More than just playtime: What gaming can mean for you

One more round. One more task. And then suddenly it’s later than planned. Those who play know this. Those who live with a person who plays, probably do too, but from a different perspective.

When it comes to gaming, the clock is quickly looked at. How many hours are still okay? When is it too much? Playing time is part of the experience. But it doesn’t tell the whole story.

Equally important: What does playing give you? Can you make it the way you want it? And what happens to sleep, relationships, and the things that are otherwise important to you?

Gaming can be more than just a pastime

Anyone who achieves a difficult level experiences progress. Anyone who plays in a team can feel needed. Anyone who creates characters or worlds may find a space for creativity. And sometimes playing just has fun. That is also a good reason to have a hobby.

A well-known research approach explains the appeal of games through three psychological needs: being able to decide for oneself, feeling competent, and being connected to others. Ryan, Rigby, and Przybylski examined these relationships in four studies. Experiencing competence and self-determination were associated with enjoyment of gaming and changes in well-being; in a multiplayer survey, belonging also played a role.[2]

That doesn’t mean that every game meets these needs. But it does explain why the question „What do you find so great about this?“ is worth asking if it is meant to be curious.

New research: Gaming as a space for identity and belonging

A systematic review published on October 15, 2026 by van Nierop and colleagues makes the importance of identity particularly visible. He compiles 34 articles with 38 studies; the average ages of the samples ranged between 12 and 25 years.[1]

The findings differ depending on what young people identify with. Belonging to a gaming community was sometimes associated with higher well-being. In contrast, identification with a gaming world or a game system showed connections with problematic gaming in individual studies. The connections were also different for avatars.[1]

The limitations are significant: 33 of the 38 studies were cross-sectional studies. None examined changes in identity processes over time. The review therefore neither proves that gaming causes identity problems nor that it generally improves identity development. The authors also identify weaknesses in measuring game duration.[1]

From this, a helpful question can be derived for discussions: „What can you experience or show in the game that you currently lack?“ This is a conversational impulse, not a scientifically tested test for identity issues.

Avatar and self-image: He can try it out

An avatar is a self-created or chosen character in a game. Maybe it looks like you. Maybe not. It can be an expression, a fantasy, or a way to try out different roles.

A review by Green, Delfabbro, and King evaluated 18 quantitative studies. It found associations between problematic gaming, negative self-concept, avatar identification, and greater differences between the self experienced and the avatar. However, the measurement methods were different; the mechanisms remain unclear.[3]

No rule can be derived from this that an important avatar is suspicious. For reflection purposes, it is more interesting to ask: What qualities do you like about your character? Are there opportunities to show these aspects in school, training, work, or other relationships?

Recovery or evasion? Both deserve a closer look

Trying to unwind after a busy day is understandable. Therefore, in the check, we distinguish between relief through playing and the question of whether there are other ways to manage stress in addition to that.

A practical question is this: After playing, can I return to everyday life? Or do important things always fall by the wayside as the pressure builds up?

A study by Johannes, Vuorre and Przybylski linked surveys with actual game data from two games. It found a small positive correlation between playtime and emotional well-being. This is not evidence that more games make people automatically happier, and cannot be generalized to all games or young people.[4]

The more meaningful perspective is that of personal experience: joy, relaxation, and community can occur simultaneously with fatigue, pressure, or difficulties in stopping. Both of these can be visible in the end result.

When does gaming become problematic?

Gaming Disorder in the ICD-11 describes a pattern of impaired control, increasing preoccupation with gaming, and continued gaming or increased gaming despite negative consequences. For a diagnosis, there must also be significant impairment in important areas of life. The pattern usually exists for at least twelve months.[5]

This is different from a long gaming weekend. At the same time, twelve months is not a waiting period for support: anyone who is currently suffering greatly or is significantly impaired in everyday life should seek help earlier.

For example, pay attention to repeated difficulties in finishing, the pushing aside of important obligations, or persistent continued playing despite specific problems. A dispute over game times alone does not prove a disturbance. What matters are the extent, course, and the actual effects.[5]

An overview of 51 reviews and meta-analyses published in 2026 shows that research on problematic gaming uses different definitions and populations. The evidence quality was overall assessed as low to moderate. Therefore, general percentages are of little help in determining what is present in an individual.[6]

When there are additional pressures behind the game

A review by Coutelle and colleagues examined 30 studies involving a total of 3,683 adolescents with problematic gaming. Among the findings were links to ADHD, anxiety, depressive symptoms, as well as emotional and behavioral problems.[7]

Such associations do not automatically explain what came first. They suggest looking at multiple life domains in the presence of significant problems. A longitudinal study involving 1,893 Chinese adolescents also examined associations between problematic gaming and anxiety symptoms. Such a design also does not provide a simple cause-and-effect explanation for the individual.[8]

When everyday life is severely affected, a professional assessment is advisable. A support center for addiction counseling or a medical or psychotherapeutic referral can help to identify the game playing and other stressors together. Coaching to improve self-control can accompany another concern; in the case of suspected mental disorder, appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic care takes center stage.

For parents: Interest before questioning

„You’re just on the computer!“ rarely opens up the conversation that one would hope for. Instead, we suggest using it as a conversation aid:

• Let them show you what is interesting about the game and who the people are that belong to it.
• Describe specific observations: „You woke up very tired three times this week.“
• Ask how the young person experienced the situation themselves.
• Agree on a manageable next step, such as a planned end before going to bed.
• Discuss what would be a realistic exit in team games or ongoing rounds.

Being connected online is no less real because a screen is in between. Still, sleep, learning, exercise, and other interests need space. Taking both seriously is the attitude of this check.

For professionals, the answers are suitable as a starting point for a conversation. They do not allow for a diagnosis or classification into a risk group.

Frequently asked questions

How many hours of gaming are too many?
This check does not set a general hourly limit. Time is a contextual information. Additionally, self-control and its impact on everyday life are crucial; long playtime alone does not constitute a gaming disorder.[5]

Is gaming problematic for relaxation?
The check does not consider relaxation through gaming to be a warning sign. It also asks about other ways to cope and whether important problems remain unresolved.

Is an important avatar a warning sign?
Strong identification alone does not necessarily lead to a disorder. What is interesting are personal experiences and possible stressors.[3]

Can parents fill out the check for their child?
The self-evaluation is intended for the person playing the role. Parents and professionals receive their own support in discussing the situation. They are not supposed to evaluate internal feelings or motives on behalf of the person playing the role.

Is this a gaming addiction test?
No. The Gaming Meaning Check is a self-developed, scientifically informed reflection offering. It has not yet been scientifically validated and does not constitute a diagnosis. In case of significant problems, professional assessment may be advisable.

Author: Petra Pinder. Date of publication: October 18, 2026. This article provides information and does not replace individual diagnosis or treatment.

Sources and classification

Current status: October 18, 2026. In the case of inaccessible full text, the text is based on the accessible abstract. The sources provide evidence for research topics and findings, not the effectiveness of TranceBreaker® or the validity of this check.

1. van Nierop B, Wijsbroek S, Kleinjan M, Maes M, Cup V, Peeters M. The association between video gaming and adolescent identity: a systematic review. Adolescent Research Review. Online 15.10.2026. DOI and full text of the publication. Full text available. Reference: Identity, different identification objects, evidence limitations. Important: newly published; research of the included studies on January 9, 2025; not to be compared with research exclusively from 2026.
2. Ryan RM, Rigby CS, Przybylski A. The Motivational Pull of Video Games: A Self-Determination Theory Approach. Motivation and Emotion. 2006;30:344–360. Editorial page and abstract. Background: Competence, autonomy and belonging. No claim to a guaranteed transfer of playing skills into everyday life.
3. Green R, Delfabbro PH, King DL. Avatar- and self-related processes and problematic gaming: A systematic review. Addictive Behaviors. 2020;108:106461. DOI, PubMed abstract. Background: Self-concept and avatar; no diagnosis from identification.
4. Johannes N, Vuorre M, Przybylski AK. Video game play is positively correlated with well-being. Royal Society Open Science. 2021;8:202049. DOI, Oxford Authors Archive. Background: Game data and well-being; limited transferability and no easy causal evidence.
5. World Health Organization. Gaming disorder: Frequently Asked Questions. WHO. Criteria: three core features, significant impairment, usually twelve months. The four-week reflection period of the check is not a diagnostic period.
6. Nagata JM, Helmer CK, Huang OH, et al. Overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses on problematic video game use and gaming disorder in adolescents and young adults. eClinicalMedicine. 2026;100:104195. DOI, Institutional proof with abstract. Reference: 51 Reviews, differing definitions, low to moderate evidence quality. No overall prevalence figure used in the article.
7. Coutelle R, Balzer J, Rolling J, Lalanne L. Problematic gaming, psychiatric comorbidities, and adolescence: A systematic review of the literature. Addictive Behaviors. 2024;157:108091. DOI, PubMed abstract. Background: 30 studies, 3,683 adolescents, psychological accompanying burdens.
8. Li W, Zhao Y, Yang C, et al. Longitudinal network associations between symptoms of problematic gaming and generalized and social anxiety among adolescents. Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology. 2025;53:1263–1279. Editorial page and abstract. Background: 1,893 Chinese adolescents, two surveys taken at a twelve-month interval. Network relationships not to be equated with causal mechanisms or treatment efficacy.