7 Most Addicting Games Ever

July 16, 2019 - Addiction Treatment, Parent Resources - 0 Comments

Millions of people play video games every single day. With tech devices and the internet becoming more and more accessible worldwide, it is now very easy to download and play video games as much as you want. For many people, playing video games is a way for them to de-stress and entertain themselves. However, while video games may seem harmless, playing too much of it can also be harmful.

In fact, the World Health Organization classified gaming disorder as a valid condition. In 2018, it was recorded in the International Classification of Diseases. Gaming disorder refers to uncontrollable gaming behavior wherein the act of gaming takes priority over daily activities and the person still continues gaming even if it is already rendering negative effects.

While people can be addicted to just any game, there are some games that are considered more addictive because of how they were designed and structured. Here is a list of the seven most addicting games ever.

1.   PUBG

PUBG, short for PlayerUnknown’s Battleground, was first released in December 2017 and since then, it has taken its place as one of the most addicting video games today. PUBG is an online game that adopts the “battle royale” genre wherein the player must be the last man standing to win. It’s kind of like the Hunger Games where you have to defeat everyone else in order to get the chicken dinner, which is the most coveted prize in the game. You can either play it solo or with a team of up to four people. A team can also be declared as the winner.

Players are ranked at the end of every round that’s why you’d probably want to keep playing so you can rank higher the next time. When you finally get to win a chicken dinner, the adrenaline rush becomes so high that you’d want to play again thinking that you’re now invincible. There have been many news reports about people so addicted to PUBG that it has affected their lives. In India, two men were supposedly so engrossed in the game that they didn’t hear a train coming and were run over!

2.   Fortnite

Fortnite is another game in the battle royale genre. It is a free-to-play game making it accessible to many people, even children. Fortnite is actually quite similar to PUBG where you or your team must defeat the rest of the players in order to win. Just like PUBG, you can gather weapons and other items to make your character stronger. The difference between Fortnite and PUBG is the visuals. Fortnite has colorful, almost cartoonish graphics, as opposed to PUBG’s more realistic, military-style look and feel. The graphic look is also what attracts younger gamers.

As of 2019, there are an estimated 250 million Fornite players, with almost 40 million people logging in to play every month. This just shows how addicting this game is. In fact, parents liken the game to heroin because they see their kids lose sleep and abandon their studies because of playing the game. There are also those who turn to illegal substances in order to keep themselves awake to play. In the UK, there was a teenager who claimed that Fortnite turned him into a drug addict. He said that he got hooked on amphetamines to keep himself awake in order to keep playing.

3.   World of Warcraft

World of Warcraft is a much older game that was released in 2004. This is also a game that was compared to a drug as it was often referred to as online cocaine, with so many players unable to stop playing it. It had its peak from 2010 to 2012 with more than 10 million players. However, with the release of the newer games, this number lessened with only the really hardcore fans still addicted to it. WOW has many different modes that can keep you hooked for several hours. You can create your own avatar to explore maps, defeat monsters, engage in player interaction and complete carious quests.

4.   Call of Duty

Call of Duty is a first-person shooter game first launched in 2003. It now has many different versions  with the latest one set to be released in October 2019. According to a report from the Washington Post, humans have spent more time playing this game than it has existed on Earth with more than 2.85 million years logged playing. This statistic was reported way back in 2013 and it was already 14 times longer than humankind has existed.

It is not unusual for gamers to keep on playing for many hours, especially when a game is first released. Some gaming addicts attribute it to the reward system in COD. If you keep playing, you will keep earning small rewards that will keep you happy. If you play more, you’ll always have the thinking that you can lock another thing, without realizing that you’ve spent your entire day gaming.

5.   DOTA 2

DOTA 2 is a considered a MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) game that is free-to-play. It requires two teams of five players each, with each player controlling one character having unique capabilities. DOTA 2 is more of a strategic game wherein the team must destroy their enemy’s core base in order to win. If you are a beginner, the draw of getting better each time will make you want to play continuously. Once you start winning, you’ll still want to go on and get a winning streak.

6.   Minecraft

While the first five games in this list are more focused on defeating other players or toppling the enemy through shootouts or strategy, Minecraft has a totally different concept. Minecraft is a game where players can maximize their creativity by building, digging, and crafting just about anything you want – a house, a castle, a tower, skyscraper, a space shuttle, or an entire city.

There’s really no limit on what you can do. There’s a survival mode where you have to scavenge for resources, or if you like, there’s also a combat mode where you can fight monsters or even other players.  Because of the endless possibilities, many people find themselves spending several hours on this game. To date, more than 91 million people log in to the game every month making it one of the biggest video games in the world.

7.   Candy Crush

You don’t need to be a legit video gamer to play this game. Candy Crush is a puzzle game where you need to match colored candies by swiping your finger on a mobile screen device. This game is for all ages, making it accessible to a lot of people. Your mom or even your grandmother is probably playing this game, too. Out of 270 million players, more than 9 million people reportedly play this game for more than three hours a day.

Most people start playing Candy Crush to pass the time when they are waiting in line or sitting idle in order to fight boredom. However, once you’re hooked, it can be difficult to break the habit. The colorful interface makes it look deceptively easy but as you go further, the game slowly becomes much more difficult. Most of the time, people who fail to finish one level are only short by a few moves, making them want to try again. A player has a limited number of lives and if you fail to run out of lives because you’re unable to complete one level, you have to wait 30 minutes to replenish your lives. Of course, there’s also an option to pay if you are too frustrated to wait.

Overcome Gaming Addiction

Video game addiction is a serious condition especially if it is already affecting your daily life and your health. If you or someone you know is struggling to fight this behavioral problem, you can reach out to us for help.

Contact Lighthouse Treatment Center to learn more about our specialized modes of treatment.