Time
- Decide when you will stop before you start, and finish at a natural break such as the end of a match or mission.
- Stand up, stretch and look at something distant for a minute or two every hour.
- Protect your sleep. Late sessions feel free at midnight and expensive at seven in the morning.
- Daily log-in tasks are optional. If a game starts to feel like a chore, skip a few days and see whether you miss it.
Money
- Set a monthly amount for games, as you would for any hobby, and keep purchases inside it.
- Switch on purchase confirmations and spending limits in your console, phone or PC store account.
- Wait a day before buying anything that is on a timer. If you still want it tomorrow, it was a real want.
- Our five-minute shop check explains how to tell a fair in-game shop from a pushy one.
People
- Learn where the mute, block and report tools are in each game you play.
- Never share passwords, verification codes or personal details in chat.
- Step away from sessions that leave you angry. No rank is worth a ruined evening.
Children and teenagers
- Check the PEGI rating on the game’s official store page before installing.
- Create a child account on the console, phone or PC store, and use its parental controls for play time, spending and communication.
- Play together at first, and keep devices in shared rooms where practical.
- Talk about in-game spending in plain terms: every purchase comes out of a real bank account.
When play stops feeling like play
If games are crowding out sleep, work, study or relationships, or you find it hard to cut down, talk to someone you trust and consider booking an appointment with your GP, who can point you to NHS support. Young people can talk to Childline free on 0800 1111, and anyone who is struggling can call Samaritans free on 116 123, day or night.
For families, Internet Matters explains parental controls device by device, and PEGI explains what each age rating and content descriptor means.