It seems that people who play games for extended hours are starting to suffer from auditory hallucinations after the fact. Yes, gamers are prone to hearing things – and there’s been a whole study about the phenomena.
According to new research from Nottingham Trent University’s International Gaming Research Unit, players will often hear sounds – like explosions, gunfire, screams and Mario going “Yahooo!” – from games long after they’ve stopped playing them.
The whole thing’s called “game transfer phenomena,” and its the same psychological effect that causes players to see bits of games when they close their eyes. Games like Tetris are notorious for this, and I have memories of a NES game called Flipull causing me to see things in the back of my eyelids. This is the first the the effect has been analysed when it comes to auditory hallucinations.
The whole study, however, was built around anecdotal evidence, making it very nearly useless. For the study, the Nottingham Trent team visited games forums ands sites and polled 1244 gamers about their experiences with game transfer phenomena. 12 per cent of respondents claim to have heard video game sounds outside of a video game environment.
“There were lots of examples of players hearing the game music, in the same way as you continue to hear music in your head when you’ve stopped listening,” said psychology researcher and study lead Angelica Ortiz De Gortari “Some players heard voices, some heard game sounds. Often it happens when you’re trying to fall asleep – players would look for their computer or console because they thought they’d left the game on
De Gortari theorises that it’s all bout how the brain assigns sensory inputs.
These sounds have a meaning, a purpose in the video games – and their meaning affects how players can respond in real life,” she said. “Players hear the sound in their head or ears, or they externalise it. The research tells us about how the brain forms associations, and how easily they can be confused. It shows a lack of control over auditory experiences – they can be disturbing, annoying or even funny.”
It’s poor research on the whole, but it does bring up an interesting point of conversation. Have you heard video game sounds outside of the world of videogames? Do you hear Mario’s coins, or Clickers ticking when you’re having your morning coffee?
[Thanks to Soulless_Ginger for the tip]Last Updated: July 31, 2014
Anon A Mouse
July 31, 2014 at 13:33
I have video game ringtones. Does that count?
Kensei Seraph
July 31, 2014 at 13:56
I’ve got part of the soundtrack from FFVIII in the playlist I listen to at work. Does that count?
Anon A Mouse
July 31, 2014 at 13:35
Soulless_Ginger ~ isn’t that a double negative?
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
July 31, 2014 at 13:36
It was actually Rince. I think he’s a triple negative.
Anon A Mouse
July 31, 2014 at 13:39
Somehow I thought it might be Rince so you are correct.
Sith JJ
July 31, 2014 at 13:54
Poor Rince, he’s sitting reading this, thinking: What have I done to deserve this? Why should I be picked on?
And then he continues to water the stones in his garden.
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 31, 2014 at 13:57
Can you imagine what that feels like? Must be horrible.
Sith JJ
July 31, 2014 at 13:58
I can actually.
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 31, 2014 at 14:00
😀
Sith JJ
July 31, 2014 at 14:01
Still deserves comment of the week imo.
Rince&pop
July 31, 2014 at 14:29
Not in mine 😛 How’s that mannequin?
Sith JJ
July 31, 2014 at 14:30
Shorter than me, so quite creepy (and yes, I did look back)
Rince&pop
July 31, 2014 at 14:32
Good, because it’s just moved its head to get a better look at its target…http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130513201610/silent/images/b/be/The_Mannequin_Monster_awakes.gif
Sith JJ
July 31, 2014 at 14:33
Holy f*#k dude! Where is that from?
Rince&pop
July 31, 2014 at 14:33
I think Silent Hill movie?
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 31, 2014 at 14:35
Family photo.
Lord Chaos
July 31, 2014 at 14:35
That… is awesome
Rince&pop
July 31, 2014 at 14:38
yeah, pretty messed up! And to think it’s sitting behind @johnambitious:disqus right now http://37.media.tumblr.com/824a98856b760d1cabfa348d5d250c30/tumblr_msbzixpYfH1sf7zyvo1_500.gif
Lord Chaos
July 31, 2014 at 14:40
I need to get me a big ass digital picture frame for the living room playing this.
Rince&pop
July 31, 2014 at 14:44
Hahah! Man, that would be frigging brilliant!
Sith JJ
July 31, 2014 at 14:41
STOOOP IIIIIIT!!!!
Rince&pop
July 31, 2014 at 14:45
Okay! http://37.media.tumblr.com/e3faccded630cab926afdfef4ae45aa9/tumblr_mkdj7uOVe01qli1dto2_r1_400.gif
Lord Chaos
July 31, 2014 at 15:18
It’s so cute when they’re scared.
Anon A Mouse
July 31, 2014 at 13:59
You need a soul to have feels. The best he will be able to do is sigh.
Rince&pop
July 31, 2014 at 14:34
Yeah, after kicking you in the FACE!
Sith JJ
July 31, 2014 at 14:35
It already looks like someone kicked me in the face, so I’ll just stand back.
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 31, 2014 at 14:40
That’s not the sole you’re looking for.
Rince&pop
July 31, 2014 at 14:42
Nope, but it’s the one I’m willing to give 😉
Rince&pop
July 31, 2014 at 14:26
You leave my stones alone! 0-O
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 31, 2014 at 13:44
Pretty obvious really. Most gingers do have souls because they steal them from others, he can’t even do that. 😉
Admiral Chief Dovahkiin
July 31, 2014 at 14:07
LOOOOL
Rince&pop
July 31, 2014 at 14:26
Oh yeah, had a check up lately have you?
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 31, 2014 at 14:34
Yes, it’s still black & I hate you. Why?
Rince&pop
July 31, 2014 at 14:36
Was ‘concerned’.
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 31, 2014 at 14:39
Still attempting human emotions are we? That’s adorable!
Sith JJ
July 31, 2014 at 14:40
Coming from an Alien that’s rich.
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 31, 2014 at 14:42
*move JJ a few places up the HUGS list*
Sith JJ
July 31, 2014 at 14:43
O_O
Rince&pop
July 31, 2014 at 14:41
Only for the especially in need
Hammersteyn
July 31, 2014 at 13:48
HL3 confirmed
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 31, 2014 at 13:40
Did they also ask the respondents how much acid they took beforehand?
Kikmi
July 31, 2014 at 13:43
THANKS GEOFF. ITS ONLY TLOU RELEASING TOMORROW. FUCK YOU BUDDY. FUCK YOU.
Kikmi
July 31, 2014 at 13:44
I dont really suffer from the pseudo auditory hallucinations, but I remember when playing Dota 2 non stop for months, I would have flashes of games everytime i closed my eyes for sleep. Fucked me up properly.
SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI 4
July 31, 2014 at 13:46
Actually I do hear things…Its not as extreme as it sounds. But there were times I would hear the voices of VG characters for no apparent reason. I remember when I played MGS 1 back in the day, I would hear SNAKE? SNAAKE? SNAAAAAAAAKE? while sitting on the loo
Hammersteyn
July 31, 2014 at 13:47
Let go of your Snake then O_o
SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI 4
July 31, 2014 at 13:48
Its pretty difficult letting go of Solid Snake. Its quite painful
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 31, 2014 at 13:52
Tantra, bro.
Matthew Holliday
July 31, 2014 at 13:46
I am forever thinking my cellphone is ringing.
uh, yeah, thats about it.
Hammersteyn
July 31, 2014 at 13:46
Change the ringtone
Hammersteyn
July 31, 2014 at 13:47
Every now and then I hear an Owl call my name …
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 31, 2014 at 13:48
I actually suffer from the complete opposite problem when playing games. I tend not to hear things like “don’t you want to mow the lawn?” or “would you mind taking me to the shop?”.
Hammersteyn
July 31, 2014 at 13:50
Tell them you will take them to the shop after they mow the lawn
Brady miaau
July 31, 2014 at 14:18
Single, are we? 🙂
Hammersteyn
July 31, 2014 at 14:23
I have a cat…….
*Checks profile for the fourth time on love to meet today
Lord Chaos
July 31, 2014 at 14:25
You lose some zeros? 😛
Hammersteyn
July 31, 2014 at 14:30
Hehehe
Sith JJ
July 31, 2014 at 14:28
I tell people I have a dog when they ask me whether I have children. Apparently it’s not the same thing.
Lord Chaos
July 31, 2014 at 14:30
“ask we whether”, I think one of your voices may have had one too many…
Sith JJ
July 31, 2014 at 14:30
LOL….fixing it now…
Hammersteyn
July 31, 2014 at 14:31
I’m Jacks broken heart.
Brady miaau
July 31, 2014 at 14:36
I know, trust me. When my wife started discussing having a child, I bought a copy of Cat Fancy to look up breeders.
Sense of humour failure was instant
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 31, 2014 at 14:39
bwhahahaha
Sith JJ
July 31, 2014 at 14:42
Hahahahaha
Brady miaau
July 31, 2014 at 14:35
Ah yes, I always had several cats.
Wife was not happy with one of them when we got married, cause this cat would moan at my wife after I left for work or something. Like it was her fault.Took two years before this cat would sit near my wife or anything. But then all was ok
Hammersteyn
July 31, 2014 at 14:51
Cat’s can take a long ass time to get used to a change in “their” house.
Sir Rants A Lot Llew
July 31, 2014 at 17:19
When I met my wife and she moved in for the first time my cat abandoned me and started sucking up to her.
Sir Rants A Lot Llew
July 31, 2014 at 15:32
Are you sure you aren’t hallucinating the cat?
Hammersteyn
July 31, 2014 at 15:36
So your saying I’m the one that eats the cat food? That might explain a few things, especially the litter box.
Sir Rants A Lot Llew
July 31, 2014 at 15:41
….. I don’t want to know
Left4Dead
July 31, 2014 at 14:56
One of my girlfriends had a parrot. The thing would not shut up! Parrot was cool though.
Kensei Seraph
July 31, 2014 at 13:54
I hear those things and will even respond but 3 seconds later I’ve forgotten that the person even spoke to me about something.
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 31, 2014 at 13:56
People need to learn “uh huh” doesn’t mean “yes”.
Kensei Seraph
July 31, 2014 at 13:57
I’ll say yes but have no memory of speaking to them.
Anon A Mouse
July 31, 2014 at 13:57
I even perfected stopping in mid sentence and carry on regardless. Somehow that normally end with me being #foreversp
Sith JJ
July 31, 2014 at 13:56
You know what I do.
I get a message on my phone, I’ll read it and then continue gaming. While I’m gaming, I imagine the response that I will send, convincing myself that I have already sent it. So I end up never replying to anyone.
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 31, 2014 at 14:00
haha If I’m busy playing a game I won’t even bother looking at my phone when it makes a sound unless I’ve specifically been told I need to wait for a call/msg.
Morne Nell
July 31, 2014 at 13:57
Did you notice in a shooter your accuracy increases when that happens
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 31, 2014 at 13:58
I have. I think it’s because when your ears shut down your eyes suddenly become laser-focused.
Mossel
July 31, 2014 at 14:32
The amount of times people talk to me while I’m in some epic battle is rediculous. This gif about sums it up.
http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/busy.gif
Sith JJ
July 31, 2014 at 14:34
LOL
I get like that with racing games and FPS games. Strategy games I have a talent for screwing up without needing any interference.
Mossel
July 31, 2014 at 14:58
lol same here, it’s like I dont really plan ahead in strategy games and afterwards just realise I really suck.
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 31, 2014 at 14:38
I had a friend being very persistent in Steam chat while I was trying to pull off a boss fight in Dark Souls. *ding*ding*ding*ding* FUCK OFFFFFFFFFFF! lol
Sith JJ
July 31, 2014 at 14:40
Flip that’s distracting
(wonders if it wasn’t me who was bothering you)
Mossel
July 31, 2014 at 14:57
haha ah man that is quite irritating!
Sir Rants A Lot Llew
July 31, 2014 at 15:30
whahahahahahaha
Sir Rants A Lot Llew
July 31, 2014 at 15:31
The sad thing is every single person here can relate lol
Johan Fourie
July 31, 2014 at 13:53
Usually after half a day playing COD5 Zombie maps with my buds and driving home, I constantly hear Nazi Zombies on the way home. Could be the wind or tires on the tamac inducing the effect. Good times nonetheless.
Sith JJ
July 31, 2014 at 13:53
No, the voices in my head is a natural occurrence.
Lord Chaos
July 31, 2014 at 14:11
That’s what they keep telling me as well.
Morne Nell
July 31, 2014 at 13:53
I see and hear Dead people
Sith JJ
July 31, 2014 at 14:06
If you live near a student town those are not dead people, they just look and smell like it.
Hondsepop
July 31, 2014 at 14:10
That guitar tune at Tristram in Diablo rang through my mind long after I closed my eyes for bedtime.
Sir Rants A Lot Llew
July 31, 2014 at 14:13
I’ve never experienced the alleged visual hallucinations but I have experienced the audio ones.
That being said. After a full day in the office on a busy day I go home only to hear phones ringing.
I also randomly hear our microwave beep and other such things. The point of this study is a waste of time as auditory hallucinations are not specific to gaming. It’s a normal human phenomena that can happen in pretty much any circumstance where a sound is repeated regularly enough
Sith JJ
July 31, 2014 at 14:15
I work with so many different reports every day I often see the gridlines from the screen when I drive home. Makes it easy to navigate fast turns though, so at least I have that 😛
Lord Chaos
July 31, 2014 at 14:17
I blame Aliens
Sith JJ
July 31, 2014 at 14:26
Believable.
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 31, 2014 at 14:26
I went to the Easter Vortex many years back & drove the whole way back home without realising I didn’t have my radio on.
Sith JJ
July 31, 2014 at 14:27
Easter Vortex. Is that like some kind of Bunny Time-traveling Machine?
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 31, 2014 at 14:28
Sometimes. Depended on whether the mushrooms were working or not.
Sith JJ
July 31, 2014 at 14:29
But don’t you live in a mushroom?
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 31, 2014 at 14:32
I am a mushroom – kept in the dark & fed on shit 😉
Lord Chaos
July 31, 2014 at 14:33
Thanks, now I have a name for it.
MakeItLegal
July 31, 2014 at 14:17
I hear voices all the time , sometimes they provide good advice
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 31, 2014 at 14:31
Like no don’t kill him for being stupid, there are witnesses & it’s illegal.
Brady miaau
July 31, 2014 at 14:17
If I play Need for Speed for several hours and then go out and drive my car, it feels weird and I want more, more. more, more speed
Andre116
August 1, 2014 at 07:12
I remember once having a very, very long session with StarControl 2. Went to bed but couldn’t sleep because every time I closed my eyes I would see little space ships flying around.