Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Study links MMOs to 'problem' game-playing]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/study-links-mmos-to-problem-game-playing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/study-links-mmos-to-problem-game-playing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/study-links-mmos-to-problem-game-playing/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Addicted gamer
Despite the fact that video game addiction lacks both a definition and a diagnosis, "researchers around the world continue to investigate methods of determining, treating, and preventing" it, according to Gamespot.

The American Psychiatric Association recently rejected a movement to incorporate game addiction into its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, but that hasn't stopped folks at the National Development and Research Institute from publishing the findings from a survey conducted with 3,380 adult gamers.

The study found that five percent of participants reported "moderate to extreme problem game-playing." Commonly reported problem titles included Call of Duty, the Grand Theft Auto series, online poker games, and World of Warcraft. The team concluded that "there is evidence to suggest that problem game-playing is linked to particular kinds of game genres" and that further research is needed.

MassivelyStudy links MMOs to 'problem' game-playing originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>addictionamerican-psychiatric-associationgame-addictionmmo-industrynational-development-and-research-instituteresearchresearchers-conclude-that-more-research-is-neededstudysurveyvideo-game-addictionWorld-of-WarcraftwowFri, 03 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[South Korea puts the 'Cinderella Law' into effect]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/23/south-korea-puts-the-cinderella-law-into-effect/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/23/south-korea-puts-the-cinderella-law-into-effect/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/23/south-korea-puts-the-cinderella-law-into-effect/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Austere painting in video games is also disallowed.
South Korea's burgeoning online gaming market has brought the country a great deal of business success, but it's also brought the dread specter of video game addiction to the forefront of public awareness. Hoping to curb addiction before it starts, the country has brought into effect a new law requiring all online games to block players under age 16 from playing between midnight and 6 a.m. Dubbed the "Cinderella Law," it also affects online services such as PlayStation Network and XBox Live.

As expected, the law has several vocal critics, who assert that the law infringes upon the civil rights of children. The Korea Association of Game Industry, a group including companies such as Nexon and NCsoft, is in the midst of preparing a lawsuit based on its claim that the law is excessively prohibitive. Of course, many gamers have been trying to circumvent the ban already by connecting to Western servers, which have no such restriction... although it could be argued that connecting to another country's servers just to play for a six-hour period sort of reinforces the whole argument about addiction.

MassivelySouth Korea puts the 'Cinderella Law' into effect originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Nov 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>addictionforeign-marketsgame-addictionkaogikoreakorea-association-of-game-industrymmo-industryncsoftnexonsouth-koreavideo-game-addictionworldwide-marketsWed, 23 Nov 2011 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Addicted gamer shares his struggle to find balance between the real world and the virtual world]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/14/addicted-gamer-shares-his-struggle-to-find-balance-between-the-r/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/14/addicted-gamer-shares-his-struggle-to-find-balance-between-the-r/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/14/addicted-gamer-shares-his-struggle-to-find-balance-between-the-r/#commentsFiled under: , ,

KVOA
While Tucson's KVOA may not be so well-versed in MMOs as to distinguish between Gears of War and Dark Age of Camelot, the local news station put together an interesting little piece on online game addiction nevertheless.

The brief report highlights the story of Elijah Oster, a father and husband who got so pulled into MMOs that he began to neglect his family and suffer from insomnia. He admits that he failed to "budget enough time" for his loved ones, and would grow irritable when his wife interrupted his play sessions.

Behavioral health counselor Jeffrey Friedman was brought in to comment on game addiction, which he says is similar to most forms of addition in that people's actions are dictated by what will cause them the least emotional pain. In this case, it's becoming overly dependent on an online world instead of the real one. Friedman works at the Cottonwood Tucson center.

The report concludes with Oster sharing what he realized after treatment: "I started understanding the concept of balance."

MassivelyAddicted gamer shares his struggle to find balance between the real world and the virtual world originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Nov 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>addictionbalancebehavioral-healthcottonwood-tucsonElijah-Ostergame-addictionJeffrey-Friedmankvoammo-addictiononline-addictiontucsonvideo-game-addictionMon, 14 Nov 2011 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Former World of Warcraft addict talks about the dangers of habitual gaming]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/28/former-world-of-warcraft-addict-talks-about-the-dangers-of-habit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/28/former-world-of-warcraft-addict-talks-about-the-dangers-of-habit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/28/former-world-of-warcraft-addict-talks-about-the-dangers-of-habit/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Unplugged by Ryan Van Cleave
When one thinks of a player who's addicted to video games, usually the image of a teen or college student with too much time on his hands comes to mind. Not so with Ryan Van Cleave, who's a college professor with a PhD, marriage and kids -- and who admits to a crippling former addiction to World of Warcraft.

Last year, Van Cleave published his experience with video game addiction in the book Unplugged: My Journey into the Dark World of Video Game Addiction, and in a recent interview with Yahoo! News, he expounds on the process that led him from a reasonably balanced life to something akin to a nightmare. While he admits that he was prone to gaming too much prior to WoW, it was logging in for the first time in 2004 that captivated him fully. His domestic life suffered for it, and he eventually lost his job because of it.

He has since quit the game -- and MMOs in general -- although his wife is concerned about a relapse. His wife also eyes her kids as possible future addicts: "I also have concerns that my children may have a pre-disposition to gaming addiction in the same way that the children of an alcoholic might."

Van Cleave cautions players about the seemingly subtle process of becoming addicted: "Everything that you do as a video game addict, is usually small incremental steps. I was like a Charlie Sheen of WoW. Unapologetic and like a rebel, like, screw you, I'm going to play this game...even though I'm not being the best role model for my kids, I'm not being the best husband, I'm not being good to myself."

MassivelyFormer World of Warcraft addict talks about the dangers of habitual gaming originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 28 Aug 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>addicitioncharlie-sheengame-addictionryan-van-cleaveunpluggedvideo-game-addictionworld-of-warcraftyahoo-newsSun, 28 Aug 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard comments on video games addiction documentary]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/06/blizzard-comments-on-video-games-addiction-documentary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/06/blizzard-comments-on-video-games-addiction-documentary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/06/blizzard-comments-on-video-games-addiction-documentary/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Video game addiction is hardly a new subject around these here parts, but it still remains a much-discussed and controversial topic even so. Today, BBC investigative journalism program Panorama will add to the conversation with an in-depth look into the causes of gaming addiction and the consequences of players who become a little too hooked. The episode, titled "Addicted to gaming?", is expected to come down harshly against the practices of video game studios.

According to CVG, it's no surprise that the documentary is airing the very night that World of Warcraft: Cataclysm launches, as Panorama uses WoW as one of its key examples. One of the stories follows the tale of Chris Dandos, a teenager who stopped going to school to play WoW for up to 20 hours a day.

In response to the episode's focus, Blizzard released the following comment: "Our games are designed to be fun... but like all forms of entertainment... day-to-day life should always take precedence. World of Warcraft contains practical tools that assist players and parents in monitoring playing time."

MassivelyBlizzard comments on video games addiction documentary originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Dec 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>addictionbbcblizzardcontroversyculturedocumentarygame-addictionpanoramavideo-game-addictionWorld-of-WarcraftwowMon, 06 Dec 2010 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[NCsoft sued for making Lineage II too darned addictive]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/20/ncsoft-sued-for-making-lineage-ii-too-darned-addicting/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/20/ncsoft-sued-for-making-lineage-ii-too-darned-addicting/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/20/ncsoft-sued-for-making-lineage-ii-too-darned-addicting/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Can a video game publisher be successfully sued for releasing a game that makes players want to play it compulsively? That's the question of the hour in the USA, as Lineage II player Craig Smallwood levied a $3 million negligence suit against NCsoft for making the game too addictive. Smallwood found himself playing the MMO for over 20,000 hours in the last five years, to the point where he is unable to function normally in real life -- and he claims it's NCsoft's fault for not warning him in advance. Smallwood's gameplay averaged around 11 hours per day during that period.

Surprisingly, a federal judge has allowed the suit to proceed against the South Korean publisher, stating that "the court finds that plaintiff has stated a claim for both negligence and gross negligence." NCsoft has appealed and asked the judge to dismiss the case. The situation gets more interesting when you consider that Smallwood had his Lineage II accounts banned for alleged grey market RMT activity, although he claims that was a ploy by NCsoft to force players like himself to move over to Aion.

Video game addiction is no new issue, to be sure, but it's interesting that this case seeks to shift the blame from the player to the game company itself. This raises a whole host of new questions. Should publishers be required to slap their products with warning labels? Is there no personal responsibility when it comes to playing MMORPGs? We will have to wait and see if Smallwood's suit succeeds, and what, if any, fallout may occur from the attempt.

MassivelyNCsoft sued for making Lineage II too darned addictive originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>addictingaddictionaioncraig-smallwoodlawsuitlineage-2lineage-iimmo-addictionncsoftnegligencermtsuitvideo-game-addictionFri, 20 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gaming may be social problem, not an addiction]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/25/gaming-not-an-addiction-but-social-problem-says-bakker/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/25/gaming-not-an-addiction-but-social-problem-says-bakker/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/25/gaming-not-an-addiction-but-social-problem-says-bakker/#commentsFiled under: ,

The head of the Smith & Jones Centre, the first and only clinic that treats "gaming addiction" in Europe, has now said that he believes gaming may not be an addiction after all.

Keith Bakker, the founder of the clinic, is now saying that compulsive gaming behavior may be a social behavior rather than a psychological addiction. Through treating so many of the gamers that have walked through the clinic's doors, Bakker has realized that while the symptoms appear to be addiction, the sources of the problems are on a more social and emotional level

Continue reading Gaming may be social problem, not an addiction

MassivelyGaming may be social problem, not an addiction originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>addictionbakkerbbc-newscompulsive-gamingkeith-bakkersmith-and-jonessocialvideo-game-addictionTue, 25 Nov 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[As the Worlds Turn: Get your fix]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/03/as-the-worlds-turn-get-your-fix/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/03/as-the-worlds-turn-get-your-fix/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/03/as-the-worlds-turn-get-your-fix/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

massively.joystiq.com/category/as-the-worlds-turn/
My therapist keeps telling me video games are addicting. She says they provide brain stimulation very similar to narcotics or a very productive afternoon of watching the home shopping network. They will grab hold of your very soul and whisper vile thoughts straight to your subconscious telling you things like 'Forget the garbage, it can take itself out' or 'Shower? Who needs a shower?'

I'm just kidding. I don't have a therapist.

I do wonder, however, about this draw, this interest that turns to desire. With so many games out there, presenting different worlds, different rules, different ways to play, what is it that grabs hold of players and, for some, doesn't let go? One thing is certain: it grabs hold of both male and female gamers. The big question we hear often today is "Are video games addicting?" We're probably not going to definitively answer this question but we'll have fun laughing at doctors and crazy politicians along the way!

Continue reading As the Worlds Turn: Get your fix

MassivelyAs the Worlds Turn: Get your fix originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Mar 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>addictionas-the-worlds-turnfeaturedopinionpoliticspsychiatrysecond-lifeStanford-Medical-Studyvideo-game-addictionvideo-games-and-violenceworld-of-warcraftMon, 03 Mar 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMOGology: Addiction and you]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/05/mmogology-addiction-and-you/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/05/mmogology-addiction-and-you/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/05/mmogology-addiction-and-you/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

A WoW addicted Wretched in SilvermoonA few months back I caught a report on NPR discussing whether video game addiction was an actual addiction. The guests on the show all agreed that it was a real phenomenon. There was even a former drug addict who called in and confessed that quitting his game was harder than quitting heroin. Although no specific game or games were mentioned, it was apparent that the caller was addicted to a massively multiplayer online game (MMOG).

Since gaming is a maturing form of entertainment that has only recently merged into the mainstream it seems a popular target for non-gaming journalists seeking the next sensational story. It strikes a nerve with me when the press uses the word addiction in the context of video games because it carries a sinister connotation. It darkens an already gloomy perception of a hobby I love. Games have already been blamed for shootings and desensitization to violence. Now gamers have "addict" to add to our list of perceived sins. There seems to be an element of society eager to demonize gaming for whatever reason. Regardless of mainstream media misperception, video game addiction; especially MMOG addiction, is an oft recurring topic in the gaming community. So are MMOGs really addictive? If so, what elements make them addictive? If they are addictive, what should we do about it?

Continue reading MMOGology: Addiction and you

MassivelyMMOGology: Addiction and you originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 Nov 2007 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>addictionBlizzardfeaturedgame-addictionMMOG-addictionMMORPG-addictionpeer-pressure-in-online-gamesvideo-game-addictionWorld-of-WarcraftWoWMon, 05 Nov 2007 10:00:00 EST