In a study from Front Psychiatry, researchers found that escapism is "one of the main motives for playing virtual games."
This has a mix of negative and positive outcomes. The beneficial part of this escapism is it can "[foster] confidence, determination, a sense of belonging in virtual communities, and representation through avatars."."
While the downsides include elements such as a "non-adaptive real social life" and a "negative perception of ... real-world life."."
To put that in another way, for many people, video games become a community hub, a place of belonging and socializing that they may not have outside of their computer or console.."
This can lead to incredible personal investment in games. People have entire online communities based around the enjoyment of a title, whether that’s Elden Ring or Astro Bot.."
When something that’s meant to united the industry happens, like the Game Awards, some people are so dedicated to the games they love, their immediate reaction to the wider world not sharing the same opinion is to lash out. Or, on the other side, celebrate wildly with validation when the game they like is recognized.."
Escapism though gaming is a tactile activity that requires full focus. However, many find this as one of the few activities that doesn’t encourage them to check their phones every five minutes.
It seems counterintuitive, but gaming provides for gamers the kind of peace and relaxation that’s becoming harder and harder to find. Many are living a hyper-connected, screen-filled life and, despite the stresses that may come with that, gamers will be the first to tell you: "once you find the right kind of screen, it’s not so bad."
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