Gaming, the Result of Surviving Quarantine 

I remember getting annoyed when I lost while playing video games. I just quit and turned off the console, even smashing the controller with my bed once. At that moment I felt that it was a complete waste of time and even that I should throw out the console. Since quarantine started everything has changed. 

During this time people had been changing their lifestyle in regard to the quarantine. Entertainment companies and systems had been growing and getting more popular. Before quarantine started I did not pay much attention to video games or movies. Today I feel really thankful for having the opportunity to interact with entertainment systems.

When I got my first console, I was really excited. Once I started playing I couldn’t stop; I was attached to the game. Time went by and it was causing a negative impact on my lifestyle. I forgot about the time limit and stayed up late at night playing. It was also causing stress and anger inside every time I lost.

Sony has been a company that has increased exponentially in the entertainment business. In 2013, they launched the PlayStation 4 (PS4). According to Forbes, Sony sold over 4.2 million units in 2013. In 2014, sales increased to 14.1 million.

“When the PS4 came out I thought it would be something that would make a change in the entertainment industry with new features. This really attracted and grabbed all my attention but I take into account that I should be responsible for its use and time,” Nicolas Gonzales, a PS4 user, said.

Time passed and I slowly forgot about video games. When my friends started talking about them, it grabbed my attention, as I remembered the time when I used to play and what I learned. When the conversation started to get deeper, I began to ignore them. It got worse when they talked about shows on Netflix. I thought it was a complete waste of time and just left the conversation.

“I experience that after playing, I feel like I am getting tired of playing and don’t want to hear about games, I just want to do something more productive,” Gonzales said. 

This kind of behavior shows that long periods of gaming and entertainment in these applications could cause mental fatigue. According to sciencedaily.com, children that play for more than three hours daily are likely to have hyperactivity and aggression. That is something that we need to take into account, making sure that we use these devices responsibly.

Since this quarantine started, I have been in search of new activities. I start trying the most popular “routines” people around my age do. I tried to give video games another chance, starting with creating a new PlayStation account and downloading some new games. I started to play with my friends online and it was way more fun than being alone. My Friday night turns into online parties, and my friends recommended me some Netflix series. I decided to try it by creating a membership and an account. There were lots of movies and series. I started the series that my friends recommended. I was so engaged in it that I completed my first series in less than a week. 

“Being at home without having these devices, I would not find a way to be entertained. I couldn’t interact with my friends either. The outside world was closed to me, apart from my cellphone,” Gonzales said. 

Since the virus arrived these are very hard times and it has not been easy for anyone. Before this started I didn’t pay much attention to video games or movies. Today I feel very thankful to have the opportunity to interact with these systems and devices. Even though I have criticized these systems before, this quarantine has proven that I was wrong. I needed the experience to reflect and generate my own criteria. I even learned to have correct schedules and take time out of my schedule to play and stream responsibly.

“I definitely feel very thankful for what I have, specifically with these high-tech systems. Quarantine is not something that can be handled easily,” Gonzalez said.