Steam dev says his game got harder because young people can't write an email
Polygon • • technology
Key Points:
- Game developer Petter Malmehed reports a worrying decline in basic life and technical skills among younger players of his 2018 alternate reality game After Hours, which requires players to use email to solve puzzles.
- By 2024, many players struggled to use email correctly within the game, often typing entire messages only in the subject line and leaving the body blank, causing the game's hint system to fail and resulting in poorer reviews.
- This trend reflects broader concerns about young people's declining literacy and technical skills, as highlighted by reports from The Atlantic, The New York Times, and educators who note difficulties with basic tasks and computer usage.
- Studies indicate that only a minority of students worldwide can independently use computers as information tools, partly due to reduced emphasis
