Playing game on smartphone to escape boredom can be harmful, warns study Researchers at the University of Waterloo found that bored "escape players", those who have difficulty engaging with the real environment and sustaining attention, may seek "flow," which is a deep and effortless state of concentration in an activity linked to loss of awareness of time and space. Washington: According to a new study, smartphone gaming can be harmful to players who game to escape their negative mood and feelings of boredom. The findings of the study were published in the journal 'Computers in Human Behavior'. Researchers at the University of Waterloo found that bored "escape players", those who have difficulty engaging with the real environment and sustaining attention, may seek "flow," which is a deep and effortless state of concentration in an activity linked to loss of awareness of time and space.