Herald Sun: Game addiction on the rise, industry 'in denial'

by Richard Mitchell on May 19th 2009 8:30PM

Let's face it, folks, game addiction is hot. We've all read the stories, some of them funny and others tragic. And then, of course, there are the scare pieces. Enter Australia's Herald Sun, which declares that gaming addiction is on its way to becoming a national health problem. The article notes that "psychologists" are claiming that gaming addiction is affecting a growing number of Australians and the headline even proclaims "Tech addicts playing video games for up to 10 hours a day."

The source, apparently, is one psychologist by the name of William Campos. Said Campos, "I had one patient who was so involved with one game called World of Warcraft and would play it up to eight [to] ten hours a day.'' To clarify: That's one psychologist referring to one patient.

Furthermore, in reaction to a statement from the Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia, which claims that gaming addiction is "not a lasting obsession for the majority" of players, the article claims that the games industry is "in denial." We won't deny that gaming addiction is a problem for some gamers, but to imply that the majority of players are addicts -- which the Herald Sun has done by calling the IEAA's statement denial -- is simply fallacious.

Then again, maybe we're just in denial.

Source

Tags: addiction, australia, game-addiction

Reader Comments (47)

The key is tightening up the graphics. That will solve the problem.

Level 3 is looking a little sloppy.

This would explain why I played Fallout 3 until almost 4AM last night/morning. OH WAIT, no that's because I don't have a job and am relishing in my filth while playing games to the early hours. I did catch Dirty playing Peggle pretty late last night however, so he's likely due for an intervention.

Trying to keep that stupid idiot, Dogmeat, around might be a sign of a problem though... Dumb pooch got wasted by just a few molerats and made me go back to an old save >:(

Although I did hear he's been rolling around in the sack with some Jade character, so maybe that has something to do with the late night XBLA romps... Hmmm... ¬_¬

just get the Puppies! perk and everytime he dies a puppy will spawn at 101. Also, it's neither of those things, it's because Fallout is awesome

I love how newspapers today don't even care about things like "reputable sources" or "facts" or "perspective". I guess that's what happens when your industry is dying by inches every day. You gotta sensationalize!

Yellow Journalism is nothing new and was invented during the prime of Newsprints life.

Yeah, there were always papers that said bullshit, but the lack of Woodwards and Bernsteins and Murrows these days is getting more and more glaring.

i was addicted to my 360 and i started having Heart Problem due to lack of physical activities so i sold my 360 and started swimming laps and jogging and Ive been fine since. :)

Well, judging by your avatar you are one sexy beast.
Video games or sexiness.
I don't know, ask Chris Grant.

And you changed your avatar. Dick move Bugz.

@Doug, not possible, everyone knows the avatar changing system on Joystiq is broken :P

Every time I hear Ode to Joy I try to ricochet tennis balls off of people wearing orange shirts into a bucket

So how many churches and piano recitals have you been kicked out of?

They never let me play long enough to make it on the leader boards so I can't really keep track

"Then again, maybe we're just in denial."

Ooh. Nice touch.

"Tech addicts playing video games for up to 10 hours a day."

They say that like it's a terrible thing. If you've got the free time, and it doesn't interfere with work/school/friends etc and that's what you want to do with it then what the hell's wrong with that?

This is the first time I've been able to say this honestly, but I whole-heartedly agree with tmac.

Damn. I WISH i could play games for 10 hours a day, but a job and 2 kids says otherwise. I do manage to squeeze in 6ish, depending on how many hours i work (usually 2-5 hours).

News flash: World of Warcraft is an addicting game

hey Richard, what's the source for the image on this post? Are those guys playing a PS1? Cause they look like there from 1988! I didn't look like that when I played Crash Bandicoot, did I?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG8nv9EFgy0&feature=related

Oh journalist... this is why you're never invited to parties. "These people seem to be addicted to consuming alcohol and dancing... WORST THING SINCE SWINE FLU!"

....only ten?

Yes, China, Australia and Germany...I think , all convinced playing games too much is an addiction.

I have one thing to add, why is everything an addiction these days. Eating is an addiction, working to much is an addiction, what is the deal?

Ugh, soon breathing is going to be an addiction.

I like how the story is worded right here:
"He said one of his patients had played a game called World of Warcraft..."

Sorry, what game did you say?

By the way I saw a basketball game, and this player named Michael Jordan was playing in it.

Someone had this weird phone, it even had a keyboard! Wackiness, eh?

Marijuana is not a drug. I used to suck d*&k for video games. You ever suck d*&k for marijuana?

Just axin'

Depending on your gender, that's either hot or revolting. You can probably guess which one is which.

I'm assuming you mean if he's a guy it's hot?

Thats gross.

Well, there are no girls on the internet... so... yeah... getting awkward.

Miss the reference or just a little frisky tonight?

Depending on what gender you are, that's either from the movie Half Baked,

I completely agree that there is a segment of the population that is prone to addiction (read: WoW). However, I am still inclined to say 'fuck you' to the Herald Sun because of how infinitely small this problem is when compared to the illegal drug industry. When the WoW gangs are on par with Mexican cartels, then we have a problem.

Trust me when I say that the Herald Sun isn't the best source for well researched pieces. It may be one of the biggest selling newspapers in the country but that doesn't stop it from running fluff like this! Think of it as more of a trashy gossip magazine with a bit of news thrown in.

"which the Herald Sun has done by calling the IEAA's statement denial -- is simply fallacious."

If fellatio means blowjob, that means this sentence can be translated to:

"which the Herald Sun has done by calling the IEAA's statement denial -- is simply cocksucking."

That was ridiculously immature and idiotic, good job.

Game Addiction isn't a lie, just like Global Warming isn't, it's real for a lot of people, however I've never associated addiction with doing it for a long time, I associate it with the inability to notice you're doing it for a long time and the inability to stop until you've got your "fix".

As such I play games for 8 hours on most days, a lot of college students and teenagers do, and adults play a bit less frequently but they play about the same amount of time just sparsed out.

As such, as long as you can stop when you want to, and you don't lose track of time, you aren't addicted.

- Cere.

I'd probably make up some witty bon mot right now, but I'm to busy huffing Peggles straight into my brain.

Fredric Wertham wrote "The Seduction of the Innocent" in 1954, claiming that comic books, their characters and the companies that publish them promote homosexuality, drug use, violence and juvenile delinquency. The fervor caused publishers to close down, writers and artists to be social pariahs, and truck loads of comic books to be burned en masse.

The moral of the story?

Be wary of one determined idiot with an audience.

I actually agree that games are addictive. So you can add video games to the long list of things that people can become addicted to.
I would wager that humans can become addicted to anything that gives us pleasure. That's the nature of addiction.

These stories make me laugh.

The word addictive is often associated with drugs. This is how the ‘gutter press’ like to contextualise the 'Evil' video game. It gives them something write about during slow news weeks when they’ve got nothing better to talk about. Either that or blaming the latest mass murdering spree on Counter Strike or GTA.

The difference between addictive drugs and video games are that drugs are physically addictive and games are not. Here are some other examples of things that are not physically addictive. Reading. I read a really good book last week which was very addictive. I read when I could during the week, then the whole weekend through for 8 hours each day. Ill probably find another book in the near future and do the same thing all over again. Just one more hit man!

Another one is masturbation. I wont go into details but I’ve had a few good wanks.

Can anyone else think of other things that are not physically addictive but people sometimes spend 8 hours a day doing it?

Anime.

Television

Soon as somebody dies, this will become a problem.

LALALALALA I'M NOT LISTENING HERALD SUN!

Let's say there are video game addicts, what's wrong with that? They even have foundations for those who needs treatments and such but has anyone bothered to check out real and alarming addictions like drugs? Is being addicted to video games worst than being addicted to drugs? I'd rather be addicted to games than to drugs and most parents would agree to that. I've also read an article http://www.seolinksshop.com/articles/article-18.html which pointed a good effect of games in real world specially in times of crisis.

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Herald Sun: Game addiction on the rise, industry 'in denial'

Reader Comments (47)

Posted: May 19th 2009 8:42PM Araman said

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