Do Developers Do Digital Drug Dealing?
/The longer and more engaging a game experience is, the more likely it is that the player will start to ignore their real life responsibilities for that experience. Expansive and immersive MMOs like World of Warcraft have been accused of facilitating gaming addiction for years[1]. This isn’t a new problem. Back in the old arcade days parents had to control the finances of their kids so that they wouldn’t blow all of their money on arcade machines[2]. Even in cases that aren’t explicit game addiction, many people can give examples of games that sucked them in so much they had to force themselves to stop playing[3]. So, the question is: are game developers fated to be digital drug dealers? Game designers can argue that the experiences we make are important and transformative, but that just makes us acid dealers instead of cocaine dealers. Can we make long and immersive experiences without ruining a few lives on the way?
First of all, is every game equally likely to be addictive? Definitely not. Admittedly there is a non-zero chance that a player may become addicted to any game. That said, for most games the addiction chance is very low. Studies confirm that while gaming addiction is real and life-destroying to those who experience it, on average gaming addiction is still pretty rare[4]. However, I do think there are games that are much easier to get addicted to, and we can identify qualities in games that are major driving factors in addiction:
Unending Gameplay - A game that ends gives you a natural stopping point. Once you reach the credits, there is not much more to do. With games that don’t have a set end, nothing stops you from playing forever.
Limited Time Events - Any time content in a game is available for a limited time, the player has to make a choice: do I miss the content or do something in real life?
Social Community in Game - If the only way to contact your closer friends is through the game, you will end up playing the game to experience social contact.
It is worth mentioning those features are often very engaging. It’s not like designers add those features just to glue people to the game. There is real enjoyment to be had from games that you can play for a very long time. However, we do have to face the reality that these features can compel people to play the game for unhealthy amounts of time.
We can choose to make games that are more or less addictive. However, is it actually a smart business decision to do so? In the end, game studios are businesses that need to generate an income to exist. The truth is that the games that do all of the addictive things listed above are also some of the most profitable/engaging games out there right now. The fact that World of Warcraft is still running is a good testament to that! If you want to keep your studio afloat amidst a sea of competitors, your game will most likely need some of the above addictive features. So, as long as studios need to support themselves on their own and competition increases, we will most likely see more and more of these addictive features. The current evolution of “Games as a Service” continues this addictive trend. A game that is a service continues to evolve over time and will never be truly finished. So, if you want to experience the game at its best you should be playing it right now.
All of this leads me to believe that we are currently stuck in a very awkward position as game designers. We have to strike a balance between creating a game that is engaging enough to keep the company afloat without making a game that encourages compulsive play. I don’t really think there is an easy solution here, all we have right now are just ideals. For example, I think the ideal for an unending game is a game that encourages the player to play when they have the time to do so. However, I’m not sure how we can facilitate that reliably. That said, additional laws and policies regarding addictive mechanics would help level the playing field and game companies would not have to rely on them to stay competitive in the market. Finally, additional research in ways developers can detect and help with serious addictions cases would also go a long way. I still believe games bring much more joy than suffering in the world, but we cannot ignore those who suffer.
SOURCES
[1]https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2011/aug/29/world-of-warcraft-video-game-addict
[3]content=bufferb5c82&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=buffer-pcgamertw
[4]https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/12/6/18050680/video-game-addiction-gaming-disorder-who