Many different thoughts circulate about video games, and how video games can affect people socially. One of these opinions is the belief that video games have a negative effect on how people interact on a sociable level.

People who play video games for longer than three hours a day start to experience behavior is- sues, act more hyper, and lose interest in school and academics, they can also experience social isolation if the gaming is obsessive. These health issues were researched by scientists at Tohoku University.

Rose Hill High School teacher Ms. Arborgast shared her opinion on the negative aspect playing video games can have on people socially.

“People become isolated and they don’t interact face to face with one another and so they’ve lost the art of proper educate,” said Arborgast.

Video games can become a priority replacing students other activities. Many people tend to stop interacting and hanging out with friends and family less once they become addicted to playing video games. They change their priorities to allow them to be where their gaming systems are longer, even if that does me social isolation.

“You see all of these kids that play Xbox so much and then they come to school and they just sit in a shell and don’t do anything,” said A.J. Taylor, a student at Rose Hill High School.

Though video games can have negative effects on people’s social interaction, they can also have a positive impact on people socially.

For example, multi-player video games allow people to interact and communicate with others, this also helps bonding with others. Playing video games can also expand your social life; you can make and interact with friends you make from playing video games.

“For some reason if you are talking over the mic with somebody it’s easier because you don’t see them and they’re not physically there,” senior Cody Puetz said. “So for some reason it’s easier to talk to people like that so then it can increase your ability to speak with others”

Community building is also another positive outcome that comes from playing video games. In multi-player games you have to work together with you other teammates to accomplish whatever it is you are trying to. Playing video games also allows people who know each other in real life to have more time and opportunity to bond.

“I learned a lot of social skills playing video games, there is some great communities in some video games like Dark Souls where people will leave helpful messages,” senior Dakota Morgan said. “But it makes very easy to communicate playing video games actually because you have to strategize with your team and a lot of first person shooters you have to really know your teammates, know what they can do. It honestly makes it easier to connect and understand people, or at least it’s given me that skill.”