Ethics of Game Addiction

S $99. 6 billion. Certainly, video games permeate the workplace, education, family interactions, and social functions, as "many if not all ages, genders, sexualities, races, religions, and nationalities" (Shaw, 416). In the past decade, the gaming industry has turned out to be a major entertainment media, that has enticed and is enticing millions of players globally. When considering the ethical aspects of video games, the emphasis lies on the impacts of its content. For instance, the reward mechanism design might significantly influence the interactions of the users with the games as well as the interval of play. Such an aspect is particularly evident in MMORPG's (massively multiplayer online role-playing games) (Klemm, and Pieters, 82). Despite the fact that most games center around the player, and sharing common psychology underlying the way players react to or learn the game, the MMORPG's which often have a subscription-based model, necessitates the need for game designers to ensure that players are enticed for longer durations.

Perhaps this is possible due to various technologies at the disposal of video game developers or designers. Today, designers are experimenting with visual online worlds that are known as MMOs (massively multiplayer online games) or MMORPGs (Clark, and Scott, 16). Eventually, the users become addicted. Studies have revealed that the primary reason games are motivating is their design (Versteeg, 14). Blizzard Entertainment’s World of Warcraft, a role-playing game, perfectly exemplifies this assumption. The game explicitly demonstrates the motivation to play can be powerful when design adheres to the self-determination principles. These principles reveal that games can be a source of fun as they not meet certain conditions and needs enabling individuals to have fun, besides motivating them with the go on with the activity that offers it.

Furthermore, the presence of a difficult and unique achievement against the name of the players serves as a status symbol and signifies that the particular player excelled at a given aspect of the game. What's more, offering an assortment of these achievements enabled the players to specialize- that is, a player can select a small handful which he or she can complete, distinguishing themselves in this way. This is critical in enhancing the addictiveness of the game as it provides the players with a legitimate reason to go on playing, long after the completion of the game's core content. What are the effects of these designs? In the recent years, game addiction has become an increasingly prevalent issue. In extreme cases, the negative impacts of video games can surpass other problems like substance abuse or even gambling addiction and have been one of the indirect reasons for deaths.

, and this makes it almost difficult to perceive or even forget problems. The danger arises when the gamer on perceives fun, good times, and friends, while in actual sense, the world around them could be collapsing without them noticing. This eventually results in isolation and in extreme case, anti-social behavior. Ultimately, this has substantial effects on physiological and psychological well-being. Relating the game industry’s acts and NSPE Code of Ethics Clearly, video game developers utilize the designs and game mechanics discussed in this paper to lure the users to continue playing and experiencing the virtual world. The video game developers have employed a wide range of game mechanics in designing these games. As a result, people spend countless hours playing the games.