The Shift in Playground Season 4: From Gaming to Fights
- Akshat Trivedi
- October 22, 2024 (UPDATED: October 23, 2024 10:14 IST)
Playground Season 4 contestants
"Playground," a show initially conceptualized with the sole motto of bringing the players into the centre, has taken an unexpected turn in Season 4. This show, once aimed at honouring and celebrating the rich talent spread across India in gaming, has now adopted chaos, an integration of gaming, gully fights, and creators battling each other, not only with words but also, in actuality. And no, this isn't an exaggeration; this is the new reality of the national-level show that airs on Amazon Mini TV.
From Gameplay to Gully Fights: The Evolution of Playground
It was in its very first seasons that "Playground" was wind fresh for gamers worldwide. From these playgrounds, zealous gamers would show off their expertise, gain recognition, and even get mentored by great players in the gaming scene. Now it's different. Season 4, once again with the panel comprising Elvish Yadav, Mythpat, Mortal, and Munawar Faruqui, is more of a drama session and less of a gaming show, where aggression and chaos rule the roost.
This has created space for entertainment that is often based on heated arguments, fights, and over-the-top drama in the place of creators—every element more akin to shows like Roadies, Splitsvilla or Bigg Boss than the gamers-centric program. What was once a space for digi-sportsmanship has now converted into one for aggression and toxicity.
An 18+ Show in the Name of Gaming
One of the more disturbing aspects of this transformation is the type of information being served during the program. What was meant as a gaming program had transformed into some sort of "anything goes" form of entertainment without them realizing it. Abusive language makes up part of that daily dose, along with abrasive confrontations and physical scuffles; it feels like a battleground for reality TV drama rather than a gaming platform they call "Playground.". Unlike Bigg Boss, which always tends to pull off the disqualification of a contestant due to some form of physical assault or abusive behaviour, "Playground" seems to be operating by a different set of rules—rules that normalize and encourage such conduct.
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The Original Aim: Forgotten in the Chaos
The core purpose of "Playground" was to give the gamers a platform to shine, letting them grow and get recognized for their skills and dedication. After all, gaming speaks to strategy, discipline, and teamwork - qualities that the current format of the show hardly promotes. In its place, the limelights today are all on drama and controversy, casting shadows on the talents of the gamers who are supposed to be the stars.
A Need for Change
Coming at a national level and playing a bit of influence on its viewership, the show "Playground" should take some responsibility for its public, more so, the youth audience it targets. While entertainment is paramount to any show, there's that thing called delicate balance between keeping things interesting and subtly promoting dangerous behaviour. Presently, the program might be attracting its audience with dramatic scenes, but it stands the risk of harming the very foundation for which it was designed in the first place to edify the community.
Season 4 of "Playground" appears to be earning attention for all the wrong reasons. Here's hoping future seasons course correct and bring this limelight back to where it needs to be back to where it all began: gamers.
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