Excessive massively multiplayer online game play as a marker of pathological video game dependence

What is it about?

This study (N = 1,121) explored problematic massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) play among adolescent and young adult males. Setting this study apart from research that has examined excessive game play, this investigation distinguished high engagement from “addiction.” Predicated on the idea that excessive play does not equate to dependence, this study showed that using frequency of video game play as a criterion for problematic behavior is at best a questionable practice.

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Why is it important?

Problematic video game play is heavily debated. Early research emphasized amount of play time as a marker of troubled behavior. It has been proposed, however, that frequency of play should not be used as a sole measure, because an excessive activity does not suggest an addiction. Time by itself does not distinguish excessive play from problematic behavior, nor does it take into consideration other factors, such as to what degree the play obstructs typical everyday activities. Rather, criteria for problematic play should be based on the degree to which play negatively impacts aspects of a player's life. Regrettably, without agreed upon criteria by which to identify problematic video game play, research using ad-hoc measures continues to mount. With the findings revealing that those highly engaged and “addicted” spent significant time in MMO worlds, this study illustrates the difficulty in using frequency of play as a sole measure of problematic gaming.

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