Disturbing phenomenon of game transfer: When video games spill into reality

Video games have evolved into the most popular form of entertainment worldwide, offering immersive worlds where players can live out complex adventures. However, for some gamers, the virtual worlds they engage with can bleed into their real lives in disturbing ways, leading to a phenomenon known as Game Transfer Phenomenon (GTP), according to recent article by BBC.

Christian Dines, a US-based sustainability advisor, experienced the effects of GTP first-hand. After playing a game for several hours a day, he noticed his hands twitching as if still gripping a controller, even when it was turned off.

He also felt an urge to "collect" objects in his room, similar to how he would collect power-ups in a game. The unsettling experience lasted a few days, leaving Dines with questions about the boundary between reality and the virtual world.

This phenomenon, coined by psychologist Angelica Ortiz de Gortari, occurs when elements of the gaming experience infiltrate the physical world. Ortiz de Gortari, who first studied the phenomenon during her doctoral research, found that while GTP is rare, its effects can be profound and sometimes dangerous.

The condition blurs the lines between the real world and the virtual environment, leading to involuntary actions, altered perceptions, and a sense of confusion. Gamers may find themselves "seeing" game-like health indicators above people's heads or experiencing the world around them through the lens of their game, such as "shooting" at objects in a supermarket.

Ortiz de Gortari’s research has revealed that GTP can have different degrees of impact on gamers. Some experience feelings of embarrassment or confusion, while others face more severe effects, such as irrational behaviour or involuntary physical actions.

Her studies suggest that the increasing realism of modern video games, especially role-playing and first-person shooters, heightens the likelihood of such experiences. Gamers become so immersed in these virtual worlds that their effects can spill over into daily life.

Further studies, including one with 623 gamers in China, revealed that between 82% and 96% of participants reported experiencing some form of GTP. The experience is most common among those who engage in long gaming sessions, typically lasting more than four hours. Ali Farha, a senior game producer and gaming industry commentator, advises that regular breaks and conscious decompression after intense gameplay could reduce the risk of GTP.

However, he notes that the impact of gaming on one's mental state is complex, and many players may struggle to differentiate between the two worlds.

While GTP has yet to result in serious physical harm, experts warn of the potential dangers it poses, especially when players carry game-like impulses into real-world situations. This emerging phenomenon highlights the deepening connection between gamers and the virtual worlds they inhabit, urging a reevaluation of how digital environments affect human cognition and behaviour.

By Aghakazim Guliyev