Gaming binge 'The new addiction?'

After research i have found several reports that have arisen over the internet and on the news. They are reports of players setting out on a 'gaming binge,' and playing computer games over the duration of hours and even days.

With online games sporting huge numbers of online players like "World of Warcraft," these internet phenomenons are becoming profound for their addictivness.

This article from the guardian tells the story of a man who played the game for 3 days straight and as a result dropped dead. Although this is a rare and extreme case, it goes to show the effect that the gaming industry is starting to have as the quality and technology gets better over time.

"A Chinese man dropped dead after a three-day internet gaming session, state media reported today.
The man, reportedly around 30 years old, from the southern city of Guangzhou, died on Saturday after being rushed to hospital from an internet cafe, according to local officials quoted by the Beijing News.
The newspaper said exhaustion was the most likely cause and "police have ruled out the possibility of suicide".
It did not say what game the man had been playing.
The Chinese government is trying to wean internet addicts offline and restrict access to certain content. This year, it has banned the opening of new internet cafes, and orders have been issued limiting the time internet users can spend gaming online."

The article is a prime example, of how the gaming industry needs to encourage the exercise of players and breaks from playing. A line from reality and gaming needs to be made as some players take gaming a bit too far. In my personal opinion.

"It would get to the point where I couldn't play and pass school at the same time," he says. "I would have to completely uninstall the games from my computer and spend about three weeks catching up."