The Digital Gaming Sector in Turkey and the Impact of Games on Individuals

When you look at the title, you might think that I will be discussing two separate and unrelated topics in this article. In fact, that is not the case. Both topics are subjects of a field of research we call informatics. It is possible to academically ground the field we call informatics on five pillars. These are, without regard to order of importance, software, which we define as the logical dimension of informatics; hardware, which we define as its physical dimension; networks, which we define as its connectivity dimension—all of which are topics primarily specific to the field of engineering—and the dimensions of the individual and society, which we can define as its social dimensions.

Sometimes, we group software, hardware, and networks under the heading of technology and define these dimensions in three pillars as individual, society, and technology.

The digital gaming sector is one of the significant sectors in the world. Various sources state that the global size of this sector approached 200 billion dollars according to 2022 data. The gaming sector in Turkey, on the other hand, is in a process of development and holds promise. As of 2022, the size of the sector was slightly over 1 billion dollars. Fast-consumption games are among the most played, and it is said that Turkey ranks 3rd in the world in this field, after the USA and China.

At this point, we can connect the pieces. First of all, we can easily say that researching and developing the technologies used to create and play digital games falls within the scope of informatics studies. On the other hand, we can also see that the economy created by digital games has social impacts in terms of increasing national income and creating employment. Beyond all this, and perhaps at least as important, is the impact of digital games on individuals.

I would like to divide these effects into two categories: positive and negative. In fact, digital games themselves, or playing these games on a computer, phone, or console, are not harmful. What is harmful, as with everything, is to go to excess, to play for hours and lose yourself in these games to the point of neglecting your other work, duties, or the people you love around you—your spouse or your child. In other words, going to excess means becoming detached from the concepts of time and place and being unable to live real life.

First, we can list the positive effects of digital games on individuals as follows:

1. Cognitive development: Digital games can improve strategy, problem-solving, and planning skills. Games can provide players with the ability to cope with challenging situations and solve complex tasks. Indeed, we know that the American military has soldiers play these strategy games.

2. Educational benefits: Some games may contain educational elements on subjects such as history, science, and mathematics. Such games can be used for educational purposes to support the transfer of knowledge to students. Students who learn in an interactive way can better understand subjects and events.

3. Social connection: Multiplayer online games can encourage communication between players. People can expand their social networks by connecting with other players from different parts of the world. This aspect of games came to the fore especially during the pandemic period and supported children's need for socialization, especially during the times when we could not go out of our homes.

We can also list the main negative effects as follows:

1. Time management problems: Excessive gaming can lead to distancing oneself from daily activities and responsibilities. This situation can cause individuals to have difficulty managing their time effectively.

2. Health problems: Playing games for long periods can cause physical health problems. Spending long hours at the computer, in particular, can lead to health issues such as posture disorders and eye problems.

3. Violence and aggression: Some games may contain violence, which can lead to aggressive behavior in players. Research has found evidence regarding the effects of violent games on aggression in young players. In particular, it is possible to say that in young families with children, a father spending excessive time on computer games and becoming virtually addicted has very negative effects on the family structure, which is the core of the social structure.

These topics, which I have mentioned in two main categories, can be a starting point for understanding the complex effects of digital games. Furthermore, it should be noted that research in this field is constantly ongoing and new findings are emerging.