No videogame addiction thread is complete without a link to this video.
I think a lot of these "addictions," internet addiction, gaming addiction, etc, should all just be rolled up into one type of "media addiction." In my experience though, it seems more related to a type of depression or sociopathic disorder than anything else. I don't think videogames are inherently "addictive," at least not in a harmful way. I have, however, spent the night playing a brand new game on occasion, starting at, say, 9 PM and then glancing over at the clock to see 4:30 AM. However, I've also been in the same situation with a book, a TV series or anime, and the internet. Which is why I think the root of all these "addictions" is probably the same. Dunno why everyone wants to single out videogames.