Parents and other concerned adults used to worry about the violent content in computer games. Now they worry about the time spent in front of the screen. Hours, days and weeks can pass since online games have no real ending. But are the gamers addicted or are they just having too much fun? As usual, the truth is somewhere in between.

The key word of what it is that make these games so captivating is “online”. The game itself, i.e. the narrative, concept and design is of minor consequence. When games go online social elements like interaction, cooperation and competition emerge.

These social elements commit gamers to playing for many more reasons than traditional offline games. The interactions, via chat or voice, make the game an arena for simply hanging out with friends. Cooperation forces gamers to log on and participate in order not to let their friends down. Competition brings in an element where players want to be the first to reach the next level, the first to solve a quest or the first to get that super rare powerful item.

In order for the gamer to be fully immersed and enjoy all aspects of the online game (the game itself as well as the social exchange) he or she needs to devote a lot of time to playing. This is not the same thing as an addiction, even though it might seem like it to a concerned parent or spouse. An addiction is a behavior driven by an obsession, often to release anxiety. This is not the case with the vast majority of online gamers. Maybe a better word for the gaming experience would be passion – something you do because you get pleasure from it?

However, we must not ignore the fact that some gamers spend so much time playing that it has negative effects on their offline social life, their studies and their relationships. But branding a whole new phenomenon as an addiction on par with alcoholism or drug abuse does not solve these problems. They are solved by understanding the many complex mechanisms behind the attraction of online games and how gamers can be helped to balance their hobby in order not to spoil their offline lives.

Daniel Boije, The Swedish Media Council