How Game Developers May Be Using Psychology to Keep Kids Playing Video Games

Some of the top-grossing video games may be targeting children with their addictive designs, offering no warning labels for parents.

A growing number of parents are filing lawsuits against the makers of popular video games like Roblox, Fortnite, Minecraft, Call of Duty, and others, accusing them of intentionally designing their games to be highly addictive—especially to children.

Features such as reward loops, social competitions, and in-game purchases were designed to keep kids wanting more. These features trigger a surge of dopamine, which may lead to video game addiction in children. And while it’s no surprise that children gravitate to games like Minecraft, where they can build and create imaginative worlds all their own—and play with their friends—what keeps them hooked is the uncontrollable urge to chase that feel-good sensation. This pattern may not be accidental, as many parents have filed lawsuits claiming that makers of popular video games intentionally designed these games to be addictive.

The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that children are spending an average of seven hours daily on screens. Much of this screen time is spent on video games. Excessive gaming has been linked to various mental health issues in children and adolescents. In 2020, a six-year study was published on the effects of video game addiction on teens. Researchers found that over a period of six years, 10% of the teens studied exhibited pathological video gaming behavior that got worse as the study progressed. As this subset of gamers aged into young adulthood, they experienced higher levels of depression, anxiety, aggression, and problematic cell phone use. Gaming addiction has also been associated with increased levels of social isolation and other behavioral changes.

In response to concerns about the addictive nature of certain video games, some parents and caregivers are taking legal actions against game developers. These lawsuits allege that companies like Roblox Corp., Epic Games (Fortnite), and Microsoft/Mojang Studios (Minecraft) intentionally designed their games to be addictive, thereby causing harm to minors.

These lawsuits claim that the developers use psychological techniques to trigger dopamine-driven feedback loops, making young players crave more playtime. A child’s lack of impulse control and sense of identity also plays into the addictive spiraling. But when the stimulation kids crave from video games begins to dominate a child's life—disrupting sleep, school, relationships—it’s time to take action.

If you believe your child is addicted to video games you may be eligible to file a lawsuit on their behalf.