ABSTRACT
With video games being so popular, there are concerns that they can have a detrimental impact on players, especially children. Many alarming claims are made about the potential dangers of video games, but they are not always supported by evidence or are heavily debated within the scientific community. This chapter proposes to explain some of the main research exploring the potential negative sides of videogame play, such as violence and pathological gaming. It also explores its potential impact on school performance and sleep. Video games are not a homogeneous category, and this chapter strives to shed some light on which specific games and, more importantly, what game play context can potentially be problematic. Overall, more research is needed to better understand how precisely video games impact players’ well-being and behavior.
