Virtual Addictions

Gaming-a way to achieve feats that would be difficult in the real world. Photo: Prabir Das

“I­'ve won four FIFA World Cups, saved Earth six times, had children, a mansion and I'm only fourteen!”
Sounds impossible? Enter video games. Achieving goals and dreams become as simple as spending hours in front of a screen at the cost of virtual blood, sweat and tears.  
Most people have raced motorbikes in RoadRash on their first computers, fed Snakes on their first mobiles. Games present themselves through computers, cell phones, gaming consoles. Gaming is a common hobby among both children and adults. However, the liking for video games easily tends to swerve to love and this love could cross a line, leading to constant dependence on games.
The evolution of games has continued over the last century. Early computer games and arcades fired the love in many while mobile games began as more of a pastime. “I started at arcades, such as Sports Zone in Mohakhali,” says Zerin, a young woman who now works at an NGO. Soon genres such as action-adventure, fighting and racing games became popular, bringing about the creation of early gaming computers and handheld electronic games. “Since then, I've played at home, competed at Cyber Games. No other emotion matches the gaming thrill.”
Consoles dedicated solely to cater to hourly gaming needs came as a revelation. Dibbo, 17, says, “I was absolutely ecstatic when I received the PlayStation One, the biggest console 12 years ago. My cousins had the GameBoy, so I was introduced to handheld gaming, something I adore.” Over the years we've seen models of Sony's PlayStation and Microsoft's Xbox, and Nintendo as the chief handheld games provider.
There are newer and more user-friendly games popping up every day. People love different types of games. Mobile games such as Angry Birds, Temple Run and Flappy Bird are huge hits with a high number of people always swiping at phones. “There's an addictive mobile game Subway Surfers,” says 18-year-old Rusafa. “I play it whenever I'm free. My friends are sick of me always playing in the middle of conversations or movies.”  Some people are almost married to their handheld consoles playing Pokemon all day. There are those who sit at their PC or console over Grand Theft Auto (where the user is a miscreant completing missions through stealing cars) or Call of Duty (a very popular first-person and third-person shooter series). Gamers also spend time online with League of Legends (a multiplayer battle game) and World of Warcraft (the popular multiplayer online role-playing game involving exploring landscapes, completing quests, fighting monsters).
Nineteen-year-old Harm, a friend and an avid gamer from Guatemala, says he plays games to distract himself, from reality and stress. His favourites are action, war and fantasy games. “I like adventure and risk in dangerous games. It satisfies adrenaline rushes I can't have otherwise. I crave survival. I've learned about teamwork, and that if you want something done you must do it yourself.”
Istiaq, a serious gamer since 2008, agrees that games relieve stress. He says that what really attracts a player to a game is both content and presentation. “My favourite parts are when games have characters with rich personalities and amazing backstories,” he says. Shadman, an A-Level student, often turns to games for entertainment. “I enjoy the amazing sense of accomplishment I get out of winning competitive games. It feels good to run to a virtual world where you can do things you really want to, but can't in reality.”
Gaming is not only popular among children and teenagers, adults love it too. “Gaming is the best and worst thing to have happened to me,” says Azmain Ibn Nasir who has just become a professional gamer. “It helps you make right decisions faster. However, you barely care about life anymore. You love gaming with all your heart and live for it.”
Shabbir Khan, a physics teacher who has gamed for the last 10 years says, “In between my hectic schedule, I try to find 2/3 hours to invest in gaming.” He plays historically accurate games such as Assassin's Creed (historical action-adventure game featuring the rivalry between two secret societies) and Crusader Kings (a strategy game focusing on building a dynasty), from which he has learnt new facts. “Winning is the best part, along with flashy graphics and catchy soundtracks.”
Most teachers, however, believe that games are distracting their students from studies. Sudha Rakesh, an Economics teacher believes games can have both good and bad impact. “Video games help me revise concepts with ease,” she says. “Students are enthusiastic and remember concepts for longer. I see a need to balance the use of games both in educational institutions and homes as they have strong influences. Though they might help, they do not teach key things, like writing.” A teacher who teaches history to preteens says, “The addiction begins from households. Parents shouldn't allow their children to start gaming to begin with.”
Ability to achieve feats difficult for people in reality is what attracts people to games. Games involving strategy and stealth attract bigger audiences. The more impossible an activity is in reality, the more appealing the audience finds it. Istiaq guides us through some different scenarios games provide. Sims allows a quick simulation of ideal lifestyles – getting jobs, living luxuriously. Shooting game Halo allows gamers to conquer the world; the game Prototype highlights a virus wanting to kill everyone. The FIFA series allows gameplay of different football matches, from being a player to a coach. “There is a 2008 game called Spore where you start as a single cell, slowly grow and play as an animal. By the end, you're a galaxy explorer.”
Gamers tend to develop thinking skills through games, along with strategy and teamwork. Games help create fast decision making and different ways of thinking. Shooting and racing games have helped improve reflex action. Competitions have grown in Bangladesh over time, along with the online scene. Online gaming is far more addictive than regular gaming as real people are less predictable than bots. Gamers say they need more skill to beat online opponents and they relish this.  Pranish, who plays a minimum of four hours of games daily, says “LAN (Local Area Network) parties are parties for gamers. It's just like regular parties except a lot more fun.”
Spending hours on games may give people strategic satisfaction but how is it helping them in life? Giving up hours to a screen reduces large chunks of time from one's day, week or month. Eventually people become anti-social, restless to constantly game. Studies conducted have discovered overuse of “screen time” in gamers. There have been deaths in countries including the US, Brazil, China and Korea due to engagement in non-stop gaming. An eight-year-old from Louisiana shot his grandmother after a violent game. People have died at the hands of their children engaged for hours at games. There are video game addiction treatment centres in several countries to help addicted gamers. 16-year-old Zahin, a self-proclaimed addict, has been gaming since childhood. “Role-play games especially help me to be someone I can't,” he says, admitting he hasn't learnt much real-world skill from gaming. “I continue playing until I've achieved goals I've set for myself. I don't care how long it takes.”
Some gamers have admitted to getting strong headaches after dedicating hours to their favourite hobby. “Sometimes if I stand up from sitting at my PC, I lose consciousness for a few seconds,” one gamer says.
Sadman Huda, a professional gamer, says, “My studies and social life are great. Gaming taught me discipline, history, to make decisions through analysing situations. It's similar to playing an outdoor sport, just less energy consuming. Life needs to have a balance and gaming is a part of it.”
Parents of gamers have always been concerned. One gamer says that his parents don't care as long as he does his schoolwork right. The mother of a 12-year-old who is always gaming either on his iPhone or on his laptop says, “I've seen children getting nasty and abusive when they're asked to stay away from games. They also learn to lie to avail more opportunities to play.”
“My son should grow up,” says the mother of a 21-year-old gamer. “He doesn't love his studies half as much as he loves games. Sometimes he forgets everything and spends the whole night on his computer or phone. He doesn't listen to anybody.”
While it is true that addiction in Bangladesh has not reached the point where people have needed professional help, fast growing technology in the world of games are making each console and each new game increasingly addictive. We're losing more and more people to the virtual world. Most gamers prefer screens and online interaction to actual ones. While gamers do enjoy simple gains, looking at a bigger picture, how much this is helping society as a whole remains questionable.