Addicted to Games?

Online gamers have on many occasion been privy to play for overly long stretches, temporarily removing the need for food, sleep and their girlfriends. But when does it become too much? (We've all heard the story about the Korean gamer who died after getting out of his seat leaving a non-stop-week-long round of Counterstrike...) Yesterday, the BBC News, reacting to astounding first- and second-day sales of World of Warcraft, pitted Elizabeth Woolley, founder of Online Gamers Anonymous, against game aficionado Lynn Hall to answer that very question.

While Woolley argued that online games "can offer hours of enjoyment and interaction with the outside world" for shut-ins, there is a turning point beyond which gamers become addicted. "They no longer have the 'choice' to play, but are driven to play," she said.

Woolley continued to argue that When this happens, gamers become like any other addict, failing to look after themselves and avoiding family, work and even the outside world.

Hall, an avid Diablo and Diablo II player, agreed that games can swallow hours of gamers' lives, but said players still have freedom of choice. "Online gaming is an all-consuming passion that niggles at you during working hours, haunts your dreams and takes away all your spare time, if you let it."

She argued that games can be psychologically healthy, allowing people to explore what it's like to take on different roles or even genders. Whether or not it's harmless depends on "whether you have enough willpower to tear yourself away," Hall said.

Woolley created her Web-only recovery program after her 21-year-old son, Shawn, committed suicide. The Milwaukee man shot himself on Thanksgiving Day, 2001, while in the throes of an EverQuest addiction, according to Woolley. According to Wired, when she attempted to uncover any in-game clues to Shawn's demise, Sony Online Entertainment told her that their records were confidential. Scary conspiracy? Let's only hope Blizzard never fall to such evil.

So, is there such a thing as too much play, too much fantasy, too much time spent online? Even the Diablo devotee Hall admits, the answer is not so clear. "Is World of Warcraft harmless fun? I am of two opinions." Many gamers are of the same opinion, including myself, with that said however playing World of Warcraft for eight hours a day isn't a bad thing is it? Is it?

If you're addicted, NZGamer would love to help, but we suggest a therapist or to go to Wooley's website here, however feel more than welcome to talk to the friendly patrons of the NZGamer Forums.

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