I tried the new battlefield game and it’s bizarre how some of my friends play it. There’s this expansive battle pass (pay $20/quarter for access, on top of $70 base game) where you’re given tasks in game to make progress towards cosmetics. My friends only play to complete these tasks - the actual combat gameplay loop almost feels secondary to their enjoyment of the game. The modern trend of games becoming chore simulators is worrisome to me because -call me old fashioned- I believe the core gameplay loop should be fun and addictive, not the progression scaffolded on, even if that gameplay loops is a little “distasteful” like GTA.

Violent video games might not have impacted society, but what about addictive social media and addictive online games?

What about the algorithm feeding highly polarized content to folks? It's the new "lead in the air and water" of our generation.

What about green text bubble peer pressure? Fortnite and Roblox FOMO? The billion anime Gatcha games that are exceedingly popular? Whale hunting? Kids are being bullied and industrially engineered into spending money they shouldn't.

Raising kids on iPads, shortened attention spans, social media induced depression and suicide, lack of socialization, inattention in schools, ...

Social media leading people to believe everyone is having more fun than them, is better looking than them, that society is the source of their problems, ...

Now the creepy AI sex bots are replacing real friends.

When you’re murdering hookers in GTA, you know what you’re doing (engaging in a fictional activity). Kids who believe “AI” is their friend don’t.