| Session Name: | Recognizing the Health Risks of Game Development - Beyond Carpal Tunnel (Presented by IGDA) |
| Speaker(s): | Lydia Breen, MD, Wendy Despain, Adam Martin, Patricia Pizer |
| Company Name(s): | Comprehensive Psychiatric Services, International Hobo, Red Glasses, Way Too Far Games |
| Track / Format: | Advocacy |
| Overview: | Being a game developer can be hazardous to your health. No, really. A lot of people start making games when they are young and end up sacrificing their health without even realizing it. Somehow, game devs think the only thing they need to worry about is carpal tunnel syndrome - and heck, there's surgery for that, isn't there? The truth is that game developers treat their computers better than their own bodies. Heavy-duty mental stress for years on end, bad posture for 18 hours a day, a diet of junk food and caffeine won't just shorten your lifespan from 95 to 80, it will destroy your health now. And it's hard to make games from a hospital bed. This talk brings in expert knowledge from a bay area doctor, the results of a survey, and game developers who have lived through the misery and learned the hard way that game development can be hazardous to your health. |
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