antigaming

Antigaming is a broad term used to describe attitudes, movements, or discourses that oppose or critique video gaming and gaming culture. It can refer to personal choices to abstain from games, organized campaigns against gaming, or scholarly and journalistic critiques of gaming's social effects. The term is not a single ideology but a label applied in different contexts: some individuals adopt antigaming as a lifestyle choice to reduce screen time; others advocate for policies to limit gaming's influence through parental controls, age ratings, or school-based programs. In academic and public discourse, antigaming is often discussed as part of moral panic about technology, concerns about addiction, violence, or social isolation, and as a counter-narrative to the mainstream celebration of gaming as entertainment and social participation.

It contrasts with pro-gaming or gaming-positive perspectives that emphasize cognitive benefits, community, creativity, and economic value of the video game industry. Scholars note that antigaming arguments can oversimplify evidence on effects, or overlook positive uses of games such as education, social connection, and skill development. Critics of antigaming argue that the responses can stigmatize players and distract from broader social or commercial factors like marketing practices and accessibility.

In policy and media, antigaming rhetoric sometimes call for stricter regulation of games, shorter screen-time guidelines, or warnings about digital well-being. Since gaming spans a wide range of genres and audiences, antigaming positions vary from narrow calls for moderation to broader anti-commercial or anti-entertainment stances. The term remains contested and is rarely used as a formal movement with a unified platform.