Following repeated calls to consider it as such, gaming addiction is now recognized as a genuine mental health disorder.
While studies have never conclusively proven that increased game time can have a detrimental effect on one’s wellbeing, World Health Organization (WHO) made the affliction official last year. Currently, the diagnosis is reserved for extreme cases of dependency on video games, with even habitual gamers unlikely to be considered as such unless playtime has an extremely adverse effect on daily life and responsibilities.
With that said, a new study conducted by Clutch aiming to discern the games most likely to cause problem addiction has recently published its findings, many of which will be surprising, to say the least. Using data collected from 1,500 participants, games found to have the highest number of addicted players has been documented. Check out the graph below.
Mojang’s incredibly popular Minecraft ultimately comes in as the runaway winner, with almost 40% of those labelling the sandbox title as their most-played game considered to have an addiction. Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption comes in a close second which, while seemingly strange at first glance, is likely present due to the existence of Red Dead Online. For Honor, Overwatch and Grand Theft Auto V round out the top five, with Epic Games’ Fortnite coming in a surprisingly low seventh place.
Interestingly, Clutch’s study also suggests that female gamers are considerably more likely to develop an addiction as opposed to men, with Gez Z gamers (those born after 1995) the most likely to have problem habits. Fascinating finds, then, though it remains to be seen how well Clutch’s study will hold up in the years to come.
Are you of the opinion that gaming addiction is justifiably considered a disorder or do you believe the opposite to be true? Let us know in the usual place below!
