Numerous Challenges Remain

Another online challenge is the vast and alluring world of mega multiplayer games that put many users at once into virtual worlds. These games, such as Second Life’s Teen World and World of Warcraft, put users in unpredictable social environments. There have been anecdotal reports of extreme psychological trauma for players who become too involved in the virtual world. And, any online environment involving kids seems to be a hunting ground for sexual predators. Most parents are aware of the dangers posed by chat rooms and social networking sites, such as Facebook and MySpace, but do not yet realize that predators can gain access to kids through video games as well. Even console games, now that they often include an online component, can be used as a way to access young victims. Young gamers and their families face other challenges as well, including bullying, peer pressure, and inappropriate behavior on the social networking sites that can now be accessed via video game consoles.

As we have noted in years past, excessive, compulsive video game play bears all the hallmarks of an addiction. A growing number of addiction experts consider compulsive gaming as real a problem as gambling addiction and substance dependence. Some have launched AA-style support groups, residential treatment centers and other therapies to ameliorate the problem. As video games have grown in popularity and ubiquity, reports of addiction have risen. In China, video game addiction has been classified as a mental illness and some experts there have established video game addiction clinics. Meanwhile, the American Psychiatric Association continues to debate whether or not video game addiction should be added to the list of official mental disorders.

The rapidly advancing video game industry is going to allow the gamer to increasingly be immersed in virtual video game worlds. With the invention of the Emotiv EPOC headset, gamers will be able to control a video game using only their thoughts. Such technology is amazing and may even prove useful, but it also raises grave questions about the impact of video games on children’s developing brains and worldviews.

Conclusion: Progress in the Making, Progress Still to Come

Overall, the past year has been characterized by positive change for young gamers, their families and industry at large. Most of the good news for American families, however, is good news in the making. It remains to be seen to what extent the video game industry will follow through on its praise-worthy efforts, just as we cannot yet know how extensively American parents will take advantage of the growing array of resources designed to help them make healthy choices for their families. Such progress is absolutely essential, as video games become an ever-larger part of American life. We are cautiously optimistic that this progress will continue.