Playing MMORPGs: Connections between Addiction and Identifying with a Character

TLDR

Addiction to online role‑playing games is a major concern in cyberpsychology due to its potential negative impact on young people’s social lives. This study examines aspects of youth and adolescent addiction to MMORPGs. We investigated how players’ connections to their in‑game characters influence addiction by assessing the nature of that relationship. Players who are more likely to be addicted view their characters as superior and aspire to emulate them in real life, and younger players are generally more prone to addiction.

Abstract

Addiction to online role-playing games is one of the most discussed aspects of recent cyberpsychology, mainly for its potentially negative impact on the social lives of young people. In our study, we focus on some aspects of youth and adolescent addiction to MMORPGs. We investigated connections between players and their game characters and examined if, and in what ways, player relationship to their character affected potential addiction. Players attitude to their characters seems to play a specific role, since players who tend to be addicted view their characters as being superior and more often wish to be like their characters in their real lives. Our research also confirmed that younger players are generally more prone to addiction.