Oliver, 14, has spent over one thousand- eight hundred hours on playing video games. Most see this as an addiction to screens, but he sees it as being as a new opportunity.

 

How did you start playing video games for so long?

“Well, it was mostly through friends, just hanging around and trying to fit into a group, so I just joined, playing every single afternoon just having fun. Doing it for so long is all about the mentality going into a game, when you lose in a game, your mentality goes down, but when you win your mentality goes up and want to keep playing and the game gets more enjoyable and that’s how I keep playing for so long. And it’s also about having a social group around you who keep you up and keep you going.”

 

Are you addicted to video games?

“No. Straight up no. It’s not that I’m addicted I just enjoy it a lot. It has become more of a hobby than an addiction. I’ve been playing video games for so long since I was about ten years old, and I have amassed 1,800 hours meaning I have an average of two-three hours of gaming every day. I can maintain a healthy way of living while still having fun in gaming with self-control. If it goes out of control it becomes an addiction.”

 

How will video games affect your future?

“There’s competitive gaming as a career. There’s streaming as a career. It’s always something I can come back to and have fun while making a living. The only thing that I think gaming can do to my lifestyle is that it can make my life better. Whenever, you find out news things you get excited, and have new experiences and you meet new people. Gaming can sometimes have negative connotations, but it is true that far too much gaming isn’t good. If you play it to have fun on a regular basis then it gives you a joy you can’t find anywhere else”