In an unexpected twist to the gaming world, a new study commissioned by the International Institute of Gameology has revealed that a staggering 90% of gamers hold a profound belief that pausing their game effectively puts the universe on hold. Conducted over a period of several months — which many gamers believe felt like just a loading screen — this study sheds light on the deeply-rooted perceptions gamers have about their seemingly all-powerful pause buttons.
Lead researcher Dr. Paula Zing elaborated on the findings. “Participants were asked a series of questions about their gaming habits, and more importantly, their perceptions of time during gameplay. Most respondents were under the impression that by pausing their game, they’re actually pausing real-life events. One participant even said, ‘Why do you think ‘save’ is an option? It’s to save everything from happening until I return.'”
This belief seems to transcend genres and platforms. Whether they’re toppling dystopian regimes in a first-person shooter or strategically building empires in a turn-based strategy, these gamers are unified in their faith that hitting ‘Pause’ is akin to summoning the powers of a time lord.
Curiously, the study also revealed that these same gamers frequently lose track of actual time, often appearing puzzled when they emerge from a gaming session wondering why it’s suddenly night outside — or why their once-intact bags of snacks have miraculously emptied themselves.
Psychologists suggest that this belief stems from the immersive experience of gaming, where gamers feel so intertwined with their virtual worlds that it’s only natural for them to assume their in-game actions wield powers over their physical realm. “When you’re halfway through a dragon battle, you don’t think about trivialities like the space-time continuum,” commented avid gamer Tony ‘TimeStopper87’. “In those moments, you’ve got bigger things to worry about, like making sure your potions are ready.”
Meanwhile, family members and friends of gamers report a mixed bag of reactions to this news. “I’ve always suspected my son thought this,” said Susan, the mother of a 19-year-old gamer. “He pauses his game to take out the trash, expecting to come back and resume not just his play session, but life itself. If only the laundry could be paused too.”
Despite the amusing nature of this revelation, game developers are taking note. Rumor has it that some of the biggest names in the industry are considering incorporating ‘real-life pausing’ features in their next-gen consoles. These features would reportedly allow users to pause gameplay while simultaneously freezing the flow of time. An ambitious undertaking indeed, although skeptics point out one minor flaw: nobody’s quite sure how to code for something that defies the laws of physics.
In the meantime, as gamers worldwide continue to battle bosses, level up, and occasionally pause for thought, the real world will keep ticking along—unpaused and quite unbothered by the virtual epics playing out in living rooms everywhere.