Members of the World Health Organisation will decide next week if video game addiction will become an officially recognised disorder.
The eleventh iteration of the International Classification of Diseases – commonly known as ICD-11 – included “gaming disorder” for the first time last year, when it was included in the draft document. Despite significant pushback from industry leaders such as the Entertainment Software Association – representing studios like Epic, Activision Blizzard, and Riot – health experts will be able to vote on the changes at the World Health Assembly in Geneva later this week (thanks, iNews).
The World Health Organisation guidance defines the disorder as characterised by a pattern of “persistent or recurrent gaming behaviour, which may be online or offline, manifested by: 1) impaired control over gaming (e.g., onset, frequency, intensity, duration, termination, context); 2) increasing priority given to gaming to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other life interests and daily activities; and 3) continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences”.
Source: Eurogamer World Health Organisation will decide this week if "gaming disorder" should be a recognised illness