Online game and communities are skyrocketing in escapism day by day as many people tend to create communication via gaming platforms and find a kind of comfort zone and as we all know the gaming world has become the new escape for many people. It is seen that most kids spend their free time on these platforms and play within a group online; “Fortnite’s most popular mode is its standalone free-to-play multiplayer platform, Fortnite Battle Royale, in which up to 100 players enter an online game, competing individually or as part of squads of up to four, to be the last player standing within an ever-decreasing battle arena.” (Parent zone, 2019). Many children actually find their happiness and their imaginary world, specially while playing this game and they tend to escape from the reality. Escapism in an online game and community world can be define for various causes and nowadays it is an disadvantage for people to escape as it is a way of finding their “real world” or happiness. Children are rarely seen in society playing offline community games such as marbles or hide and seek as they are busy playing on their phones or tablets. This increase the rate of escapism as many players are in their own gaming world. For some people it is an art to escape from the reality, as the group of people they communicate with are the real-world community. There is a point to consider while escaping the real world, it’s that gamers tend to develop another character within themselves as they interact with hundreds of people and they thus escape their own responsibility as a citizen or as a family member. This leads to the a large figure of understanding and non-understanding in the society.

Various platforms have been created for people to communicate with each other but now many teenagers of this generation are more likely to buy a console either Playstation or Nitendo, just to be in touch on an online community with their friend while playing. “As technology continues to advance, so does the ways in which we can “get away” from our lives. Television, movies, video games, e-mails and smart phones are just a few of the ways people are able to escape their everyday lives and waste time. Combine that with an every growing lethargic population and you realize this is a dangerous situation that is only getting worse.” (Axel Page, 2014). The game which is trending with online community and diverse season releasing each month is Fortnite and PubG. Multi-players can play in distance or even in different countries but yet communicating with each other.

However, this game has allowed many teenagers to find an escapism and to communicate freely with their friends or even strangers. While escaping the reality, they tend to also escape their responsibility. Due to lack of integration and complexes, it has played a major role in the society as well as personality where this is complete two different dimension.“ Whether it is watching hours of television, drinking until all feeling is lost, or experiencing “your best fake life now” on a computer game, these are all means of numbing ourselves to the very real pain and brokenness of the real world.” (Andrew Hebert, 2018); this is to explain that society has an impact on a person life and this is how this may change in a sudden and this is due to people bullying other about the complexes. Complexes on the other hand can an overload of shyness or of the personality or looks. Looks can be a reason why people want to be introvert and escape from the reality.

A shy person is more likely to feel at ease on an online platform as they want to open up behind the screen and without being seen in person. Somehow people tend to fake their identity and even their profile image. Avatar is a great tool for them to hide themselves and play online and there are many issues that come along such as online assaulting or even being reported from a game.

Since many people are using escapism as a tool, Steven Knight has used it in his movies to prove that a little boy escapes the world to find his own peace of mind or comfort zone by creating his reality by playing a game. Due to his excessive anger he had for his step-father, he could only retain himself by playing games. His pain and sorrow was kept in his room that he turns out to be a gaming world. “Serenity seeks to depict the blurred the lines between technology and real life. In the original rules created by Patrick, no one dies. This game is his safe haven — free of violence and harm. But, as the situation escalates in real life in Miami, Patrick changes the rules (much to the chagrin of Mr. The Rules). As the programmer, he allows Baker to sacrifice Justice… for justice. Get it? Eventually, we find out why so much of the movie features flashes between a young boy glued to his computer screen typing code, and the crystal clear blue waters rippling on the shores of fake Plymouth Island” (Morgan Baila, 2019). Players who are part of this escapism circle are influencing other players who lack integration to play and join the same world which they see as a reality.

Moreover, it is important to consider that there is another type of players such as the geeks who plays normal games based on movies such as Games of Thrones or board games. They create a profile and communicate with other geeks. They tend to compare the real world and the virtual world where they escape themselves. Some geeks even create their own gaming platforms and allow other member to join the platforms. “Geek on this one-of-a-kind national show – bringing his dynamic personality and unique perspective as the owner of the L.A.” (Todd Bishop, 2018). These persons are highly involve in visual and world connectivity and therefore they have access on universal gaming platform due to the research skill they have and spend their free time playing.

Another game which is trending is the PUBG (PlayerUnknown BattleGround) and has also been rated as the ten most addictive game. It can be played on mobile phones and computers as well. It is important to mention that PUBG is an age-rated game and consists of severe violence and due to many teenagers under-age who create fake identity or with the help of elders, they still purchase or get the game. The impact that is caused can fatale as players tend to react violently like the characters in the game. “That’s a short explanation of what the game is, but if you’ve been curious about why it’s so popular or confused by some aspects of this phenomena, this is a great place to start. Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds is a strange and idiosyncratic game, but it’s not an overnight success and there’s a reason it blew up in the way it has. at least one Twitch streamer — skydives onto an island where you look for weapons and equipment that is then used to kill everyone else.” (Ben Kuchera,2017)

“Henceforth, violence and character in game has inspired many players to react as the same in the real life and community.” (preston, 2008). Being obsessed in their own gaming world, they can start dressing up as their favorite gaming character as well as being so violent. Most games contain strong language or nudity or even strong violence nowadays and player can get a gaming disorder or tend to imitate without really thinking that they been absorb by this gaming hole or in another word, escape the reality. “The World Health Organization recently decided to add “gaming disorder” to its official list of mental health conditions, stating that gaming behavior could qualify as problematic if it interferes significantly in other areas of people’s lives. Some people have also suggested there are links between playing video games and violent behavior, especially in the wake of tragic events like the school shooting in Parkland, Florida.” (Kevin Loria, 2018). This event happened in 2018 and it was a young student who was the assailant and did the massive shooting attack in a school and all this due to; “Their games of Halo” sometimes ended with Nik screaming uncontrollably, punching doors and stabbing seat cushions until their mom called the police.” (Jessica Contrera, 2019)

Gamification plays an important role in online game and community as while playing, there are rewards that are being awarded after levels played. “Gamification is easy. It offers simple, repeatable approaches in which benefit, honor, and aesthetics are less important than facility.” (Ian Bogost, 2011). by these facilities it encourages players to play and win levels in order to go the next step. Therefore, these persons know no other places apart from their room and their tablets, phones or console. This situation is not only affecting young players but adults as well. They develop that fantasy in a way that nobody can’t say a word to them, not even their wives or girlfriends and this is having a huge impact in their relationship and the society. According to the psychologist Jess Hardiman, “The report found that 23 percent of adults – nearly one in four – said they had not had sex in the past year, with a large number of them being ’20-something men’,” (Jess Hardiman, 2019). This is radically taking people’s time and breaking a whole bond around a group of people.

Responsibilities were being forgotten and this created lots of conflict as most of the players neglected the real world and the families or even studies. World of Warcraft is a game of limitless adventure that makes players play more and more. Many people became fan of the game and started playing non-stop. “Every moment of free time I had, from the time I woke up to the time I went to bed, I spent sitting at my desk playing World of Warcraft. I would ignore responsibilities, flake out on friends, and sometimes even skip meals just because I didn’t want to step away from the screen. This was my life, on and off, for about four years. The game sucked me in entirely, allowing me to ignore real life and experience a different world.” (Ethan Gilsdorf, 2009). This shows the addiction rate a person has on this game. The question is, “how many people actually get addicted to it around the world?”. There has been reporting issues and fake account created online to annoy other players and from these events, many players have given up this game and played another game. But this doesn’t prevent them to get back to their own world of gaming world or simply escape from the reality.

Adding to this conclusion, this have explained how escapism isn’t healthy to the many people and especially people who doesn’t play as they are the most affected one by being neglected by the one they love and live with. This situation keeps on growing and new games are trending with online community and things are not about to get fixed very shortly. Many people have tried to help these players who are in the dark side, but this can end up in a successful way as well as a conflict. Players become dependent of online games and this is rising abruptly where this is causing gaming mental issues. These mental issues are creating real fights which leading to school shooting attack or recently at New Zealand, there was a murder attacks which killed 50 people and video that has been shown can clearly be seen that the suspect is acting just like the players in game. Driving on people, having no pity to shoot on people walking on the streets. Escapism is increasing and the dark phase is increasing as well and the more antisocial people there is, the more conflicts will happen. It is very important for players to play within a time limit to prevent those mishap and since few games has introduced the time limit while playing, this might help as a control to players who are addicted. Escapism encourage player to create another self within the player itself and this is how thing start and discourage these people to escape themselves in things that are good, such are reading or socializing with a person or more.