Running head: VIDEO GAMES RESEARCH

Video Games Research

Kenneth Brandt
Writing 1020

Video Games Research

I have taken great interest in entertainment for most of my life. I looked into a wide
variety of ways to entertain myself, and I have greatly enjoyed movies, comics, books, and games,
so I always wished to amuse others in some way. I very much wish to be in some part of the
entertainment industry. Because of this, I decided to focus my research on visual entertainment.
Ive been an avid video game player for many years, and, to say the least, it is a major
hobby of mine. The video game industry is undeniably a growing one. Video games have gone
from mere curiosities that were seen as toys for children into something that people debate over
whether or not it should qualify as art. This shift has happened in less than half a century. More
people are playing video games than ever before, and playing them more often. With the growing
popularity of this form of media (as well as my familiarity wit and enjoyment of them), it is fitting
for me to analyze them in closer detail.
I decided I should figure out what the most important aspect of video games is. The
gameplay, at first glance, seems like it is the most significant part, but the gameplay requires
something in order for it to be significant. That something is the player. Like all forms of media,
video games are worthless unless they have an audience of some sort. Unlike other mediums, the
game requires the audience to actively participate, instead of simply being observers.
The question arises, then, of why people play video games. Naturally, people may pick
them up once for curiositys sake, but what keeps some people coming back for more? What
drives people to continuously play rather than watch a movie, read a book, or do something else
entirely? More importantly, what does this behavior tell us about the players? Does it say anything
about society as a whole? What, in essence, does the act of playing video games mean?

To understand what video game playing means, it is important to understand the average
video game player. For the sake of hypothesizing, I will explain common attributes I have seen in
my twelve years of gaming experience. The gaming community is likely far more diverse, but
these attributes are to see if any insight can be revealed from the common player.
Most players seem to prefer fiction (in this case, the game world) to reality. Most video
game players are more likely to casually converse about events in a game (You shouldve seen
that dragon!) than they will about real events (unless, of course, those real events tie into the
Dragons are not real thing within the game?

gaming world, like news about game development). The gamer sees the game world as more
interesting and worthy of talking about than reality. This is not surprising, says Yale professor
Paul Bloom (as quoted by Robert Lehrman), because fiction is life with the dull bits left out
(2012). Fiction tends to ignore or remove aspects of a story that would make it more realistic (for
example, going to the bathroom or eating in silence) so the story can focus on the messages,
adventures, or what the audience wants to see. Alternatively, they simply prefer to keep their real
lives more private than their gaming lives. In either case, they are more willing to discuss fiction
than the goings-on of everyday life (though they will discuss it sometimes). Gamers also have a
reputation of not being very physically active. This reputation is not unfounded. Despite the
existence of motion-based games (for the Nintendo Wii or the Xboxs Kinect, for example), most
gamers will prefer to play ones with controllers, keyboards, or touchscreens. Their lives may
feature more active elements, but when playing games, most would sit in front of a screen rather
than stand. This could be because most games on the market are not motion based, or that
motion-sensing technology is not yet precise enough. It is more likely, however, that the average
gamer is not looking for exercise when playing games.

Sometimes, this behavior can lead to shutting out reality entirely. The Video Game
Addiction website suggests that as much as ten percent of gamers play them to the point that it is
detrimental to their real lives (n.d.). They do not visit their friends as often as they once did, they
lie about their playtime, and they neglect work that must be done. Since the average gamer admits
to playing around eight hours a week (ESRB, 2010), it is quite possible that they play more, even
if it turns from relaxing to wasteful. And what does this mean?
When playing a multiplayer game, it is often easier to notice the males than the females.
This is not to deny that females play video games. In fact, according to the Entertainment
Software Rating Board, around forty percent of all gamers are female (2010). However, there are
more visibly male gamers than visibly female gamers, because, of the people who are willing to
use their microphones online, the majority are clearly men. On top of that, women often play
So it's the microphone's fault?

different games than men do; according to the ESRB, more women played on the Wii, a console
reputed for more low-commitment, or casual games, while more men played on the Xbox 360,
which did not have this reputation (2010). This gives the perception that the gap between genders
is vaster than it is. Despite this, the gap still exists, and more men play video games than women.
The average age of people who play video games is 39, and the majority of gamers are
between the ages of eighteen and forty-nine (ESRB, 2010). Interestingly, according to the Bureau
of Labor Statistics, the late thirties and early forties demographic has one of the highest quantities
of people employed (2015).

Your point?

Many hardcore gamers tend to know at least something about game design. When asked
about a game, they could explain why an element in a game does or does not work. For instance,
they could express, with relative ease, why a specific weapon in Team Fortress 2 is or is not
worth using, or why their favorite Legend of Zelda game is better than others. This makes sense,

Are you
trying
say that
gaming is
connected
to
masculini
ty more
so that
feminity?
Or what?

since many gamers have been playing for so long that they can notice what exactly pleases them
or annoys them. The average adult gamer, after all, has been playing for twelve years. It only
stands to reason they would learn a thing or two from the experience, much like an avid
moviegoer will be able to tell what works in a movie and what does not. And, like the moviegoer,
gamers can be very adamant about their opinions. There has been many an argument over whether
Super Mario World is better than Super Mario Bros. 3, or whether or not a certain character or
item should be allowed in competitions. These disagreements also serve to demonstrate that there
is a sense of community among many gamers, since they are happy to play and discuss games
together.

But exactly are they sharing?

Think about this.

The gender of gamers is likely irrelevant as to why people play games. While gender may
influence the types of games one plays, there is little to suggest that the women who play games
do so for reasons different from mens. The age, however, suggests something interesting. As
mentioned before, the average gamer is thirty-nine years old. Late thirty and early forty-year-olds
are among the most employed. This suggests that there is a link between work and gaming. Many
who work regular jobs just want to relax when they get home. Games could provide a release of
stress, since what the player does in a game has no effect on reality. This can also explain why
fewer gamers are physically active. Since most gamers are between eighteen and forty-nine, they
are among the most likely to have college, jobs, or children to worry about. The energy put out
and stress from such responsibilities can leave someone less willing to move when moving is not
needed.
The fact that gamers are aware of game design principles, form strong opinions about
games, and often form communities based on games suggests that there is a good amount of
commitment exhibited by people who play video games. As mentioned previously, the gamer

spends an average of eight hours playing. This commitment can encourage people to come back
to games, since they have already spent a long time playing them and forming connections with
other gamers. It is very easy to keep a habit, especially when one shares said habit with others. No
one likes to feel like they have been wasting their time, so they enjoy spending it in places where
they have previously enjoyed it. Of course, this can result in addiction. For some, it is difficult to
take a break from games to maintain their real life. What was once a lifestyle becomes ones life,
and thus destroys it. Therefore, a combination of habit and socialization can keep someone
coming back.
Given this, a simplistic hypothesis could be that people who play video games do so
because games provide a relaxing distraction from the burdens of reality, and people keep playing
because they have invested time into games before and have formed connections with certain
communities, which can sometimes lead to addictions.
Video games do provide a good distraction from the pressures of reality. A game allows
one to become a fictional character in a fictional world (or a romanticized person in a
romanticized world, in the case of more grounded games). This allows the player to forget their
troubles, at least for a while. As Stephen Jackson said, sometimes, life can be overwhelming, but
by doing something we enjoy, it helps us to tone down the pressure and relax (2013). Most
players do not think about an overbearing boss, a final exam, or the pressure given by a parent
when they are busy playing a game. Theyre simply too engrossed in the game to do so. Further,
according to Dr. Andy Przybylski, people do not just play to escape from reality, they play to
escape to an idealization. In the game world, one can be a rock star, a superhero, a sorcerer, or an
incredibly successful criminal (2011). It may be difficult to change ones role in reality, but it is
easy to pretend that the role is changed via the virtual realm. A gamer could be Bob the

accountant, but in the game world, he can transform into Robert the Daring, master rogue. An
alteration like that is appealing to many, since it can provide relatively risk-free variety to ones
life and give a glorified idea of how one would fare in more dynamic situations. Even mediocre
games hold ones attention for a time. J.C. Beck and M. Wade, authors of Got Game: How the
Gamer Generation is Reshaping Business Forever, have said that people use games to pass the
time when their attention is not needed much in reality (for example, playing a handheld game at
the DMV), and with the world being intensely more demanding, it can be relaxing to ignore these
demands for a while (2004). This is why people often play for more than an hour at a time; they
are simply more engaged in the goings-on of their game than in the goings-on of their
surroundings. Indeed, many play for this reason. Of course, if the player is playing excessively (i.e.
playing even when they need to do something important), it becomes a problem, but relaxing
when one does not have to do much is relatively harmless.
Gamers keep playing for socialization or the sake of habit. Since games allow one to be
what they wish, when they wish, it is easy to make a habit out of playing them. Unlike other
mediums, games cater completely to the audience by asking what the player wants to do, how
they do it, and when to stop (J.C. Beck & M. Wade, 2004). Even though one could read
whatever book or watch whatever movies they chose, the outcomes in each would be the same
regardless of what the viewer desired. One could watch Big Hero 6 because they want a comedic
superhero adventure, but they would not be able to change what the characters do or the fact that
the film deals with feelings of loss and grief. In a game, however, one could choose to ignore the
main objective to do something silly or destructive, try to find shortcuts, collect everything there
is to collect, or focus on the story. This sort of freedom is very enticing, especially since many
people feel they cannot have this level of control over their daily lives. The fact that multiplayer

games exist (where you can play and communicate with others) adds a social factor to the allure.
People like to feel that they belong, and what better way to belong than to participate in an
activity that others share, demonstrating that the players have something in common? Indeed,
many people play games purely for meeting with others, be it so they can compete (Competitors)
And what does

and show off their skills, or so they can play around and have fun while socializing (Jokers) (G.C.this tell us
Klug & J. Schell 2006). It is very telling that many Team Fortress 2 (an online multiplayer

about he
game)meaning of
games?

servers, for instance, do not focus on any objectives, but instead place emphasis on joking around,
chatting, relaxing, and simply having fun. Many players continue to play the games they do chiefly
because their friends play them, or because they enjoy the community the game has. On the other
hand, this could be seen as enabling an addiction. Because these gamers are playing for social
aspects, the Video Game Addiction website says, other players encourage one to keep playing by
promising a good time in most sessions (n.d.). Along with the freedom to play what they choose,
a temptation can become irresistible to many, causing them to become reclusive and irritable when
not playing or discussing games.
With all of this said, there is more to the story than escapism, habit, and socialization.
There is a host of other factors to be considered. For instance, Scott Rigby, a psychological
researcher, says that there are psychological needs being satisfied when someone picks up a
controller. He says these needs can be summarized in three basic categories: the need for
competence (the desire for mastery over a situation); the need for autonomy (the desire for
independence or to be able to control ones actions); and the need for relatedness (the desire to
feel like what one does matters to others) (Reeves 2012). Video games can quite easily fulfill all
three of these needs. The players in-game character is definitely competently able to do what they
need to do, once the player learns how to use their abilities. Once the player learns how to use the

abilities of the character, they can then autonomously choose when to use said abilities, where to
go, or what they do. While relatedness is more obviously satisfied in multiplayer games, where
everything a player does can affect their flesh-and-blood teammates, it can also apply to virtual
characters who praise ones successes (a rescued princess thanking the player for his help, for
instance). Even in games with little story or character, there is almost always some sort of
feedback (in terms of score, saying you win, or a narrator or caption commenting on remarkable
performance). The needs for competence and autonomy can be realized in other places (the
workplace, for instance), but gaming is a far more reliable and efficient way to meet them, since
the in-game avatar can do quite a bit more, and the player is made to feel more in control
(demanding bosses, deadlines, and various tasks do not make a worker feel in control). The sense
of relatedness is efficiently satisfied because there is almost always immediate feedback to the
players actions, whereas, in reality, hard work could go without being recognized for months, or
even at all. People like to feel accomplished, and games allow one to accomplish many feats, and
be rewarded for their efforts. With all of this said, games can sometimes fulfill ones needs too
well. If someone feels that the real world does not offer them control, that they are not good
enough, or that they do not get any recognition from their deeds, they could very much turn
towards games as their sole means of satisfaction. Even if this results in harming their lives, they
likely will not notice, because they feel more satisfied gaming than doing other, more productive
things.
There are also many individual reasons people will play a video game. Some wish for
absolute control and predictability from the game (like a chess player does), some want to
socialize or compete (as mentioned before), and others still wish to explore a world or create a
world for themselves (L. Pulsipher 2008). Given how everyone is becoming more busy, it is very

difficult to find absolute control or predictability in reality. There will always be something or
someone that completely alters everything. However, a virtual world can be created with set rules,
set reactions, and set behaviors. Likewise, it is difficult to go out and explore, or alter ones
location, without any sort of conflict with other people or ones responsibilities. However, while it
may take a long time to travel where one wishes, a game allows one to go places instantly or
make their own places instantly, without real-world consequences.
The question arises, then, of why someone does not just draw, create, or play a board
game. John Hapgood and Mark Overmars argue that this is because, unlike other forms of media,
video games have both interactivity and pre-packaged rules and challenges (2006). This means
that video games offer an easier and more convenient way of reaching the experience one desires,
because they have built-in ideas. While this limits each individual game, this allows the gamer to
choose the game they know will grant them the experience they wish. Even with a toy, board
game, or deck of cards, the player still has to set it up, read the rules (or make them up), establish
the end goal, and maintain those as he progresses. With a video game, the player just turns on the
console, selects the game, and then starts playing.
The interactivity of video games also means the player has a connection with who they are
controlling. Most gamers refer to their avatars as if it were them (I slayed a dragon rather than
Feldspar the Red slayed a dragon). They see themselves in the situation the character is in. This,
according to Greg Perreault, means that certain events in the story can mean a lot more (2014). It
no longer becomes The protagonist did something horrific, but instead I did something
horrific. That can drive a point home far more than simply watching the moment could.
However, that only applies when the player committed the actions. It means far less if the player
watches the character do something in a cutscene than if they do it themselves. The consequences

can be displayed in a cutscene, however, to demonstrate what happened as a result of the players
choices (the death scene of an important character that the player had a hand in killing, for
example). If carefully done, the players influence can add to the story because of their investment
and contributions into it.
All of this information paints a broader picture of why people play video games, and what
that means. There are plenty of individualized reasons for playing a specific game. This makes
sense, because personalities are different, and the variety of games in existence reflects that.
Overall, however, people play because video games help satisfy psychological needs. People like
feeling like they are able to accomplish what is required, people like feeling like they are in
control, and people like being validated by others. People also like feeling accomplished. All of
these are needs that can be fulfilled elsewhere, certainly, but video games in particular provide
satisfaction more immediately and efficiently than other methods. This can be a factor in
addiction, but most gamers simply find games satisfactory. They also see it as a way to rest,
because they can forget about the troubles of reality while they focus on the challenges in the
game, idealizing themselves as whatever they choose to be.
The player is allowed to choose and make their own experiences from video games.
Unlike film, the outcome is not always certain. Unlike toys and tabletop games, however, the rules
are built into the video games themselves. While this seems restrictive, this allows the gamer the
freedom to simply play instead of having to set up the scenario and create their own purposes;
they can simply choose the game that has the scenario and directions they want. Further, the fact
that the player is in control means they feel more like they are participating in the story, rather
than just viewing it. This can leave more of an impression on the audience than if they were just
watching, since it feels like they are the ones in the story.

The final reason people play games continuously is that gamers like to socialize with other
gamers, and this alone can keep people playing. It is more likely that one will enjoy something if
their friends also enjoy it. Sometimes, it is not the games that keep people playing, but the
players. Some like to show off their skills and superiority in the game, but others like to use
gaming as a venue to meet with people they like. Again, however, this can easily turn into
enabling an unhealthy amount of time, since people often stay addicted when their friends also
participate in the activity.
In conclusion, While some people play games because it is addicting, most people who
play video games do so because they wish to be conveniently distracted from the stresses and
challenges of the real world while also having their psychological needs satisfied, in whatever
gaming experience they desire, often with their friends.
So what do games mean? How does
one counter that they are just a
waste of time?
Check my markings
See you at 8:05-8:10 on 4/9

References
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Reshaping Business Forever (pp. 59-76). Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard Business School
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January 9).
Gayomali, C. (2011, August 4). Psychology: We Play Video Games to Chase Our Ideal Selves |
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Gotto, C. (2013, April 16). Why do we love video games?
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Jackson, S. (2013, July 6). Why do we play Video Games?
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Klug, G. C., & Schell, J. (2006). Why people play games: An industry perspective. Playing video
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Lehrman, R. A. (2012, Mar 18). Video game nation: Why so many play. The Christian Science
Monitor Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/928845728?accountid=27927
Perreault, G. (2014, February 10). Why Do We Love Video Games?

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