Video Gaming Industry Issues Attack On WHO’s Proposed Gaming Disorder Classification

Teens’ (and others’) life-altering obsession with video gaming is well-known to almost any parent in most countries around the world, and the World Health Organization recently identified it as an addiction called “gaming disorder.” Today, the self-acclaimed $36 billion video gaming industry hit back with a statement about a new paper from “preeminent researchers and scientists” that it says casts doubt on the WHO’s efforts.

The forthcoming paper including 36 researchers from around the world finds that while there is a problem with gaming for some users, more research is needed before classifying it as a disorder.

“We agree that there are some people whose play of video games is related to life problems,” says the abstract to the paper. “We believe that understanding this population and the nature and severity of the problems they experience should be a focus area for future research. However, moving from research construct to formal disorder requires a much stronger evidence base than we currently have.”

The paper (‘A Weak Scientific Basis for Gaming Disorder: Let us err on the side of caution’) will appear in a publication called the Journal of Behavioral Addictions.

The US-based Entertainment Software Association issued a statement listing the doubts mentioned by authors about WHO’s proposed action, such as the possibility of confusion, lack of evidence, low scientific basis, and the possible influence of “moral panic.” ESA called for a “halt” to WHO’s initiative.

WHO could not comment by press time.