The world of online gaming has evolved immensely over the last few decades with more and more of us becoming intertwined in its alluring web. From the early days of playing Snake on your Nokia mobile to the vast open worlds of incredible games like Fortnite and Minecraft, online gaming has most certainly come a long way.
But it doesn’t stop there, and as we continue to embrace the advancements in technology, we see the gaming world take on a new perspective where virtual reality transports online players to a whole new realm in the ever-changing gaming sphere. But why are so many of us hooked and what makes us keep coming back for more?
Escapism
One of the many reasons why players continue to engage with online gaming is that they get to momentarily escape their everyday lives, immersing themselves into a creative world of innovation and visionary delight. This is often a world where you are in complete control, whether you’re a soldier leading your platoon into battle, or a sports captain leading your team to victory, online games provide the perfect arena for escapism. For some it’s the allure of imaginative play, for others it’s the thrill of competing against others.
Socialisation
Another big draw for online gamers is the prospect of social interaction where like-minded players can participate in an ever-growing community to make friends and potentially foster teamwork. Multiplayer games usually offer chat facilities allowing players to collaborate and form relationships from afar. Take a live UK casino for example, players will find themselves in a live studio with professional dealers where they can interact with other players whilst enjoying their favourite casino game.
Achievements
In many online games, players can unlock certain rewards for completing challenges and/or levelling up. It’s these prizes that keep players engaged, whether it’s the thrill of the competition or the allure of the potential reward, the sense of achievement as they complete difficult tasks or outmanoeuvre opponents, provides instant gratification.
This clever mechanism of reward and recognition, motivates players to invest more time and energy into their gaming. Some games, for example slot machines, incorporate random rewards which can heighten a player’s sense of anticipation and excitement. This can in turn prove highly addictive for some.
Stimulation
Online gaming isn’t all about escapism or social interaction, in fact, for many, it’s the thrill of solving a puzzle, the sense of achievement from completing the most difficult of challenges or merely navigating your way through the hardest level successfully. Yes, that’s right, it’s all about stimulating the brain. We become the masters of problem-solving, the conquerors of logic and reasoning, the strategists behind every decision made. We get a sense of intellectual satisfaction as we overcome each strenuous task and it’s this continuous stimulation that keeps us engaged and wanting more.
Customisation
Many of us shy away from role-play in the real world, but online we revel in the opportunity to create our own identity, no matter how different this may be to our real-world self. The crafting of your online avatar allows you to express how you feel more confidently and/or create an idealized version of yourself.
Summary
It seems that online gaming taps into our psyche in a variety of ways, from the need for social interaction to the stimulation of our brains through problem-solving and controlled decision-making. Game developers are skilled in designing arenas that capture a player’s imagination, stimulate their over-active brain, and reward hard graft through recognition and achievements. We can’t help but become hooked in a world of escapism where we can become whoever we want to be through the unique crafting of our online avatar.
