Studies reveal that the video game industry is fast displacing the mainstream media industry both with regard to audience and revenue (Williams 41). Despite its growing role in the entertainment industry and its contribution to the global economy, there are conflicting views regarding the impact of video games on society. On one hand, some scholars argue that video games play an instrumental role among people dealing with difficult situations in life through helping them get relief from stress. On the other hand, those who oppose video games argue that they are addictive and promote negative vices such as violence and distress. This paper considers two sources that present conflicting views regarding the impact of video games in society, and analyses how the author(s) of each sources argue and represent their arguments in support or opposition to video games. Notably, despite gaining negative attention among its opponent who spread fear that they are addictive, there are cases where video games have a positive impact on society.
研究表明，视频游戏行业在受众和收入方面正在迅速取代主流媒体行业（Williams 41）。尽管电子游戏在娱乐业中的作用越来越大，对全球经济的贡献也越来越大，但对于电子游戏对社会的影响，存在着相互矛盾的观点。一方面，一些学者认为，电子游戏通过帮助人们缓解压力，在人们处理生活中的困难处境时发挥着重要作用。另一方面，那些反对电子游戏的人争辩说，电子游戏容易上瘾，会助长暴力和痛苦等负面恶习。本文考虑了关于电子游戏在社会中的影响的两个相互矛盾的观点来源，并分析了每一来源的作者如何论证和陈述他们支持或反对电子游戏的观点。值得注意的是，尽管在传播对游戏成瘾的恐惧的对手中获得了负面关注，但在某些情况下，视频游戏对社会产生了积极影响。
One of the sources that this paper examines that has extensively covered the positive side of video games in society is the article, Video games and mental health: ‘Nobody's properly talking’ by Alysia Judge, which was published on the BBC websites on July 14, 2018. To begin with, Alysia employs emotional appeal as a way to persuade her target audience on her position that video games are helps, and as such, manages to contradict the notion that video games have a negative impact on society. To begin with, Alysia persuasive appeal in her article as a way to convince the audience that indeed video games have a positive impact on society. For instance, she uses logos to appeal to her audience who could be interested in evidence that indicated that video games are beneficial to the society. Researchers and scholars observe that the use of logos in persuasive appeal focuses on appealing to reason mainly with rationality, facts and evidence (Higgins and Walker 198). Speaking from this point of view, there is a need to observe that Alysia appeals to logos by providing evidence on the positive impacts of video games from people who have experience in the video game industry either as researchers or video game producers. For example, Alysia notes that in a research that was conducted by Andy Przybylski, an Oxford University’s Internet Institute director, it was established that only 0.3 percent of video game players might get addicted to these games. Similarly, Alysia cites Laura Kate Dale from Kotaku UK, a gaming website, who reiterates that video games provides a platform for storytelling, thus enabling them address different themes on issues that affect the society such as mental health and suicide. Note that by citing evidence from people in different positions in society, Alysia seeks to appeal to the intellect of her audience and as such, prove that video games have a positive impact on society.
本文调查的其中一个广泛涵盖了电子游戏在社会中的积极一面的来源是由Alysia Judge撰写的文章《电子游戏与心理健康：没人说话正常》，该文章于2018年7月14日在BBC网站上发表。首先，Alysia利用情感诉求来说服目标受众，让他们相信电子游戏是有帮助的，因此，她成功地反驳了电子游戏对社会有负面影响的观点。首先，Alysia在她的文章中具有说服力的吸引力，以使观众相信电子游戏确实对社会有积极的影响。例如，她使用徽标吸引观众，他们可能对表明电子游戏有益于社会的证据感兴趣。研究人员和学者们观察到，在说服性诉求中使用逻各斯的重点是诉诸理性，主要是理性、事实和证据（希金斯和沃克198）。从这个角度讲，需要注意的是，Alysia通过提供证据证明视频游戏的积极影响，吸引了在视频游戏行业有经验的研究人员或视频游戏制作人。例如，艾丽西亚指出，牛津大学互联网研究所所长安迪·普兹比尔斯基（Andy Przybylski）进行的一项研究表明，只有0.3%的视频游戏玩家可能会对这些游戏上瘾。类似地，Alysia引用了游戏网站Kotaku UK的劳拉·凯特·戴尔（Laura Kate Dale）的话，她重申视频游戏提供了一个讲故事的平台，从而使他们能够在影响社会的问题上处理不同的主题，如心理健康和自杀。请注意，通过引用社会上处于不同地位的人的证据，Alysia试图吸引观众的智慧，从而证明电子游戏对社会有积极的影响。