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Star chartShip’s manualResponsible play

Responsible play

Free UK help, a private self-check, planning an evening, flashing light, motion sickness, sleep, spending and paid random items, chat safety, PEGI labels and gaming disorder.

21 decks

Deck 01Why this page exists

The worlds on our chart are built to be hard to leave: one more loop, one more day, one more run. That pull is part of what makes them wonderful, and it is also why a site that recommends them should be honest about the downsides and about how to keep play a pleasure rather than a pull.

Deck 02Free, confidential help

Paid random items such as loot boxes, card packs and prize spins share features with gambling: you pay before you know what you will get, and that uncertainty is what makes them easy to keep buying. If the time or money going into games feels out of control, for you or someone you care about, these organisations help for free and in confidence:

  • GamCare

    Free, confidential support for anyone whose play or spending feels out of control, and for the people around them. The National Gambling Helpline, 0808 8020 133, and live chat are open day and night.

    Visit GamCare

  • BeGambleAware

    A UK charity with confidential advice, a short self-assessment and a search tool for free treatment and support near you.

    Visit BeGambleAware

  • Gambling Therapy

    Free online support from trained advisers, with peer groups and self-help tools, available worldwide and in many languages.

    Visit Gambling Therapy

Deck 03Blocking and treatment

When gaming or spending starts to drift towards gambling, or you are worried that it might, these UK services can block access, offer treatment and support families:

  • GAMSTOP

    Free UK self-exclusion. If play has drifted towards gambling websites, it blocks every UK-licensed gambling site and app for six months, one year or five years.

    Visit GAMSTOP

  • Gordon Moody

    A UK charity offering residential treatment, online recovery programmes and support for families when gambling has become harmful.

    Visit Gordon Moody

  • NHS gambling support

    NHS advice on warning signs and self-help, and how to refer yourself to a specialist NHS clinic in England.

    Visit NHS gambling support

Deck 04Urgent help and young people

Free and confidential, for anything that is worrying you, not only games:

  • Childline

    For anyone under 19, about anything at all: call 0800 1111 free, or talk to a counsellor online.

    Visit Childline

  • Samaritans

    Someone to listen at any hour, without judging: call 116 123 free from any phone.

    Visit Samaritans

  • YoungMinds

    Mental health support for young people, and a helpline for parents and carers worried about a child.

    Visit YoungMinds

In an emergency, call 999. For urgent medical advice that is not an emergency, call NHS 111 or visit nhs.uk. You can also text SHOUT to 85258 for free, confidential support at any hour.

Deck 05A private self-check

Thinking about the last few months, which of these are true for you?

This is a prompt to reflect, not a diagnosis. Your answers stay on this page and are never sent.

Deck 06Plan the flight, not just the world

  • Before you start, decide how long the session is and where it ends. Every log in our survey names a return point.
  • Set the fuel on the star chart and pick a world that fits inside it, or file a flight plan with a bedtime.
  • Use the play-time limits on your console, computer or phone as well; they hold when willpower does not.
  • Stop at a save point, never halfway through, so stopping does not feel like losing progress.
  • Keep some evenings completely game-free.

Deck 07Playing together

  • Agree the length of the session with everyone before you start, not when someone wants to leave.
  • Make “last level” mean last level. Nobody should feel guilty for leaving at the agreed time.
  • Playing with people you know makes stopping easier: strangers will never ask you to stay for one more.

Deck 08Flashing light and photosensitivity

A small number of people can have seizures triggered by flashing lights or patterns, sometimes for the first time and without any history of epilepsy. Action games and big set pieces are often full of fast flashes. Read each game’s warning, play in a well-lit room, sit well back from the screen and stop at once if you feel dizzy, see altered vision or notice twitching. If anyone in the family has epilepsy, talk to a doctor before playing.

Deck 09Motion sickness

First-person flight, zero gravity, spinning cameras and fast scrolling can bring on nausea, headaches and dizziness, especially in space and exploration games. Widen the field of view, switch off camera shake and motion blur where the game allows it, sit further from the screen, keep a light on and stop at the first sign of feeling unwell. It usually passes quickly once you rest.

Deck 10Rest, eyes, ears and body

  • Every twenty minutes, look at something about six metres away for twenty seconds.
  • Every half hour or so, stand up for five to ten minutes, stretch and drink some water.
  • Keep headphones at around 60% volume at most, and turn on the headphone safety alerts your phone or console offers.
  • If your hands, wrists, neck or eyes hurt, stop, and see a GP if it keeps happening.

Deck 11Sleep

Stop at least an hour before bed. Bright screens and exciting worlds keep the brain alert long after the game is closed, and late sessions almost always run long. Teenagers usually need eight to ten hours of sleep, adults seven to nine. Consoles and phones keep their bedtime and downtime settings in the family controls.

Deck 12Spending, currencies and paid random items

  • Agree a monthly amount before playing, never during a session.
  • Work out what a game’s coins, gems or credits cost in pounds before spending them.
  • Avoid paid random items: not knowing what you will get is exactly what makes them hard to stop buying.
  • UK industry principles say under-18s should not be able to buy paid random items without a parent or carer knowing; platform spending limits are how that works at home.
  • Keep purchase approval switched on and remove saved cards from children’s accounts.

Deck 13Daily rewards, streaks and notifications

Login rewards, streaks, season passes, weekend events and limited-time offers are designed to bring you back on the game’s timetable, not yours. Turn off game notifications, let a streak go without guilt and come back when you actually want to play. None of the worlds on our chart needs you to log in daily.

Deck 14Who can talk to you online

  • Set text and voice chat to friends only, or off, in each game and on the platform.
  • Never share passwords, your address, school, phone number or photos.
  • Be careful with anyone who wants to move to another app, offers gifts, asks for pictures or asks you to keep a secret.
  • If an adult’s contact with a child feels wrong, report it to CEOP. Internet Matters has step-by-step setup guides for consoles and apps.

Deck 15Hard fights and frustration

Some worlds on our chart are deliberately difficult. After three failed attempts in a row, frustration builds quickly and play gets worse, not better. Use the assist options without guilt, rest at the bench, the camp or the checkpoint and come back another day: the attempt that finally works is rarely the one made at midnight.

Deck 16Age labels

Games sold in the UK carry PEGI age labels: 3, 7, 12, 16 and 18, with notices for in-game purchases and (includes random items). PEGI 12, 16 and 18 are legally enforced for games sold in UK shops, overseen by the Games Rating Authority. The PEGI label guide explains every symbol. A label rates the game, not the other players in it.

Deck 17Accessibility is not cheating

Subtitles, colour-blind modes, reduced motion, assist and no-fail modes, larger text and skip options are all part of playing comfortably. Using them is never cheating, and they often make the difference between a good evening and a frustrating one.

Deck 18When gaming becomes a problem

The World Health Organization describes “gaming disorder” when gaming takes priority over other interests and daily life despite the harm it causes, usually for a year or more. Signs to watch for:

  • regularly playing far longer than planned;
  • losing sleep, or missing meals, school, work or friends;
  • irritability, low mood or anxiety when not playing;
  • spending more than intended, or hiding it;
  • dropping other hobbies and people.

The NHS National Centre for Gaming Disorders treats people aged 13 and over in England and Wales, and a GP can point you to support anywhere in the UK.

Deck 19Helping someone else

Start by asking what they enjoy about the game and who they play with. Agree small steps together, such as a set landing time or friends-only chat, rather than a sudden ban, and plan things to do away from screens that are genuinely fun.

Deck 20For parents and carers

Play alongside your children now and then, and ask them to show you their favourite world and who they play with. Keep consoles in shared rooms where you can, agree screen-free times and go through ground control on our home page together.

Deck 21How this site is built

Gamrovia has no accounts, notifications, streaks, countdown offers or rewards for coming back. Questions about this page are welcome through hello@gamrovia.co.uk.