Drinking And Gaming Can Kill a High ScoreS

In this alcohol-soaked edition of Speak Up on Kotaku, commenter Ducce wonders how many of you break out the booze when it's time to get your game on.

Today during my lunch break I read this article in a magazine claiming that males between the ages 15-30 has been drinking less and less amounts (volumes if you will) of alcohol for the last 10 years. Swedes beings very anxious about drug and alcohol intake this is measured in a huge poll every year.

The reason claimed? Gaming of course… The main reason for man-agers in Sweden to drink less is gaming. No other reason can be found according to the study. We game more and thus drink less. (No mention of the poor girls who were completely left out)

The article was a so-so written piece about a local video-games club that banned all alcohol from their gaming meetings. This is a good thing not? Youth try alcohol far later in life due to games. (And probably lose their virginity far later as well, I thought.) However, if this can save even one person from alcoholism, then I am all for it.

Problem is, I have always viewed gaming as a perfect pastime while drinking, and if there is an alcohol-ban in this gaming club, is Red Dead Redemption banned too?

One thought here is that while gaming strives to be accepted both an "arts media" and also in many lengths a "sport". In the latter, alcohol and drugs should be regarded as a non grata for obvious reasons.

While on the other hand, a lot of games actually in some way enforce the "party" side of gaming. Not to say all the things you can do in a game while intoxicated that is otherwise illegal if you do it IRL.

A lot of gaming is being done with a beer, glass of wine, shots or even a bong.

I have done my fair share of drinking while gaming and yes, Gran Turismo gets harder and harder but that Singstar high score gets closer and closer as well. To be honest I have never even played Singstar or Guitar Hero or any Move/Kinect game when completely sober.

Also the "drug" part, I remember myself being unbeatable in Battlefield 2 a couple of years back when I smoked pot. It probably was just me being good at the game, but fact is I was performing a lot worse when sober.

Do you drink and game?

(Top Image: "Cheers" by Bob Dob| Official Website)