, mental health, life satisfaction, and sociodemographic characteristics.

The analysis included employing a machine learning algorithm to figure out the causal inference on survey data.

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The researchers found that owning one of the available consoles and playing games benefited mental health. But gamers who spent more than three hours per day plugged in saw diminishing additional benefits. The study also found that simply owning the console had a positive effect.

Researchers were, however, keen to point out that the unique circumstances surrounding the pandemic could have influenced the findings.

"Our natural experiment showed that video gaming positively impacted mental well-being, but gaming for over three hours had decreasing psychological benefits," the paper says. "Furthermore, the magnitude of the gaming effect was revealed to be influenced by various socioeconomic factors such as gender, age, job, and family structure. These findings highlight the necessity for further research into the mechanisms underlying video gaming's effects on mental well-being and point to the importance of policy design that considers the differential effects of various digital media screen time for diverse populations."

While there is inevitable uncertainty around the findings, they might provide some balance to the more hyperbolic headlines surrounding gaming. In the UK for example, The Daily Mail splashed "Children addicted to video games are attacking their PARENTS – and taking away their console only makes them MORE aggressive, experts warn."

Nonetheless, other dangers remain. Harvard Health has reported repetitive stress injuries and other overuse injuries can result from gaming. The American Psychological Association has also defined internet gaming disorder as experiencing effects including gaming preoccupation, withdrawal, and loss of interest in other activities. ®

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https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2024/08/20/gcse-results-day-2024-number-grading-system/

GCSE results day 2024: Everything you need to know including the number grading system

essay on online gaming

Thousands of students across the country will soon be finding out their GCSE results and thinking about the next steps in their education.   

Here we explain everything you need to know about the big day, from when results day is, to the current 9-1 grading scale, to what your options are if your results aren’t what you’re expecting.  

When is GCSE results day 2024?  

GCSE results day will be taking place on Thursday the 22 August.     

The results will be made available to schools on Wednesday and available to pick up from your school by 8am on Thursday morning.  

Schools will issue their own instructions on how and when to collect your results.   

When did we change to a number grading scale?  

The shift to the numerical grading system was introduced in England in 2017 firstly in English language, English literature, and maths.  

By 2020 all subjects were shifted to number grades. This means anyone with GCSE results from 2017-2020 will have a combination of both letters and numbers.  

The numerical grading system was to signal more challenging GCSEs and to better differentiate between students’ abilities - particularly at higher grades between the A *-C grades. There only used to be 4 grades between A* and C, now with the numerical grading scale there are 6.  

What do the number grades mean?  

The grades are ranked from 1, the lowest, to 9, the highest.  

The grades don’t exactly translate, but the two grading scales meet at three points as illustrated below.  

The image is a comparison chart from the UK Department for Education, showing the new GCSE grades (9 to 1) alongside the old grades (A* to G). Grade 9 aligns with A*, grades 8 and 7 with A, and so on, down to U, which remains unchanged. The "Results 2024" logo is in the bottom-right corner, with colourful stripes at the top and bottom.

The bottom of grade 7 is aligned with the bottom of grade A, while the bottom of grade 4 is aligned to the bottom of grade C.    

Meanwhile, the bottom of grade 1 is aligned to the bottom of grade G.  

What to do if your results weren’t what you were expecting?  

If your results weren’t what you were expecting, firstly don’t panic. You have options.  

First things first, speak to your school or college – they could be flexible on entry requirements if you’ve just missed your grades.   

They’ll also be able to give you the best tailored advice on whether re-sitting while studying for your next qualifications is a possibility.   

If you’re really unhappy with your results you can enter to resit all GCSE subjects in summer 2025. You can also take autumn exams in GCSE English language and maths.  

Speak to your sixth form or college to decide when it’s the best time for you to resit a GCSE exam.  

Look for other courses with different grade requirements     

Entry requirements vary depending on the college and course. Ask your school for advice, and call your college or another one in your area to see if there’s a space on a course you’re interested in.    

Consider an apprenticeship    

Apprenticeships combine a practical training job with study too. They’re open to you if you’re 16 or over, living in England, and not in full time education.  

As an apprentice you’ll be a paid employee, have the opportunity to work alongside experienced staff, gain job-specific skills, and get time set aside for training and study related to your role.   

You can find out more about how to apply here .  

Talk to a National Careers Service (NCS) adviser    

The National Career Service is a free resource that can help you with your career planning. Give them a call to discuss potential routes into higher education, further education, or the workplace.   

Whatever your results, if you want to find out more about all your education and training options, as well as get practical advice about your exam results, visit the  National Careers Service page  and Skills for Careers to explore your study and work choices.   

You may also be interested in:

  • Results day 2024: What's next after picking up your A level, T level and VTQ results?
  • When is results day 2024? GCSEs, A levels, T Levels and VTQs

Tags: GCSE grade equivalent , gcse number grades , GCSE results , gcse results day 2024 , gsce grades old and new , new gcse grades

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, admissions process at lewis and clark college.

Hey, y'all. As a rising junior, I'm starting to seriously look into colleges and Lewis and Clark caught my attention. Can anyone provide any insight into their admission process? Do they value certain parts of the application more, like leadership positions or the personal essay?

In general, Lewis and Clark College takes a holistic approach when evaluating applicants, meaning they consider all aspects of an applicant's profile. That said, certain aspects of the application can carry more weight.

First and foremost, your academic performance is highly important. Lewis and Clark will consider your grades, the rigor of your coursework (like whether you took honors, Advanced Placement, or dual enrollment courses), and your class rank, if available. They're looking for evidence of a consistently strong academic performance. However, starting with the 2020-21 application cycle, the college has implemented a test-optional policy, so SAT and ACT scores are not necessarily required. But if you believe your scores highlight your abilities, feel free to submit them!

In addition to academics, your extracurricular involvement and leadership positions also play a significant role in the process. Keep in mind that what matters here isn't necessarily the quantity of activities, but rather the depth of involvement and impact. Admissions officers are interested in how you've made a difference within your school community or other domains through your activities.

The application essay also comes into play. Lewis and Clark uses the essay to get to know you better and understand your motivations, passions, and how you think. Make sure your essay is genuine, thoughtful, and well written. And, if applicable, use it as a platform to discuss any challenges or hardships you've encountered and how they've shaped you.

Lastly, Lewis and Clark does consider demonstrated interest, so demonstrating that you've researched the school and have a compelling reason for your interest in attending can be beneficial. However, the college understands that not all applicants can visit campus, so other forms of engagement like virtual tours, online information sessions, or interactions with admissions staff at college fairs are also valued.

In summary, Lewis and Clark looks for applicants who have excelled academically, been engaged in their communities, displayed leadership, and can articulate their ambitions and how the college fits into their goals. Remember that every part of the application offers an opportunity to showcase a different facet of your personality and skills.

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

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    "The global number of individuals playing video games has reached nearly three billion, accompanied by an increase in gaming time." The study surveyed 97,602 people across Japan between the ages of 10 and 69. Of this sample, 8,192 had been part of the console lottery. The survey sought to examine console ownership, gaming preferences, mental ...

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