ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the role of the video game genre, gaming motivations, and trait psychological need satisfaction in video game addiction. Respondents filled out an online questionnaire asking about gamer demographics, favourite genres, motivations for playing their three favourite games, trait psychological need satisfaction, and level of video game addiction. Research exploring motivations for playing video games have cited a number of common psychological gratifications derived from playing as important factors in why people play video games. Competence is the intrinsic need to feel a sense of mastery and efficacy in what one is doing. Video games not only differ from other activities in their delivery of psychological gratification, but also differ within different genres of video games. Video game addiction cannot be diagnosed simply by excessive game play, but by the relationship the player has with video games. The strongest motivational predictors are presence, which is negatively correlated with addiction, and escapism, which is positively correlated with addiction.
