In afterglow of E3 show, WHO labels compulsive game playing an addiction

The World Health Organization (WHO) said that “gaming disorder” will appear in a new draft of the organization’s International Classification of Diseases, a compendium of medical conditions. The previously signaled move takes the policy one step closer to official recognition in the wake of a successful Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) game trade show in Los Angeles last week.

The United Nations’ WHO has been contemplating the declaration of compulsive video game playing as a mental health condition since last year, and the game industry has been pushing back. WHO said that classifying “gaming disorder” as a separate addiction will help governments, families, and health care workers be on guard to identify risks. It said no more than 3 percent of players are likely affected.