The Psychology of Gaming

What started out as a hobby, gaming is now a global cultural phenomenon. From children on tablets to adults chilling in evening virtual worlds, gaming has become a seamless part of so many people’s routines. But the big question remains:

Why do we love gaming so much?

Is it the thrill of winning? The joy of relaxation? The escape into fantasy worlds? Or the feeling of accomplishment that you managed to conquer an extremely challenging level?

The reality runs much deeper, into the realm of psychology and neuroscience and back through centuries of human evolution.

This blog post thoroughly explains why exactly we love playing games; it dissects the emotional, biological, and social factors that make games so enticing.

“Play” has been universally loved by humans since prehistoric times. Our ancestors engaged in physical contests and playful rivalry, competed gamefully, and guided one another in the ways of survival.

“Psychologists think that play is something that nature has given us, because somewhere in the brain it makes us better at things we need to do,” UITapGestureRecognizer What does Potholing Help Us With?

Gaming is the contemporary form of humanity’s ancient play instinct. The brain views gaming as a safe learning environment where you can try things, fail, try again and succeed — without real-world consequences.

That's why gaming is rewarding, immersive and HIGHLY satisfying.

Games are highly motivating because they appeal to basic human drives:

Psychologists have a name for this: Self-Determination Theory, and in games all three pillars (Competence, Autonomy and Relatedness) are met naturally. No wonder they're addictive.

The reward center of your brain is tied to gaming. Whenever you level up, win a battle, or find rare loot your brain releases dopamine — that “feel-good” neurotransmitter — and it makes you happy.

But what's more interesting? The brain's dopamine system is more aroused by anticipation than by receipt of reward.

This is because players remain “on edge” as they believe that they could win any minute, or at the very least in a few plays time. This psychological loop underpins every chest, loot box, XP bar and mystery reward. Games are perfectly timed to keep the brain engaged and ready.

People are hardwired to love a challenge. When a task isn’t too easy, isn’t too hard, and is just a bit outside of our comfort zone we enter what’s called Flow.

That’s why people then “lose track of time” — they are in a kind of creative flow, their brain wholly focused on solving the challenge.

Gaming is a strong outlet for escaping stress, anxiety, work pressure, social pressure and real life problems. But escape is not fleeing — it’s a temporary holiday from overpowering thoughts for the brain.

For a lot of people, gaming is like meditation with pressure.”

Stressed Out? Play a Casual Video GameResearchers have discovered that casual games such as puzzles, farming simulators and distance runners are better at reducing stress than many traditional methods of relaxation.

Today gaming is a much more social endeavor. There are communities for this kind of thing too where you can meet up with other players.

The craving for human connection is arguably one of the most fundamental psychological drivers we have. Games are digital hangout spaces, where friendships are formed and dismantled. For both introverts and extroverts, gaming tightens social bonds.

Games are for showing who you are — or who you want to be. Games are where you can be who you want to be instead of who do not want to be.

This term is psychologically liberating and lets players 'act' over other elements of their own personality.

Great games tell great stories. The brain is profoundly influenced by narrative, character development, emotional stakes, music and visual storytelling.

Games that tell stories actively engage empathy, memory, imagination and emotional intelligence. Stories make gamers feel a part of the world, they elevate us and inspire us and create attachment to characters and worlds.

Winning feels amazing. Losing feels terrible. But it’s psychology that helps explain why both are important:

Games are a safe space for failure, where failures are fleeting; they prompt an encouraging of learning so that players can try again immediately. This is why games can be such effective tools for resilience building.

Games are loved by kids as that is how they learn naturally - PLAY. Children’s brains naturally look for play as a way to learn.

Games are essential for a child’s cognitive development as they learn important things while having fun.

The reasons adults play serve different psychological needs than the reasons children do. Games give adults a respite from responsibilities and place to recharge.

Video gaming, like all things we enjoy, can be taken too far. But addiction often develops when games fill unmet emotional needs.

Healthy balance is key. Gaming should enrich the life, not to supplant it.

When it’s in balance, gaming is actually really good for you. Gaming is a great way to learn and enhance yourself.

Game designers intentionally shape experiences. The best games align player motivation with game progression.

Gaming in the next decade will be completely different. Game psychology will develop into a force to reckon with in an immersive world.