BBC One documentary on video game addiction - reporter says games can be helpful in moderation

A portion of an EDGE interview with documentary reporter Raphael Rowe…

EDGE: During your research, did you come across any games that could perhaps be considered a positive influence?

RR: I think all games, in moderation, can be helpful, useful or entertaining for those that play them. I think the mechanics in some titles do keep players in the game - it varies. We didn’t look at the overall positive effects of playing games, but the industry itself does talk about the research that games can help with people’s intelligence or the various different positive aspects of playing.

But I couldn’t identify any particular game that I would recommend as being healthy, and I wouldn’t identify any game that I would think is unhealthy - it’s really about the person playing the game. Although as I say, we spoke to an award winning game developer who talks about the mechanics used in games to keep players coming back, and he also talks about the unethical approach used by some developers to keep gamers addicted to their games. They use the term loosely, but there is a serious problem growing out there.