Gaming Behaviour Ladder
This activity considers the scale of risky gaming behaviour when purchasing in-game items in video/mobile games. It provides the opportunity to discuss the differences in behaviours among gamers and illustrates how spending money on in-game items can be harmful but should be considered on a continuum, not simply placed
into categories.
Time:
10-15min
Materials to print:
Gaming Behaviour Ladder cards
Method
- Provide the group with a set of Gaming Behaviour Ladder cards.
- Ask the group to put the character cards in order from what they consider the least risky behaviour to the most. Emphasise that there is no right or wrong answer.
- Go through the order they have chosen, starting from the least risky, asking participants to justify their answers. Discuss what factors they considered and why they think some behaviours are riskier than others.
- Encourage discussion about the reasons young people spend money in games and with what money. Discuss at what point each of these behaviours would become harmful if it is not already.
Alternative options:
If it’s a big group, you could divide it into teams and use multiple sets of cards. You could give 1 card to each person and then ask the group to stand up forming a line to visualise where they would place each example.
Possible Follow-Up Activity:
- Place each card around the room.
- In pairs or small groups, as the participants to write a relevant harm reduction tip on a post-it note and stick it to the card it relates to.
- Ask the group to share and discuss the tips they came up with and suggest any tips they may not have considered..