Online games nowadays are heavily influenced by urban life, as seen in open-world games like Grand Theft Auto. In games like these, characters can drive vehicles, buy clothes, play Rummy, and so on.
Nowadays, with the recent advancements in technology, you can even find characters owning homes, cars, and even pets, like in GTA V. All of these things go on to show how deeply real-life urban settings have influenced online games.
But why exactly are these games so popular? And why do people who live in cities often play them, despite living in the same environments? Let’s explore all these aspects and more below.
Table of Contents
Who Are Urban Gamers?
Urban gamers, simply, are people who live in metropolises all over the world, and love playing video games. They are generally young people, ranging from teenagers over fifteen to adults under twenty-five.
These people are also more tech-savvy and play video games on mobile phones and PCs across various categories.
Some of these include:
- Role Playing Games like Skyrim
- Mobile Online Battlefield Arena games like Dota 2
- Tactical FPS games like Valorant
- Card games like Rummy on Rummy app
- Simulation games like Sims
You will also find that urban gamers prefer these games since they involve multiplayer elements, competitive formats, and shorter gameplay sessions. Let’s now study the factors that influence urban gamers to play urban-life inspired games.
How Does City Life Influence Gaming Behavior?
There are several reasons why people who live in cities often play video games. Some of these include:
- Reduced attention spans
- Lack of opportunities to meet new people
- A wish to see their city through a new lens
- Have harmless fun in a familiar environment
Let’s explore them in greater detail below.
Short Attention Spans, Shorter Games
Teenagers and adults have an active attention span of less than 9 seconds. This decreased attention span is caused due to:
- Excessive smartphone and digital device usage
- Hectic work schedule, as seen in the 40 to 50 hours work weeks
Adults also have to cater to domestic responsibilities at home and take care of their family and loved ones. That’s why they prefer short-duration games with good in-game rewards.
Some examples include mobile games or apps like:
- Clash Royale
- Rummy apps like A23
- Call of Duty Mobile
Examples of PC games include:
- PUBG Lite
- Valorant
- Counter Strike 2
These games involve short matches lasting between 20-40 minutes.
Social and Competitive Play
Urban gamers also enjoy competing against their friends and other players around the world, as evidenced by the 1 billion-plus gamers who love shooter games. These games often have ranking and leaderboard features, which enhance the competitive element.
Leaderboards simply refer to tables that display details about the players, their origin countries, and their global or localised rank.
Players often seek to reach the top rank on these leaderboards to either become well-known or fulfil personal goals. They often feel motivated when they can see their progress.
Apart from that, leaderboards help players become responsible towards their team, since their individual scores can affect their team. Having a leaderboard also ensures that gamers keep improving their performance and don’t become complacent.
Location-Based Gaming Thrives
Urban gamers also enjoy playing games that let them interact with their existing environment in a new way, like Pokémon GO. This game utilises both its in-game elements as well as integration of Augmented Reality features.
Players sign in, create an account, and then explore the city around them by following a virtual map that mimics the roads of the city to a certain extent. The map then sends alerts to the players when a Pokémon is nearby.
Players can then “capture” the Pokémon by tapping the Pokéball on their phone, which appears as a moving button, in the lower central half of the phone. They can also compete with other players in virtual “gyms”, which are usually locations in the city they have to travel to.
What Are Some Examples of Urban Culture Reflected in Games?
On average, if you live in an urban setting, you’re exposed to graffiti, street art, a vibrant nightlife, public transport, and an underground culture as well. These aspects find their way into games in more ways than one, as seen below.
| Game | Game | Game | |
| GTA V | Watch Dogs | Cyberpunk 2077 | |
| Developed By | Rockstar Games | Ubisoft | CD Projekt Red |
| City Inspiration | Los Angeles | Chicago | San Francisco, Los Angeles, Singapore, São Paulo, Beijing , Tokyo |
| Cultural Aspects Integrated | Streetlife, Crime, Music, Lifestyle | Surveillance, Public Transportation systems, Hacking | Internet restrictions, Identity or security theft, Hacking |
Challenges of Urban Gaming
<Alt Text: A professional unable to handle stress at work due to excessive gaming>
As with everything else, urban gaming is not without its pitfalls. Some of them are:
Addiction and Escapism
Due to the nature of the urban world-inspired games, players often tend to get addicted to them. They seek to escape the difficulties of everyday life by achieving virtual objectives or victories. Their addiction also leads to changes in their sleep cycle and sanity.
For instance, over two years ago, a teenager had to be sent for treatment due to his PUBG addiction. On the other hand, some people excessively play Rummy which leads them to make financially irresponsible decisions.
Dependence on Network Connection
Modern games invariably depend on a strong or stable internet connection for a smooth experience.
However, not all areas within a city have the same bandwidth. This is due to the low network speed of some network providers or an increase in the number of people using that Wi-Fi.
The unstable network often leads to unintended auto-exits for the player or an extremely laggy experience.
Negative Mental Health
Since gamers cannot win every time, this leads to depression, anxiety, and other issues. Apart from that, gaming excessively can also lead to social isolation and poor academic or professional performance.
This leads to reduced mental health, as:
- A non-existent social or familial life leads to loneliness
- Poor professional or academic performance leads to mental pressure.
Wrapping Up
On the whole, urban-inspired games are quite engaging, since they help people enjoy their city in a new way. Players can enjoy playing against other gamers, and winning rewards, such as when they play Rummy.
However, while gaming is fun, as an urban gamer, you should strike a balance between gaming and real life. Not doing so can lead to negative effects on your life. Happy gaming!
