Should Game Developers Take Responsibility for Player Mental Health?

[Shree]

Some games are built to keep players hooked for hours. Should studios be responsible for designing healthier experiences, or is self-control a player’s job?

 

[Hazel]

It’s a mix of both. Studios definitely have a responsibility to avoid exploitative mechanics that encourage endless play, like excessive loot boxes or addictive grind loops. At the same time, players need self-awareness and boundaries. knowing when to step away. Ideally, game design should respect human limits, giving players tools to manage time, like optional playtime reminders or cooldowns. But personal discipline will always play a role, especially in online or competitive games.

 

[Brem]

I think to some extent, but I think people aught to be responsible for their own lives. I think though when a game involves something like loottboxes, it really makes it feel like a gamble. That I don't agree with. I don't know if most games these days have lootboxes anymore, but I'm sure a lot do and due to that, I think they should be responsible for stopping people from putting a limit on it or something.

Aside from that, I think we should be responsible for how long we play. I don't think it's a developers or game makers problem until they make it where people need to play to do this or that.