GameSci: What Is (Scientifically!) The Most Addictive Game Ever?

I'd have to agree, although I never got into WOW I know a lot of people who have played that game since its inception. It wasn't the first MMO, but it definitely changed the genre, and has influenced many other genres as well.

The Sims were fun, but you can only play that game for a while before it gets to be annoying, or maybe that's just me.

If there's one game franchise that probably out does all the others it would be Mario. Since the first game debuted in 1983, then on console in 1985 it has been a world wide success.

WoW helped me lose about 15 lbs :D Now my current addiction is Guild Wars 2.. I find that if I don't group I can keep track of time better. (not that it really makes that much of a difference, if you're playing and you look at the clock and it's late you're still going to play until whatever you are doing is done.. drawback of non-pause)

I used Civilization 5 to help me lose weight (specifically, to help me ignore my hunger, since step #1 was to lower portion sizes). I've done it twice, and both times it worked. It helped that I am self employed though, so I could literally site there for 14 hours a day over a 2 or 3 week period.

The Civ francise has been my #1 game addiction, ever since Civ 1 came out. In fact, when Civ 5 first came out I didn't buy it right away, knowing that I wouldn't be able to stop. That's called WILL POWER :)

I happen to enjoy games from all genres, and have found that for me personally, Fallout 3 and Fallout New Vegas have been the most addicting. I have lost so track of time so easily, that I have missed out on sleep for nights on several occasions. I have read that the new Fallout game will be introducing an MMO aspect, so I can just imagine how hard it will be to stop playing that at times.

Turn based strategy games were the worst for me....."just one more turn".

Female (Age 25) - so you played FF7 with your BF when it came out? It came out in 1997, if you are 25 you would have been 9 or 10. You had a boyfriend at 9 years old?

Smells like a liar to me.

I've never played WOW, but I agree that mmos are the most addicting, especially sandbox mmos. I heard about how crazy it can get in those games on a youtube video called "TUN: Un-Ruining The MMO", which talks about all the WOW spinoffs and how sandbox games are the most immersive type of mmo. I like how the MrBtongue mentions Eve: Online and the power each player has in the game, where they create their own wars and take over parts of the universe. Sandbox mmos out there.

Wizardry Online is a pretty neat mmo so far. I hope I don't spend too much time playing that like I did Realm of the Mad God though.

the only two(actually three) games to ever get me to lose my sense of hygiene and any/all concept of a sleep pattern were Deux Ex: Human Revolution & the Batman Arkham Series(asylum & city) .. and when they finished.. i was actually kind sad/angry/disapointed.

Fallout 3 + expansions, never had the effect, Halo: CE didn't, Civ I,II,III,IV,V didn't, sims 1,2,3 didin't, Simcity or any of it's sequals, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon/Rainbow 6 & sequals didn't, Exclusive monsters like Geras of war and Uncharted got played through but not life stealing, ... WoW i hated the GUI and never played past the freebie trial, Guildwars was always casual, Flyff was captivating but nothing serious, Startrek online had a few late nights but not many, Ultima online the same...

the only other game i can remember that had captured me indefinitly was Ultima 7: the blackgate, I skipped school a friday or two to finish that one summer of 1992.

Good article. I'm not a WOW player but the picture from the story looks like Kung Fu Panda to me.

HALO 3!!! Best Shooter of all time!!! Reach and Halo4 are pieces of CRAP!! I would give my left nut to meet the person who made the Shield in Reach/H4. Not only does it protect the person, but also causes damage? I hope we meet one day, decision maker of this overpowered shield, I will slap your face!!! Haaaaaarrrrdddd!! DMR sucks too!

You think I'm playing... but I'm not. >:|

"Do not try and bend the spoon. That's impossible. Instead... only try to realize the truth. There is no spoon."

dongsweep--> they were quoting a study from 2007, so that player was 15. Seems plausible to me that they played for 3 days, what else was there to do before kids had smartphones?

My first game where hours had passed and I had no clue, was with Wing Commander. It blew me away that I had no clue so much time had passed. I think this can happen with any immersive screen activity. I've experienced the same mental time dilation effect when programming. It happens at work as often as anywhere. It's always bad when you're in the zone and the wife calls and says, um, you coming home? And you look at the clock and you're 2 or 3 hours overdue and you had no idea...

Those RPGs are all fine but the casual market should get some props as well. The upcoming game H2FLOW by HaptixGames is promising addiction.

Enough hours are wasted by people playing Evony that I have at times wondered if it is a plot by the Chinese to reduce American productivity.

Number 6- That's the new expansion to WoW where a Panda is a playable charactor. And of course it's racial specialties include martial arts type skills.
Everquest was one of the top MMORPGs at one time, but the complexity of having to research intricate quests for gear and to get epic weapons, AND a huge amount of research for recipes to create needed items made it a game that older players were typically the only ones that could excel. WoW changed that by making it increasingly easier and continuing to allow more accessibility to younger player and player that didn't want to devote 2 hours of research to be able to run a quest and thereby pulled many players from EQ. EQ saw what was happening, but SOE was just a bit too late with catching up and also fell behind in expansion gameplay. I had a number of high level charators in a high level guild and found that because of my work schedule, wasn't able to participate in all of the raids where the best gear was which could make the toon twice as strong as what normally quested gear could. SO I fell behind and wasn't able to really catch up. This is what game makers need to remember is to provide a good group content, but don't make it necessary to continue leveling in the game.

I would say lately it has been Skyrim and its story telling. Though not perfect that game has kept me coming back to it again and again. And with the DLC and Modding community, killing those Thalmor has never tasted so sweet.

Not sure I am excited about the online stuff, though it can be fun sometimes playing with others has never been my forte mostly with the whole game by comity.

Sudoku. what did it rank? I can't quit!

I've never been much of a "gamer" because of the addictive nature, but when I do play an interactive game I set a time, or when I feel that I have been "sucked in" I gracefully complete the segment and escape ! I've also never been much into never-ending games which defy my attention span : )

Just thinking of computer games here:
A very subjective idea, though I think it's fair to say some games are inherently more addictive by either the feel-good factor, built-in reward system, or more recently the social factor. If you can combine all 3 then you may as well blow your brains out cos your life as you know it just ended.
The games that proved most addictive for me were:

- Asteroids arcade game circa 1980
- Tyrann circa 1985 on the Oric Atmos(yeah I wanted a spectrum - got an Oric - thanks Dad)
- Duke Nukem 3D on Playstation circa 1998
- Driver on Playstation circa 1999
- GTA Vice City on PC circa 2002
- Left for Dead 1(& less so 2) on PC circa 2010.

I think the definition of an addictive computer game is when you cross the magic line into interminable joyless guilt-laden playing for hours on end until you feel mentally and physically ill.
Kind of calls the whole thing into question.
Sometimes I wonder if I had spent all the game time on, say, learning to play piano, maybe I'd be a world-renowned concert pianist by now.

Fallout 3 was the game that sucked me in. I love a game that can do that. They are rare indeed!!

Everquest also called evercrack and the widowmaker game and the game most MMO are modeled and and was even banned in brazil however after sonly took over tile to it from it sub company 989 studios they started rushing expansions causing down time and up to a week long reset along with a serious downgrade in customer service as under the 989 banner I usaly could be helped for an issue fell threw the world and stuck with less then an hour but one time I got stuck for 2 weeks.
and after playing this game for almost 7 years I will not even think of buying a sony product ever again

The only game I ever played for hours on end was Tetris.

This is stupid. Addiction does not mean something that you CHOOSE to sit there and play. I get wrapped up in different games as well, but I also know how to put a controller down and have a life. Anyone who tries to say they are addicted to a video game is just trying to justify their laziness and total lack of self motivation. If you are addicted to something, you can't just set it down and walk away with no consequence. This is a dumb and NOT scientific study at all.

@D13
And you're still following the Halo series, why? If you think the multiplayer is going downhill, just stop playing. Please. I've seriously heard enough complaining elsewhere already.

@TCobbKSU
Jeez, you don't expect 3.14159 all the time from a science site, do you? I think it was pretty obvious what the author meant by this. You're taking this way too seriously.

You guys are older gamers. The number one for younger teens is Minecraft. Trust me.

"When (Final Fantasy 7) first came out, my boyfriend and I took turns playing and ended up playing for pretty much three days straight. We hadn't realized that two extra nights had passed and felt absolutely horrible physically afterwards. On a good note, playing videogames helped me quit smoking. I'd play instead and then huge chunks of time would go by with no nicotine cravings at all (Female, age 25)."

WHEN.CAN.WE.GET.MARRIED.BEAUTIFUL.LADY.OUT.THERE.....:3 <3 Zen. Namaste. SCIENNCEE.:3 <3

I wish someone would do a study on those of us who do not play these games or find them particularly interesting. I'm in the IT field and have been for years. I spend all day in front of computer screens and to come home and do it for hours more is not high on my list.

I played some game with my nephews that involved me piloting a helicopter. Not bragging, but my nephews were amazed I was so good piloting the helicopter. But, as a private pilot, anyway, I will give the game designers credit - the darn thing flew pretty much like the real thing, as far as performance goes. Still, interesting, but not something I'd spend endless hours doing. I have no problem with any of it. I just don't see what the addictive, endorphin-producing, attraction is all about. Kind of "meh."

DOOM
DOOM
DOOM
DOOM
DOOM
DOOM
DOOM

(NIN)

It is a very attractive game. A part of it reminded me Kungfu Panda.

http://www.kizi-friv.info
http://www.kizi66.com

Interesting article! One which we should all take note of whether we play and or are addicted to or not. First off, to answer the question we would have to know the definition of Scientifically, because its meaning is diverse in and of it self.

Now, with that said there is no real scientifically most addictive game. Problem is people are addicted to their own kind of game, in their own way. Some play games for hours they may be long in-depth games like Dark ages of Camelot, The best mmorpg ever made for real gamers. Or it may be as simple as solitaire on windows, and trust me when I say, there are more millions addicted to that game than even the author would imagine.

We can talk about WOW but let’s face it, they may have millions that play but most don’t want to admit it for some reason. It seems your real computer gamer’s ones who have been around, not the kids but the adults generally do not care for a game like wow. It’s dummied down and does not fulfill what a real gamer needs.

I think wow is the kind of game parents put their kids on to get them out of the way so they pay for it. It keeps the subscriptions up.

Shooters like call of duty, doom, and some others mentioned are highly addictive as well. The older generation of computer gamers got involved with might and magic games. Now days it’s sad, most mmorpgs have a shelf life, they last a few years then fade away, people swap from game to game trying to find the one that keeps their time occupied and is enjoyable for them. Some play mmorpg and also buy stand alones when they release so they can play them out as a break to the MMORP they play daily.

So really its simple there is no one scientifically most addictive game. People are addicted to all sorts of games and will be for many years to come. If there was a possibility I would stake my money on the mmorpgs as being most addictive. It’s the whole genre of games.

Life is but a game! Might as well play one!

To balance these horror stories of video game addiction, how about some tips for balancing life and video games and some stories of people who've managed it?

The gaming fanatics over at Kotaku managed it, I'm sure you folks could, too if you tried (or at least get permission to reprint some excerpts).
kotaku.com/5990380/how-to-balance-video-games-with-real-life

Never played WoW, no interest. I love the Elder Scrolls series but rarely play it precisely because it becomes so time consuming. I have moved away from PC gaming in general for the same reason, gaming sessions tend to be far shorter on my xbox. The last RPG I played was the Mass Effect trilogy and I could barely put it down, (BTW best RPG I have ever played) in contrast one or two matches of Battlefield and I'm ready to do something else.

The only other thing I do that is remotely as time consuming is board games. RISK and Monopoly can drag on for hours... days actually but you can 'pause' those when you need to.

IDK if video games are addictive, since addiction requires a mood altering substance or behavior and adverse consequences. I might get riled up during a competitive multiplayer match but that is the case with anything competitive I do. Adverse effects? Some people mention loosing weight but I can't report anything. The only thing bad I can say about video games is all that time spent playing when I was younger I could have better spent learning some mechanics or carpentry, maybe read a classic - something useful. I guess for some people its an issue but I only enjoy video games - if i'm not having fun I get off.

Civilization is the crack cocaine of video games (except V, it's way too slow). You tell yourself that I'll quit as soon as I get the next tech (3 turns), but then you get it and you're only a few turns away from getting a world wonder (5 turns), and I can't quit now, the Romans just invaded. I'll finish them off, then go to bed. Well, now I'm 2 turns shy from getting my next technology, which means I can switch my government type. But then that means 4 turns of anarchy, and I can't just leave a game like that. So you have to play a few more turns to get that taken care of... Then I'll go to bed... or, um, then I'll get dressed and go to work... or call in sick.

yes, a good games. you can play online with Yepi6 org | Yepi8 org | Kizi-2 net