With WHO officially recognizing gaming disorder as a behavioral addiction, the stigma surrounding it is slowly fading. But when discussing the matter, we usually picture console or PC gaming, and mobile gaming addiction doesn’t get enough attention.
And that perhaps is a problem because mobile gaming can be far more addictive. Let’s understand why that is so, and learn some tips on how to set up your Android phone to curb your mobile gaming addiction.
It’s Not You, Mobile Games Are Designed to Be Addictive
First, let’s acknowledge that mobile game addiction is a very real thing, and like any addiction, it can cause significant mental, social, and physical health issues if left unchecked.
In fact, unlike console games,mobile games are designed to be addictivewith little to no regard for the player’s health. Why? Because console games come with an upfront fee which means the developer makes money regardless of how long and how often you play the game.
However, mobile games are usually free to download which means the only way for the developer to make money is to keep you playing for as long as possible to increase the chances of you buying in-game items via microtransactions.
This business model is so effective that many believemobile gaming is the future. In fact, an increasing number of console games today are switching to microtransactions as well.
Although there are somefree mobile games without in-app purchases, most of them follow this model because people don’t like paying upfront for mobile games. And it’s not something you may change. What you can change, however, is your gaming habits.
Here are some tips to curb your mobile gaming addiction.
1. Disable App Notifications
Part of the reason why you might feel the urge to game can be the notifications you get about them. As we learned above, this isn’t an accident. Notifications from mobile games are designed to create a sense of urgency and spark the fear of missing out.
Perhaps a special event is going to start soon, maybe your kingdom is being raided, or the loot box you won has finally been unlocked after waiting for hours. All of these are strategies to keep making you come back and jump into the game as often as possible.
So, as simple as it sounds,disabling irrelevant app notificationsfrom your games can help you avoid that impulse and only play when you decide so for yourself in your free time.
2. Set an App Timer
One of the easiest ways to work on your mobile gaming addiction is toset up an app timerfor your games. Once set, your phone will track how much time you spend on each app and as soon as the timer is up, the app will be deactivated.
To set an app timer, go to your deviceSettings > Digital Wellbeing & parental controls > Dashboardand tap the hourglass icon for your desired app. Set a timer and tapOK.
Of course, you can always reconfigure the timer, but if you do that too often, it defeats the purpose of setting an app timer in the first place.
3. Hide Games From Your Home Screen and App Drawer
The Home screen is the first thing you see after unlocking your phone, and if you have your games added to it, they are naturally going to be harder to resist. So, to make your games a little less accessible, removing them from the Home screen can help.
If that’s not enough, you should hide them from the app drawer too. Keep in mind that this feature isn’t native to Android and may not be available on your particular device.
That said, to hide games on your Samsung phone, go toSettings > Home screen > Hide apps. Now, select all the games you play and tapDoneto finish. All the games you selected will now cease to appear from the Home and Apps screen.
If you want to access a game, you can do so by searching the name of the app on the Apps screen or by temporarily unhiding it. What this does is create some resistance between you and the game since you’re not as likely to want to bother jumping through hoops to play it.
4. Change the App Icon to a Generic Image
If hiding the app is not an option, you can also mitigate the urge to play by changing its app icon to a generic image. This tip is a bit unconventional, but it’s surprisingly effective.
The idea here is to make the app look such that it doesn’t stand out against all the other apps in the app drawer. you’re able to learn how tocustomize app icons on Androidif you’re interested.
5. Turn Your Display to Grayscale
Similar to changing app icons,turning your screen black and whitewould make it less visually stimulating, making you less likely to want to play. To do this, go toSettings > Accessibility > Visibility enhancements > Color correction, tapGrayscale, and toggle the feature on.
6. Make Gaming a Reward for Completing a Task
Mobile games are addictive, but you can use that to your advantage. Instead of treating gaming as a recreational activity, you should treat it as a reward for completing a task.
For instance, you may reward yourself with 15–30 minutes of gameplay for completing a task that took, say, three to four hours. That way, the game becomes a motivation instead of an addiction and pushes you to be more productive.
7. Shift Your Games to a Different Device
Console or PC gamingrequires a dedicated device and is meant to be played indoors at a designated spot. Because your phone is so portable and always with you, it makes you more likely to play mobile games wherever you are. So, it can help to move all your mobile games to a different device such as an Android tablet or spare phone, or even a dedicated mobile gaming system like a Nintendo Switch.
Curb Your Mobile Gaming Addiction
Simply deleting your mobile games is not realistic advice since no gamer would want to lose all their in-game progress. However, the tips listed above can help you slowly curb your mobile gaming addiction and find a healthy balance. That said, you will still need to work on building self-control for the tips to really succeed.
