What If Leveling Up In Games Explains Growing Up

What If Leveling Up In Games Explains Growing Up

From The Gaming Persona by Daniel Kaufmann Ph.D. | Dr. Gameology

May 7, 2026 · 41 min · Season 6 · Episode 15

About this episode

The episode explores the parallels between leveling up in games and the process of growing up, intertwined with personal reflections on loss.

Send us Fan Mail I’m not going to pretend recording is easy right now. This is our first time back since my dad passed away, and that absence sits in the room with us. But we still show up and, somehow, the mix of honesty, jokes, and real insight turns into something I’m proud to put into the world. From there we bounce into the very modern experience of Diablo 4: character creation that keeps shoving you toward the expansion, a stream that becomes three separate character starts, and the ri...

People in this episode

Host: Daniel Kaufmann Ph.D.

Topics covered

  • leveling up
  • growing up
  • character creation
  • personal loss
  • gaming experience

Keywords

  • leveling up
  • growing up
  • Diablo 4
  • character creation
  • personal loss

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Diablo 4

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