What Makes Games Addictive?

When talking about game addiction, offline and online video games usually come to mind . Since its development, the concern of parents and professionals to know the degree of addiction of games has also grown. But what makes games addictive?

Gambling addiction has traditionally been diagnosed only in gambling related to gambling or money investment. It was in the latest update of the Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) that gambling disorder was included for the first time on the internet.

This type of addiction does not include games in which bets are made and, broadly speaking, refer to a pattern of recurring participation for a long period of time in video games, usually in groups, and which entails clinically significant impairment or discomfort .

To diagnose it, the person must suffer 5 or more of the following symptoms :

• Worry or obsession.
• Withdrawal symptoms when not gambling.
• Tolerance : You need to spend more and more time playing.
• Failed attempts to stop playing.
• Loss of interest in other activities or hobbies. They lose their reinforcing value.
• Excessive and continued use of online games over time.
• Lie about the time you spend using them.
• Threat or loss of personal relationships due to the use of games.

Game Features

What makes games addictive is that they have a number of characteristics that are reinforcing for many different people. They are made in such a way that despite differences, everyone finds gratification in them by overcoming the challenges they pose.

Opening

Unlike traditional games, online games  have an open course. This means that players choose which path to take and therefore what kind of adventures to participate in.

Thus, when completing a mission, the benefits you get are new tools and resources to improve your character or story.

Persistence

Games do not have an ending. You could say that the game takes place in real time, and in a way, it continues while one is not playing.

For example, you have to re-enter a few hours later to collect a reward or check a couple of times a day that your goods are still safely stored. This way, players can play endlessly, and in a way, they are bound to come back soon.

Simulation

These persistent worlds allow you to create characters and are often experienced in an online group. This allows to play from anonymity if desired, to disinhibition and lack of consequences in real life.

This type of communication allows you to create an altered identity, which, if it provides you with more satisfaction than the real one, could become pathological.

Social

That part of the game is another feature that makes it potentially addictive. This playful resource is usually used with known people or with people who know each other in the same game and who share interests.

Therefore, the social reinforcement that is obtained by playing increases involvement and satisfaction.

Effects on the brain

Having analyzed what makes certain games addictive, we see that results are beginning to be obtained about the effects of online video games on the brain.

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, preliminary results point to less activation of the regions related to impulse control, as well as a higher rate of distraction.

However, other findings are associated with better performance. For example, hyperconnectivity has been found in visual and auditory areas that may be related to better coordination and attentional span. That is, it allows to identify and discriminate objects more quickly and to recognize information in a new environment.

If you suspect that you or someone else around you meets the criteria for gambling addiction and that the variables that make these games addictive have a great weight, it is advisable to talk to that person and consider the option of seeking psychological help.

Thus, if the disorder really existed, it could be treated and prevent the pattern of play from ending up producing very negative effects in other areas of life.