Mobile games that are played for a short period of time have the potential to relieve massive amounts of every day stress, according to Nottingham Trent University.
Mark Griffiths, director of International Gaming Research Unit at the university and an expert in gambling and gaming psychology, claims that mobile gaming “can be a massive stress relief” in people’s commute to and from work or in between tasks.
Small but frequent rewards within a game as well as a high amount of concentration required from the player means that these games have the potential ease our day-to-day stress. Equally, it is essential for a game to have an element of unpredictability in order to keep players coming back for more and to keep us relaxed in our everyday lives.
Are mobile games addictive?
Mobile games can be a great way to relax and unwind, but have recently been condemned as potentially harmful to players based on their ‘addictive’ nature. However, several studies have shown that the concentration required for these games could be good for our brains.
Griffiths calls the high level of concentration needed as ‘total cognitive engagement’ which can be extremely helpful for medical use. They act as great painkillers for patients recovering from chemotherapy, and have even had a positive effect on children suffering from skin conditions.
Several experts within the industry have also added that there is no known link between video games and addiction. However, they claim more could be done to make players aware of the financial implications within the games, and that platforms should warn users of these before they play.
