Online gaming can actually lead to both: addiction or hobby. That depends on the user though. Through the user, online gaming can be whatever is thought for the user.
I wrote something about online addictions.. the things people do are so terrible forget their children, don't eat, and some people have got so P.O.ed about the games they play that they kill them selves over it.. so sad..
Gaming can turn into an addiction in some people, because the adrenalin rush from playing tends to trigger the pleasure center in the brain. (if you want a publication on it, I have a link to an article somewhere, just message me.)
I think the point is, gaming, just like most everything else, can have the potential to become something negative. But with moderation, there's really no harm.
World of Warcraft may still hold the fort for having a huge number of paying subscribers but on the whole, a lot of them are going down the drain. I recall Champions Online, Lord of the Rings, Dungeons and Dragons, DC Universe etc all cost an extortionate amount of money at one time but are now free.
I do not think people are willing to pay £40 for a base-game and then a £15 subscription every month. Mind you, the games are always updated but there is only so much you can do in an MMO. The story can be limited but you can meet some interesting people within it.
Do I think Online Gaming is an addiction? No. MMOs are not as addictive as they used to be but I believe games such as Call of Duty are taking over via their online services.
People only tend to play games excessively if they have not a lot to do in life. I love gaming - I could not imagine not having the Steam Client but a majority of people would not skip a day of work to play World of Warcraft. A small number of cases perhaps.
In South Korea there is a limit on how long their children can play MMOs but this is due to extreme cases reported via the media.
There are millions of gamers in the world - the media only emphasise on the crazy few.
I definitely think that gaming can be an addiction. However, your article didn't really address anything that could be construed as to how it could be an addiction versus how it could be a hobby. You give a very rough idea of different types of gaming and you also mention how it's an important part of your life, and you even touch upon proper etiquette. However, you have one single sentence where you talk about addiction and it's such a broad statement.
I think this article could have been good if you'd actually followed your own title. As it stands, you didn't really. Other than that, it seemed to be grammatically fine and you did bring up a couple interesting points.
I think gaming in general is an addiction. Or, at least it can be.
I've never been into the whole online gaming thing, though. I love games, but I prefer to play them alone. I think there's a kind of fear for me that I won't talk to anyone and it will be a waste of my time, or that people will hate me 'cause I'm rubbish at the game or something, lol.
Don't even get me started on online games with mics, I can barely talk to people I know over the phone, let alone strangers over the internet...
I have always been afraid of online gaming not because I think I might end up stealing but because I'm afraid that once I start playing, I won't stop! I'm a huge World of Warcraft fan but I have always played it only off of CDs, and only campaigns which all have to end at one point. Nevertheless, I liked your article. A lot of people complain about how Internet has made us asocial, but I think that online gaming can really do the opposite - you meet people, play games with them and talk with them. As long as it is all good-natured fun, I don't see why it would be bad.
I see no harm in online gaming and I don't get the connection between gaming and stealing. I play Perfect World, Feral Heart, and Impressive World, and I have never stolen anything! I might bite somebody one day though!