My two cents: diminishing returns. The greatest value to playing a game is learning the rules. Playing the game is a reward for having successfully learned the rules. Continued playing of the game becomes pure recreation. If one were to properly equate video game addiction to book addiction, it would be reading the same small collection of books repeatedly. This is coming from someone who had the Level 70 Warlock in World of Warcraft, designed maps for Unreal Tournament, and has belonged to several online communities built up around loving to play video games. I avoided countless social and educational opportunities for the sake of spending more time in front of the computer screen. I've been a video game addict. It can be an addiction. And it isn't unfair to label it as such.

I love Liz's blogs!!! And, if anyone is going to be at the ALA Conference in Chicago in July, she'll be there. (as will I)

Regarding addicts, a recent Study states:

"... (video) games players get on average 1.6 hours less sleep per week, they also spend less time in bed, have longer sleep latency and sleep less 'deeply' (as monitored through REM)." play.tm/news/25077/study-says-gamers-need-more-sleep

Does this mean book addicts are sleep deprived, too?