Game Quitters provides the best tools, resources, and support for gamers of all ages to keep gaming under control and maintain their health and wellbeing. We believe there are benefits and risks associated with playing video games and individuals should be equipped to navigate that experience. We do this by sharing educational content on YouTube, inspiring success stories on our blog, and creating a culture of encouragement on our forum. For individuals who need professional help, we have an online directory of specialists available around the world.
Game Quitters began with the vision of creating the ultimate platform for someone who struggles to moderate their gaming. The inspiration for this came from the lived experience of its founder, Cam Adair, who struggled with a video game addiction for 10 years. A talented hockey player, Cam’s life took a dramatic turn at the age of 11 when he began to experience intense bullying, leading him to drop-out of high school. He never graduated, and while all of his friends were off to college, Cam was playing video games up to 16 hours a day. Struggling with depression he got to the point of writing a suicide note, and it was this night when he made a commitment to change. After his recovery, he shared his story online in the hopes of encouraging others who may have been struggling that they were not alone. Almost instantly, the story began to go viral through Google, with tens of thousands of gamers from around the world reaching out for help for excessive gaming. This all led to the launch of Game Quitters in January 2015 and the work we do today with members in 95 countries.
Game Quitters is an innovator. For many years before “video game addiction” or “gaming disorder” was an issue taken seriously by the World Health Organization, media and society at large, people from all around the world were connecting and supporting each other through their gaming struggles on Game Quitters. During a time when mental health can be a difficult subject to talk about, Game Quitters has been on the front lines leading the conversation and creating a space for struggling individuals to receive the support they need. Somewhat ironically, Game Quitters is an online platform for people struggling with spending too much time “online”, yet the innovation is to meet people where they are most comfortable. Providing content to individuals searching for help on Google and YouTube provided us with an opportunity to connect with people seeking answers and then providing them with common sense approaches that work.
For close to a decade Game Quitters has been on the front lines leading the conversation on problematic gaming. Looking ahead to 2022, we are most excited to continue to bring a conversation of mental health to the larger gaming community, especially for individuals pursuing esports.
Gaming has so many benefits when played in moderation, and individuals have also shown positive outcomes when they are equipped with the right tools, resources and support to keep excessive gaming under control and focus on their overall health and well-being. 2022 will see Game Quitters continue to innovate and drive this important conversation forward.
