Does online gaming have a negative impact on teenagers in society? [ENDS 09/05/2010]

[Grig]

Does online gaming have a negative impact on teenagers in society?

Ends - 09/05/2010

For many, it is impossible to image their lives without a computer, Xbox, Playstation etc. These gadgets and gizmos often keep kids, teenagers and even growingly adults glued to their screens playing one of the latest RPG games or on a virtual hotel community such as Habbo. However, many are questioning whether this is doing much more harm than good.

Some view gaming as an essential ‘getaway’ or as a measure to relieve stress. For some, it can offer countless of hours of enjoyment and interaction with various people from the outside world. However, studies showed that alarms need to be rang as an increasing amount of teens are started to suffer under the influence of such games, often being engrossed into the virtual game that they’re playing and shutting themselves off from the outside world, a term simply known as ‘addiction’. However, the most interesting and crucial point argued by researchers is that most teens who aren’t even that much addicted to such online games are starting to suffer in their social, physical and academic lives. Many have seen an interconnected trend of gaming and plummeting grades.

This debate may be quite relevant to many, some of you may have even experienced this. The question here is whether online gaming is having a negative impact on teenagers in society today? Remember to give you reasons why and stick to the debates forum rules.

[Swearwolf]

I don't even think excessive online gaming does these days, personally I like to play online games a lot but I'm still out more than I'm in, I live a pretty much normal life with uni and stuff. Sometimes it is nice to getaway and play games with friends you meet online in said games, but at the same time 99% of gamers have their own limits and cos of this I think it's fine. P.S; 9/4/10 has already passed

[Stryderman]

If im completely honest?

Yeh i think it does.

Habbo & Rs completely took over my social life for best part of year, Then realised what a waste of time it was which is why i play it now as i have nothing to do during the day.

[buttons]

of course it does
everything does. i know so many people who play games till 3 in the morning and moan about it at college, it affects their concentration, buggers up their sleep pattern (seen people say it even on here:rolleyes and makes them lazy. all technology, transport and fast food does. no wonder everyones increasingly becoming fat. slobs.

[dbgtz]

It depends how you define "negative". The only thing thats bad that could happen is them staying on their games constantly apart from school, which could eventually lead to them being disliked and health issues. Tbh if I was still addicted to Habbo now I would probably have no friends, or alot less.

However it is a bit different if you play with your friends online/ mix gaming and going out because obviously, games are meant to be enjoyed and I guess are a hobby. Ironically, I talk to this guy alot more because I started playing COD with him :L

Also in chatroom/rpgs or any game where you can constantly communicate with someone (so not a game like an fps) you can actually meet alot of people and start building a relationship from it. I'm sure there are some people who are friends irl now on this forum because they developed an initial bond on these types of games.

I agree with buttons about how some people stay up late just playing games and then it affects them later in the day, that happens to people I know. Fortunately I get bored of playing games for a too long period now (unless brand new, but even then I couldn't go past 3 hours). I think people need to develop a stronger sense of control, but saying that it's alot harder then it actually sounds.

Also (a bit off topic) but for people generally who were addicted to games which were offline, they now get some sort of communication with people because they can play online.

[Sharon]

I do think it does. Some can stay up all night playing a game eg. Runescape and end up sleeping in class. It happens to me s lot on COD on Xbox Live and some people e-rebelling in HxHD can change your impact in r/l

[Swastika]

Personally it doesn't realy have a negative effect on me, i don't see how anybody can stay up all night playing call of duty when they have college or school the next morning - thats just plain and simply idiotic. You must know your limits and use common sense, don't go on the xbox till daft o clock in the morning when you have work the next morning, obviously your not gonna feel great in the morning are you? Staying up and playing games all night is irresponsible and you should realy sit down and have a think about what your doing.
Habbo Hotel probably does have a negative effect on ALOT of kids nationwide, because it is genuinely an addictive game - very good for sulake. I personally would love to open a gaming business that gets teenagers hooked and lures them in to spend REAL money on - amazing business strategy.
There are a minority of gamers out there that don't know their limits and genuinely get addicted to playing computer games and need to sort their lives out, quite simply.

Oh, and if anybody wants a game of cod, XBOX360, im your man.

[le harry]

I COULDN'T LIVE WITHOUT WORLD OF WARCRAFT AAAAHHHHHHHHHHH but not really I only rly play on holidays cuz I get bored easily.

[Grig]

In my younger years I admit I had an addiction for numerous games and from first hand experience it did affect my grades slightly, cause I would't be into studying for stuff as much. It's true some games engulf you into them, especially if you're the sort of person who gets addicted to stuff. So I think from personal opinion, the answer would be yes it does affect it in numerous ways, less socialising (which is probably quite unhealthy), as well as a plumut in people reading books, which is what your parents generation did as a thing to pass time and it was much better for the development of the mind.

Nowadays I get the point that games are games, I get bored too easily and realised that other aspects of life is more fun .

[Snowing]

lazy gits

Edited by Syko2006 (Forum Moderator): Please do not post pointlessly/unconstructively, thanks.