July 29, 2019
Biological psychologist and Guardian blogger Etchells takes a studied look at why video games are played in this convincing debut. Etchells acknowledges that “there is no universal or conclusive truths about... the effects that video games have on us, or why people play them” before tackling well-known debates surrounding video games, such as “Do video games make us more violent?” (he refers to a 2001 Harvard study, which “doesn’t map very easily onto the reality of playing video games” and lists the seemingly mild classic arcade game Centipede as 96.2% violent) and “How much screen time is too much?” (he acknowledges that games can change brain function, but questions whether it’s a bad thing). He concludes that until better research methods are developed it’s impossible to determine whether video games cause violence, and that the main attraction to and value in video games is “their ability to connect us.” Along the way, Etchell grounds the book with descriptions of his own experiences using games as an escape and a way to process events in his own life, including the death of his father. Those interested in the affects of playing video games—both positive and negative—will find here much to ponder.