Perceived Effects of Online Games to the Academic Performances among Students under the College of Business Administration Education at University of Mindanao (UM)

Leynard Bangkulit
Romeo Dimiao
Russel Anthony Junsay

Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
In 1958, the world’s first world computer game, a rudimentary two-player tennis game, was created to entertain visitors on the Brookhaven National Laboratory. Since then, the computer/video game industry has become one the most aggressively growing business sectors in the United States and in the whole world. Obviously, games are emerging as one of the most dominant forms of entertainment. This trend goes further as of the increasing penetration of high speech Internet connection and the declining prices of computers, video-game consoles, and mobile entertainment devices. (Lee, Jin, Park, & Kang, 2005)
As we know, Internet offers many conveniences. As a result it has made many people depend on it. What is worse, a large number of people have become addicted, especially to online game addiction. By2007, the population of online gamers worldwide was about 217 million, approximately 28 percent of the total online population (comScore,2007).In addition, online game addiction is prevalent in many countries, including China, Korea, Vietnam, Japan, U.S., and Canada. In South Korea, 2.4 percent of the population, ages nine to thirty-nine, were believed to be addicted to online games, and over 10 percent could be classified as obsessive gamers. (Faiola, 2006).
Research says effects can be good: reduces stress, improves learning ability, and develops team work. Others oppose by saying negative consequences outweighs the good: violence, aggression, time management problems, and low academic performances. The growing population of computer games and its various effects do not exempt the