Video game addiction in recent times has become a major concern for health authorities worldwide. The World Health Organization announced its own plans in June 2018 to recognise gaming as a mental health condition. Individuals suffering from it give increased priority to playing video games over other daily activities and routines, resulting in negative consequences in their lives.
As this has become a global problem for experts, organisations and governments, game companies are now being questioned about the addictive behaviour of video games. In Nintendo’s recent financial briefing Q&A summary, company President Shuntaro Furukawa was asked about the measures Nintendo was considering to combat this disorder:
“I think the problem of game addiction is more about becoming overly dependent on video games than is about any issues with the games themselves. One thing we have done as a company that creates games is to implement features that allow parents to limit the time that their children can play games. I think that further implementing features like this, and raising awareness among more people that these features exist is one way we can face this issue.”
One of the features Furukawa appears to be making reference to is likely the Switch parental controls smartphone application. This allows parents to supervise gameplay, track play sessions, set daily limits and restrict gameplay features. If you haven't heard about the Switch parental controls before, take a look at the trailer below:
Do you think video game companies need to take addiction more seriously? Tell us below.
[source nintendo.co.jp, via variety.com]
Comments 78
I say let the parents do the parenting. Besides..in a way I think there'a far worse things to be addicted to. Politics, social media, smartphones, Swiss Cake Rolls, dubstep, etc.
As long as gaming doesn't take priority over actual duties, such as working, I see no issue in someone gaming a lot. I never understood why people see someone gaming for 3 hours a day as that person having a problem. However if someone decided to watch 8 seasons of a show over a weekend, that's just somehow seen as normal?
It's absolutely imperative to have an escape for a while to relax, unwind and enjoy a good adventure. But if that becomes a retreat that supersedes the priorities in your life then you really gotta take a step back and reevaluate. This problem is very real for gamers in their teens.
@Godlike_Virus There's definitely a lot of things that are much worse anyone can get addicted to than video games, but no one seems to actually care about that for whatever reason.
Not an issue for me I’ve got no kids. But I love that video.
Society dictates that we're addicted to at least one thing. Otherwise, we're 'unpatriotic' and against consumerism/capitalism. They say they don't like it but that's just to give the impression that they really care more about people over profit. But they're a business with shareholders, so how can this be?
This is just stupid. Saying "gaming addicts" is a problem is just another thing to complain about. Apparently, A society with "problems" is perfect in the eyes of who ever is in charge.
"I think that further implementing features like this, and raising awareness among more people that these features exist is one way we can face this issue."
Sounds like your typical beauty pageant answer--an incredibly vague response that says next to nothing.
This reminds me of working in casinos where they would bang on about spotting and reporting people with addiction problems or displaying signs of laundering, but if you actually did bring attention to these things they would ignore or even chastise you for doing so because those people are where they really make their money.
Nintendo have to be seen to be active on this front and are definitely better than most companies, but let's be honest, they make their money from getting kids hooked on their games and turning them into lifetime whales. Me included.
It is too late for me, son.
Oh, cool... Nintendo's proving the psychologists and psychiatrists who fought that diagnosis right by feeding the straw man!
Hikikomori don't exist because it's nice inside. Hikikomori exist because people just keep ramping up the pressure and making the outside world more stressful and terrifying to them.
People don't get addicted to games because they spent too much time on them as kids. They get addicted because of stress and predatory design such as operant conditioning ("Skinner boxes") and other casino pull strategies.
What Nintendo SHOULD be doing is banning predatory games, supporting mental health awareness and providing tools to improve people's mental health, as well as more pointedly targeting the root causes of hikikomori tendencies.
@Fandabidozi XD Love it.
@Emob Guess they're afraid we'll become a bunch of Jobe's and end up turning into the Lawnmower Man.
It's weird to me how we can have people constantly on their phones, watching TV for 4+ hours a day, or partaking in any other hobby. But special attention is given to videogames. Granted, videogames are more interactive than watching TV/Netflix. But I don't see how that makes it any worse than an equal time used on other hobbies.
Like the violent videogame arguments, this just feels like people using videogames as a scapegoat for the real issues in a society. Like insanely stressful work culture, neglectful parenting, or news media pushing fear at every opportunity. If people are diving headfirst into escapism, there's probably something else going on here.
Someone said swiss cake rolls and I had to make a store run. The addiction that gets me out of the house.
Luckily I was able to bring my Switch with me so I could keep playing my game.
For a thing to be bad to a particular subset of the population, it's not particularly relevant to say there are other addictions. Maybe there are some important ones that aren't receiving the proper attention in proportion but I don't think dragging out a litany of "unaddressed" issues adds to the cause here. Nintendo is choosing to handle this issue which is likely prudent for them as an ethical purveyor of entertainment. And it also seems to be putting control in the hands of parents rather than infusing the games with arbitrary limits, which is a good sign.
You can get addicted to literally anything. I don't think it's Nintendo's job to try to combat a human trait.
Never mind the parental control issue, that is a brilliant video!
You have become the very enemy you were meant to destroy Anakin
@westman98 Nintendo isn't FORCING anything. They're giving parents the options to help limit game time if it's something THEY deem necessary. BTW, too much games not enough outside time, or social interaction is not a healthy thing for little ones. Ninty aren't making the choices for anyone, but they are giving parents options to make it easier to make the choices themselves.
@ELRinley nah, pay to win lol nobody is telling them not to go outside nor bum off their parents. I liked boktai 2 because it made me go outside on a sunny day, or cheat by pressing the sensor againt a light bulb but that was to recharge temporarily and heated my gba.
I also liked how the Wii encouraged fitness as well, and 3ds had the play tokens, with sonic/Mario Rio 2016 Olympics tracking your steps via a marathon. I used to go outside just to do that. Can't force others to do the same sadly.
Lol I'm 32, I've been gaming since I was 3... When I was a kid I had no freinds and it's the same now, I spend about 6-9 hours a day and on a day where I just feel meh sometimes more. ... I don't think it's a mental health problem it's just something you love
@MrVariant Can't force people, but you can raise awareness.
They're giving us parents toys that look like tools so we can pretend we're involving ourselves in our children's upbringing while we continue to negligently take a divorced-from-their-lives backseat approach to policing their gameplay. I appreciate the usefulness of some of these tools in some cases, but this is all just sidestepping the real issue.
Nintendo isn't addressing gaming addiction at all by doing this. They're just reinforcing misconceptions so they can look good. It's a marketing stunt. "Virtue signaling."
Help people see a brighter and less scary "IRL," give them tools to help them stave off the things that drive them to drown themselves in fantasy worlds and booze bottles.
@Emob you telling me you’ve never skived a day off work to play a new release? I didn’t go in for 2 days after Metroid Prime came out (and was released with Phantasy Star Online and Resi 0 on the same day. I bought all 3) 😂
The only thing Nintendo could do to stop my addiction is to stop making games!
Already?
I thought they were part of this industry for a looooong time
As long as they don't go back to the wii's "take a break" messages in fine.
I am biased. I don't want to admit it. But much like gambling, video games can be addicting.
That said, I don't remotely think this is a serious problem. You have to play an enormous amount of games/spend an enormous amount of time for it to affect your health. Unlike addictions to gambling, which can ruin your finances, and tobacco, booze and drugs, all of which cause you physical illness to varying degrees.
I think gaming addiction is a ser ious issue. I mean i n typing this com ment alone I've had to stop 4 ti mes, 5 times just to play g ames.
@RadioHedgeFund Nope, never skipped a day of work to play a new game, nor a day of school for it. If I was sick though, you already know what I was going to be doing.
Maybe if video games weren't so goddamn frickin awesome.
Most people miss the point whenever this comes up. Gaming addiction can be a very serious problem and Nintendo should be applauded for getting in front of it and giving people tools to help curb it. If you don't suffer, that's fantastic, but you're friend or neighbor might be. No one wants to stand in the way of your hobby or shame you for enjoying it. The people who are in too deep need to be supported.
Can I just say that whatever people's opinions are about this--I find this video totally adorable.
Console games are made to be fun. Anything fun can be addictive in undisciplined hands. Some mobile games, however, are designed to be addictive to draw in more profits from microtransactions. They are a problem.
Unfortunately, when much of the world hears "gaming" they first think of a tv/monitor and a controller. Real games don't use or need casino tactics to sell well and like any hobby can be enjoyed responsibly.
It's a tricky one for Nintendo, because the portability aspect of 'play anywhere, anytime' is one of the key USP of the Switch. It's all about striking a good balance; Parents / Guardians should monitor and decide when it's suitable for children to play and how long for.
@Godlike_Virus and yet the parental controls allow parents to better parent than ever before. Your point is lost on me.
Nintendo has done a great job fighting video game addiction over the last year by not releasing any games to get addicted to.
In my day we used to climb trees and fall out of them and break bones and this was the way things were done.
@WOLF13 Did you somehow miss that Super Smash Bros sold several million copies in just a few weeks?
I don’t think gaming is an addiction. Its just really fun. Some people you can’t keep off of a ballfield or golf course. Before video games, and heck even now, you got people that will skip work to go hunting or fishing. Then like somebody said, theres those that watch too much TV. You have to have a disciplined mindset, which is taught and applied by parents, then as an adult to yourself. People can be mentally absorbed into something like a crutch... but thats brought about outside circumstances I think. It’s not the video game’s fault. Same for people who say they can’t function unless they hear a certain song each day or have coffee. Oh who am I kidding? I’m naked without my Switch at work, even though my breaks are short. I must have coffee monsters, Judas Priest, Accept and Dio in order to hunt the monsters. Its life. Its love.
@Godlike_Virus Swiss Cake rolls ruined my life 😭
From a business perspective their actions are smart. Video games are still viewed by many parents, especially parents who did not grow up playing video games, as something for children. Nintendo’s products are synonymous with children and childhood. Nintendo is perceived as a child friendly company, and they leverage that perception to great effect. If Nintendo demonstrates a concern for a child’s well-being, then parents might be more likely to purchase a product from Nintendo than a competitor who has shown no initiative to safeguard the welfare of the [end] consumer. Even if the consumer of a competitor’s product is not primarily children, a parent who decides to buy their child a console might not select a Microsoft or Sony product if those products appear potentially harmful to their child.
Addictions are bad, but video game addiction is definitely the lesser evil. I'm the only non-smoker in a family of smokers: I know what I'm talking about. My counter-argument to whenever I'm told about the money I spend on video games is usually "well, my Mario Kart Super Circuit cartridge is still alive and kicking, contrary to whatever pack you bought in 2001". (This is by no means smoker-shaming, mind you.)
Besides, the "I quit whenever I want to" mantra still applies to me: when I was in my last year of school, I quit games myself temporarily (at the cost of forever condemning my backlog's growth to be an infinite one) and going as far as tracing my parents' signatures without any one of them finding out about my grades, whether they were good or bad. My - admittedly modest (65/100) - diploma is further proof of that; compare and contrast to my 2006/2007 school year, where a PTA meeting resulted in my consoles ending up in a box for the then-remainder of the year: the only end result was me abandoning all motivation I had for studying and being held back as a result. So yeah, I can do self-management when the time comes.
This doesn't mean this applies to everyone, of course: everyone is different. Maybe younger kids can get addicted more easily to gaming and that's where the parental figure comes in. So what's my stance? The Bowser and Bowser Jr. video for the Switch's parental controls (which I guess @ThomasBW84 loved to death back in the day) inadvertently gave remarkably good advice in dealing with a kid's gaming habits: getting involved. This doesn't necessarily mean gaming alongside them if it doesn't float anyone's boat, mind you - if gaming isn't your thing but is your kid's, then that's absolutely fine by itself. The problem is when you care about your kid's grades and not about the game he or she is so obsessed on. Talking about gaming goes far beyond "turn off the stupid console and go back to your books, dammit". Merely sitting on the couch and watch what's going on could help a fair deal. Trust me, my parents - as much as I love them - still go "as long as you're always with that silly game in your hands, you'll never..." to this day. I am turning thirty this May. Rest assured, whatever damage non-involvement could do, it has already been done years ago.
That also applies to whatever your kids happen to like. It doesn't necessarily have to be gaming. If they're into sports, be sure not to just drive them there; be there and watch their soccer game. Or basketball game. Or American Football game.
Or illegal back-alley cock-fighting ring.Scratch that last one. Whatever my kids will be into, I will encourage it. They're into movies? Good, more movie nights for me. They're into books? Time to develop actual book-reading skills, then! They're into PlayStation systems? I still have my PS1 alive and kicking, so why not? They're into Xbox stuff? Then Halo it is! Are they into Nintendo games? They'll wonder about Sheik's gender before they reach grade school. They're into Marvel Comics? I have a bookcase full of them. They're into DC Comics? I'll be glad to expand my library. They're into sports? Time to understand the rules, then.The examples are infinite. The same must be said about the parents' involvement - although not to unhealthy extremes - in their kids' lives. And when your kid will be chiseled to be a working cog in the intricate clockwork mechanism that is society, that's when you know you have done a good job - not as a parent, but as a straight-up human being.
And dammit, video games are always on the slippery slope: demonize game addiction, and next thing you know, people are demonizing games once again. That happens every time mainstream journalism tries to address video games here in Italy. Every. Darned. Time. Satirical news program Striscia La Notizia (Crawling News) just stated Fortnite to be dangerous to kids, because "facts". The only result of this was uninvolved parents telling their kids to get off the game. Scientific method, folks. See stuff with your own eyes, get involved, get better as parents and as people. It's that simple, really.
@Heavyarms55
You're walking straight into a "Nintendo fans are desperate" joke, you fool.
@mist
And yet you're in a gaming site. What are the odds?
@Nomad
"Oh my God I love video games so much!"
@WOLF13 yeah I missed that.
I’m saying compared to PS, Nintendo’s releases over the past year aren’t even comparable. Nintendo polished up Smash WiiU.
@Heavyarms55 have you seen the whales with iaps? All that consumable digital crap costs a fortune. No way am I risking rent money for an infinity + 1 sword or super gachas I can only use in 1 game.
Gaming addiction, what's that?
>Looks at 🏦 bank account<
Oh.
@Emob I think a 3 hour jaunt through Animal Crossing or Mario Kart 8 is much more healthier than an hour of that reality tv crap.
Maaaan... I only wish I had the free time to spend on my video game addiction like I did when I was a slacker teenager addicted to my Sega Saturn.
These are the very same claims that says playing Violent games makes you a dangerous person. If everyone talks together that goes a long way to begin a resolution process. Rather focus on the game how about focusing on bad parenting first. The game is a excuse used when they don't want to look themselves in the mirror. And I've seen alot of those.
@beazlen1 Give me Genesis.
My wife is addicted to books. I heard the same thing about television. Your brain will rot. It's my life stay out if it.
@Godlike_Virus Fudge Covered Twinkies. You're welcome. lol
I find I'm more prone to compulsive behavior when I'm not feeling well, such as dealing with other health issues. If there's a day when I game way too much, or do something else too much, it's usually to cope with something else. As for video game addiction, I think it should be taken seriously. It seems certain styles of games are more addictive than others, from what I have seen. Those seem to be large, open-ended games often with social aspects(MMOs). My issue is when developers seek to design games to be particularly addictive and/or predatory, which I think already goes on in this time of free-to-start and pay-to-win games.
Adorable video!
You can be addicted to most things. Go to book sites and blogs and you will find people that read 200 or 300 books a year. Maybe they just read fast or maybe they are addicted to reading.
We all have to eat, sleep, go to work, bath, shop and loads of other stuff, so time is limited for playing video games. And while you are playing you are not watching TV, movies or reading.
Books you can take with you to work etc, and read on the go, carrying your addiction with you. Something you can't to with video games.
Oh, almost forgot the Switch, you can carry your gaming addiction with you. Good old Nintendo.
Put your money where your mouth is. "Microtransactions promote compulsive behaviour and addiction. They'll never be part of our first-party games as long as I'm in charge". Anything less than that is empty virtue-signalling. Also, parental controls are completely useless since you can get the job done simply by supervising your kids.
Nintendo is trying to help people PLAY games for too long while companies like EA pray on people who may have gambling issues with loot boxes.
The difference here is what makes a company great. They truly understand sustained business and short-term cash grabs.
Why does a company want to take responsibility. Let the parents be the ones who takes responsibility for their children. You Nintendo should only sell your product. Who does what with games is not up to you. Before we know we all will get locks on our system if you book certain hours gameplay. From child lock it will for everyone eventually. That's why no cloud gaming! I can see it already.. you can play max 2 hours a day.....
WHO's definition of a video game addict only insulted people who have actual mental disorders. if casual gaming is enough to make someone a video game addict, anyone who enjoys any kind of hobby for a few hours a day is an addict. makes me question if whatever fools though that a little bit of gaming a day is mental disorder are actually mentally sound enough to be working there to begin with.
@SwitchForce
I lean towards the view that addictions are often a symptom of other problems in society or in an individuals life.
When I was a teenager and young adult I played a lot of video games because it is one of my favorite down time activities along with reading, watching TV, and board games. As a child I learned to not like playing sports basically because of bullies and jerks that made those activities seem stressful and pointless. I like playing sports with the right people and I hate playing video games with certain types of people. Whether it was nature vs. nuture doesn't really matter to me though, I tended to lean towards quieter more isolated activities to recharge my batteries. I love my family, I love my friends and in my younger days I took advantage of opportunities to spend time with them when I could.
I am older now, have young kids of my own, and so do all my friends. We are all busy and it can be hard to schedule hangouts anymore. In some ways my wife and kids are lucky I enjoy things like video games because I don't work all day, come home, and then deal with stress by going out to hang with my friends. I have unfortunately seen a few marriages break down after kids were involved because one of the spouses couldn't seem to handle just being there helping take care of the family. Having young kids can be hard and depending on their personalities that difficulty can go up. If I didn't have a hobby like video games I might have already gone nuts during this stage of life.
I mean the Switch is amazing when your kids are scared at bedtime and just need someone else in the room while they go to sleep for instance. I have been playing a lot of video games in this stage of my life but usually not at the expense of my kids or wife and sometimes I am playing them to their benefit.
I think this video by Extra Credits where they talk about game addiction(or game compulsion for a better term) is something that's worth looking into
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5RSngCFpsc
Addiction in any form isn't a good thing, but I don't believe gaming addiction is very prominent. Whenever gaming addiction is a thing, I think it often times involve MMOs more so than say Mario Kart. Reason being, MMOs allow you to interact with real people and that creates an even more immersive escape than other games.
I was "addicted" to an MMO as a kid, but it was my escape for a pretty rough childhood. I still went to school and made good grades and all that, but most all of my free time was spent on the game. Now I still play games as an escape, but also as a hobby. As many others have said already, even if people are addicted to gaming there are FAR worse things to be addicted to. Would you rather your kids be playing Super Smash Bros or robbing the gas station down the street? I hate how society tries to paint this bad picture of gaming when in reality, it can be an extremely beneficial hobby. It allows you to interact with friends you no longer see or who have moved away through multiplayer means, it can be destressing after a hard day in the "real world", and often times it makes me you think.
Gaming has taken me to places I'll never be in society. When am I going to ever hop from planet to planet and get it on with aliens (Mass Effect), explore the Wild West (Red Dead), or save a princess with my trusty steed by my side (LoZ)? But with gaming, that's a typical Friday night for me.
Lots of Monday-morning quarterbacks posting on here. I get that some folks immediately go on the defensive as if their favorite toys were being taken away by force, but that’s called a knee-jerk reaction. I play games quite a bit, it’s one of my hobbies. But I also don’t pretend that humans can’t have problems with impulses.
TL;DR - Read and comprehend a DSM before you think that you know more than clinical research and evidence.
It’s true gaming is addictive and bad for you and a total waste of time and money. There’s a million other things you could do that are more important and more fulfilling. Face it.
That said video games are still lots of fun and I play them anyways.
@SuperWeird "That said video games are still lots of fun and I play them anyways."
All that needs to be said.
Lots of activities/hobbies/pasttimes can be addicting. Whether they become addicting, or not is up to the individual person. People can take advantage of others, by offering them whatever they are weak to.
Parents simply need to be involved with their kids, and be what they should be - parents. Too many parents today don't want to parent, or they would rather be their child's friend, than parent.
@Emob
Yes! Most people I've met spend WAY more time watching TV than gaming.
I don’t think little kids who’s parents set their gaming time limit are who the WHO means when they talk about game addiction. They’re talking about adults playing WoW.
Why i feel like Nintendo is already taking steps to cure my video game addiction by not releasing direct and bringin' more AAA games in 2019! Hope its not on purpose Nintendo!
The problem with video game addiction is that reality is bad, sad and painful and many of us don't like that, we want something better, and videogames are better. You can't get rid of addictions until you make reality MUCH more pleasant, sweet and better. And as much as you can create wonderful games, you have no control on how reality works and how much bad it is. Sorry.
@LuckyLand Just stop, dude...
Video games don't cause addiction. Depression brought on from real life issues causes video game addiction. They serve as a distraction, nothing more.
Ironically after having a child I myself play video games way more than before. Before the child comes along I take free time for granted and put off gaming in many instances because it’s not as relaxing as watching TV, looking at my phone or sleeping. Now, due to the sudden loss of free time, I play video games every chance I get and actually more than I used to. In order to guarantee free time for myself I trade sleep for gaming time and getting up in the middle of the night for 2-3 hours to play through my backlog has become a routine now when in the past was pretty much strictly sleep. Anyone else with young kids do the same?
I'd rather kids addicted to games than addicted to drugs.
PS: Nuclear war is bad news and we should do more to combat poverty.
Pffft. Theyve been doing this for a LONG time. Who could forget the "maybe you should take a break" messages on literrally almost every 3DS game?
@Savino i've seen addiction first hand, actual addiction. i grew up living with an alcoholic and a cigarette addict. up until recently i was living with an idiot who had a midlife crisis & went off the deep end to the point of becoming a crack head and is currently a mess and dating some creature that resembles sméagol from lord of the rings.
i'm not saying that there aren't any video game addicts, what i'm saying is that WHO's current definition of a video game addict is inaccurate.
well, not like you can expect that much from an organization whose approach to treating anxiety is to dish out drugs
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