According to a November Bark survey, 58 percent of students were playing video games by age 10. Nationally, Pew Research reports that 85 percent of U.S. children ages 13-17 play video games, however, only 40 percent consider themselves actual “gamers.” 

Labels aside, almost every teen who picks up a controller or opens a gaming app experiences the effects it can have. Whether that means lost sleep, shifting attention spans or sudden spikes in dopamine, every gamer is affected. As gaming becomes a bigger part of the teenage lifestyle, the line between harmless fun and harmful distraction is becoming harder to distinguish.

The first video game was created in 1958 and was displayed on an oscilloscope screen, a screen that uses electronic wavelengths for its display. Today, video games can come in all forms, from console setups like PlayStation Fives (PS5s) to simple mobile apps. As gaming has grown throughout the decades, who plays, how they play and what they play on has shifted.

Among the many games fighting for teens’ attention, one has embedded itself deep into teenage culture: Clash Royale. This mobile game fits perfectly into the quick life of a student on a busy school day, one of the reasons it’s become so popular. Its opening melodic sound is now instantly recognizable, practically engraved into our ears. 

Junior and avid Clash Royale player Mateo Anon has been playing since 2019, when the COVID-19 pandemic started. Anon regularly gets sucked into the loop of Clash Royale. Whether he plays with his friends or against an unknown opponent, Anon enjoys spending any time he can on the app.

“I’ll definitely get distracted, and [sometimes] I’m supposed to be doing other stuff, but instead I’ll play [Clash Royale],” Anon said.

As Clash Royale has gained traction, the game has become a way to spend lunch, passing periods and sometimes even class time, if students can manage to sneak their phones under the table. 

While gaming is used as a fun activity, it is also a way for people to connect online and play together to achieve a like-minded goal.

According to the American Psychology Association, 72 percent of gamers say they play to spend time with friends. On campus, this trend is easy to spot. In a November Bark Survey, 47 percent of students reported that playing with friends is their favorite part of playing video games. Students gather after class to play, talk strategy or simply sit together at a table, each playing on their own phone but all in union. These games can spark competition and teamwork, bringing a sense of community to the gaming world. 

“I also like how you [can] connect with your friends,” Anon said. “When I’m with my friends, I’ll play with them.”

Junior Rhys Terry also enjoys playing with his friends, but finds that it can sometimes impact his normal sleep cycles and everyday life.

“I have had some long nights on video games with my friends that have impacted my sleep, but [the effects are] just in the short term,” Terry said.

While Anon, Terry and other gamers may experience instant satisfaction from opening the Clash Royale app or playing their next favorite game, video games aren’t only made up of victories. According to an article published by Bright Path, a mental and behavioral health program, video games can disrupt sleep cycles, reduce attention spans and affect academic performances. 

For Anon, playing video games is a hobby, and while it does consume lots of free time, it hasn’t yet harmed his sleep or grades in major ways.

“I do postpone my homework, but I think that I don’t postpone it to the [extent] where it’s negatively affecting my grades. I could definitely be more proactive about it [though],” Anon said.

With constant gaming, excessive screen time can be a concern. However, according to a study by a team led by researchers from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China and Macquarie University in Sydney, gamers have increased grey matter in their brains and better brain connectivity. A larger amount of grey matter can lead to improved cognitive control, better emotional regulation and increased eye coordination.

Math and Advanced Placement Research teacher Ernesto Diaz also sees a lot of positives to playing video games, that is, at appropriate times during school and outside of class time with friends.

“Video games are useful for problem-solving techniques, mental development, special development of abstract thought and a number of different things that are important in the twenty-first century,” Diaz said.

Ultimately, gaming, like most hobbies, comes with both positive and negative attributes. It can bring more time to spend with friends and build cognitive skills, while also distracting students from finishing work and even from paying attention in class. The key with these games is to find a healthy medium: Enjoy sitting down and playing with friends, but have the ability to put the phone or controller away when needed.