A Tragic Online Link
The recent Ghaziabad incident, involving the alleged suicides of three young sisters, has thrust the perilous nature of task-based online games into the national
spotlight. These minors, reportedly addicted to online gaming for years despite family objections, are suspected to have been influenced by a Korean 'lover game.' This game purportedly involved a series of escalating challenges, with suicide listed as the final, grim task. The recovered suicide note, a heartbreaking testament to their perceived devotion to the game, read, “Mummy, Papa, sorry. The game you wanted us to quit, now you will realize how much we loved it. Korean (the game) was our life.” This incident underscores a growing concern about how immersive digital experiences can profoundly impact young, impressionable minds, blurring the lines between virtual challenges and devastating reality.
Gaming's Aggressive Influence
Research consistently points to a correlation between exposure to violent video games and aggressive tendencies in children. A significant 2014 study published in JAMA Pediatrics, which tracked over 3,000 children in Singapore for three years, revealed that frequent engagement with violent games was linked to increased aggressive thoughts and behaviors. This extensive research, conducted by academics from the National Institute of Education in Singapore and Iowa State University's psychology department, concluded that such habitual playing can foster long-term aggressive conduct by altering aggressive cognitive patterns. Crucially, this effect was observed irrespective of a child's sex, age, pre-existing aggressiveness, or parental involvement, highlighting a widespread psychological impact of violent digital content.
The Korean Game Phenomenon
Many popular Korean online games are characterized by intense themes and intricate task structures, which can foster deep immersion and a sense of accomplishment. However, this immersive quality can also lead to obsessive engagement, particularly among younger players. Titles like 'Stellar Blade,' a mission-driven action game where players fight to save humanity, and 'RAVEN2,' a dark fantasy MMORPG known for its brutal world and combat, demand constant player interaction. 'Lost Ark' and 'Black Desert Online' are also MMORPGs that feature daily and weekly challenges, raids, and progression systems requiring significant time investment. Similarly, 'Blade & Soul' offers a martial arts MMORPG experience with a task-based narrative. Upcoming games like 'Crimson Desert' continue this trend, featuring open-world action-adventure gameplay with challenging tasks and survival elements, all designed to keep players deeply engaged through demanding objectives and reward systems.
Echoes of 'Squid Game'
The concept of task-based challenges in online games draws striking parallels to the widely popular Netflix series 'Squid Game.' The show depicted deadly versions of childhood games such as 'Red Light, Green Light,' 'Sugar Honeycomb,' 'Tug of War,' and 'Marbles,' all with life-or-death stakes. Interestingly, 'Squid Game' creator Hwang Dong-hyuk drew inspiration from real-life violent labor strikes in South Korea in 2009, specifically the Ssangyong Motor Company layoffs. During these strikes, workers occupied the factory for 77 days, leading to violent confrontations with police, where participants used makeshift weapons and suffered injuries. The extreme challenges faced by the characters in the show resonated with the experiences of some of those involved in these real-world struggles. This connection extends to a mobile game, 'Squid Game: Unleashed,' which allows players to virtually undertake similar high-stakes tasks.
Past Perils: Blue Whale & PUBG
The Ghaziabad tragedy brings to mind other dangerous online phenomena, such as the notorious 'Blue Whale Challenge.' This online trend involved teenagers completing a series of 50 escalating tasks over several weeks, with the final challenge often being suicide. Furthermore, in India, numerous tragic incidents have been linked to an uncontrolled addiction to online games like PUBG (PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds) and its Indian counterpart, BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India). These cases frequently involve extreme distress over in-game performance, leading to self-harm or even fatal outcomes, illustrating the severe psychological toll these games can exact when engagement becomes obsessive and disconnected from reality.
Psychological Impact Unpacked
Psychologists have consistently sounded the alarm regarding the detrimental effects of games featuring exaggerated missions, severe punishments, or violent tasks, particularly on vulnerable or isolated children. The combination of addictive gameplay and social pressures within these virtual environments can dangerously blur the distinction between fantasy and reality. This cognitive dissonance can lead individuals, especially young ones, to engage in risky behaviors that have severe real-world consequences. The allure of these games, coupled with the emotional and psychological vulnerabilities of their players, creates a potent mix that can unfortunately result in tragic outcomes, as tragically demonstrated by recent events.
