Double Faced Online Gaming

Games are an integral part of everyone’s life. Everyone loves to play games. From ‘snake and ladder’ to ‘pubg’ there are online games that are wide-ranging games supporting different age groups. But with the modernization taking place it has taken many folds. Be it a metro or an airplane everyone is engrossed in his or her mobiles playing one or the other game. In recent years online gaming has become much more popular. One of the reasons why online games have become so popular with the public is the fact that they are easily accessible by anyone interested in playing them.

Online gaming has always acted like a coin. It has advantages as well as disadvantages. When we are involved in it we never realize whether our direction is the right one or we are going somewhere we are not invited. It is important to self evaluate our self to find the correct way out.

We all are very familiar with the games like “blue whale” which was first seen as an adventure to the children and then led to the death of thousands of kids. Nowadays new games such as ‘pubg’ and ‘call of duty’ and involved the students in such a large number and with such an addiction that eve during their exams they need a minimum of one hour to play with it. Many countries also tried to ban this, but they failed because of the youth pressure.

The students are known that they are on the wrong track but now they are so much involved and addicted to it that leaving it is not possible. This is the ugliest face of gaming. Nowadays, online games are so easily accessible and available to huge numbers of people anywhere and anytime. Unfortunately, this situation entails a certain degree of risk of leading to game addiction. Players may become obsessed with games instead of having fun playing them.

Moreover, gamers are sometimes frustrated when playing games, which can lead to verbal abuse and cyberbullying. Of course, cyberbullying does not come only from frustration while playing games, as there are many other activities on the internet that leave room for aggressive behavior. Another disadvantage of online gaming concerns younger players that have little or no experience on the internet. For inexperienced players, it could be hard to avoid viruses because they may download games that contain them or other forms of malicious software and spam. What’s more, online gaming can be particularly dangerous for kids who lack more experience on the internet. Young players may reveal personal information to other players who they consider friends.

Furthermore, playing online games has many advantages too. Like many other games, online games can stimulate players’ mental capabilities. Through various challenges and puzzles, depending on the game, players can improve their thinking skills and concentration. Games can also improve our problem-solving abilities. While playing games, we learn how to think creatively, which we can apply to various situations that we might encounter later in our lives. Some studies have shown that people who play games are smarter and better at solving problems and perform better under stress because gaming can be stressful, too.

Furthermore, online games are great for those who view gaming as a social opportunity, as gamers tend to build whole communities. Online gaming is great for making friends online. For those who like competition, online games are a great opportunity to challenge others as well as themselves.

Thus games are like stairs which are having an upside as well as a downside. It is in our hands whether to climb up or go down. We should be careful while choosing anything and should respond securely and should always be alert so that the spirit of gaming does not get hampered.

By: Manya Joshi

School: DAV Public School, Pushpanjali Enclave

Class: 11th