ENVI I

There is a plethora of evidence highlighting the benefits of video gaming on the individual. They vary from improving cognitive skills to relieving stress. Besides, video games enable social connection en ease any feelings of loneliness, especially amid COVID-19 lockdowns. However, excessive video gaming can become addictive, and if it persists, it can have detrimental effects on an individual’s well-being. The reason is that compulsive gaming involves the prioritisation of gaming over everything else, including self-care. Because of the neglect of adequate hygiene, sleep, exercise and diet, video game addiction may decrease an individual’s cognitive ability and, over time, causes them to feel disconnected and desensitised from their surroundings. Worst of all, neglecting self-care increases the risk of burnout, which is an indicator of poor physical and mental health. Long-term video game addiction can have academic, occupational and financial negative consequences involved. Video games and their equipment can be costly, especially when factoring in recurring costs such as the high-speed Internet connection and in-game microtransactions. These games can also be very time-consuming, leaving addicted gamers with less time to focus on their education or career.

In education, game-based learning and gamification can enhance student engagement by making the learning experience more interactive and enjoyable. The utilisation of video games in learning can accommodate different learning styles, developing confidence as they encourage students to get more involved with their learning. Regardless, society’s view of video games is not the most positive. The addition of gaming addiction in the ICD-11 could exacerbate society’s already general negative attitude towards video games. Consequently, the combined limited evidence en lack of awareness and understanding about compulsive gaming can create tension between the general public and the gamers community, potentially leading to social segregation and discrimination.

Currently, most European education systems are maladapted to the fast pace of current technology and are not fit to support young people in becoming active, self-actualised and responsible citizens. Studies have shown that video games can help students become self-actualised by guiding them to understand their needs. Therefore, reforming the educational systems by introducing game-based learning or gamification could better motivate today’s youth and help them achieve self-actualisation.

The inclusion of compulsive gaming in the ICD-11 has sparked an international debate as to whether the condition is a legitimate mental health disorder or not. The reason is that several international experts believe that video game addiction may be a symptom of another underlying condition. The lack of a scientific consensus and diagnostic controversy of gaming addiction stems from the limited research being carried out and the lack of a single accepted standard of symptoms. Therefore, if the experts are correct, misclassification of these unidentified problems as compulsive gaming would result in a potential false diagnosis and poorer treatment outcomes for the patient.

The benefits of gamification in e-learning (E-learning infographics, 2016)