I think it depends on the person. I am an avid gamer (have all consoles and a high end Pc) but despise all multiplayer games! I love RPG and strategy games… the less frenetic the gameplay the better! For me it’s all about the story, the immersion in a new world and the mental challenge! I don’t understand how people can waste time shooting around at random people!

I find the online games very addictive but for a lot of the time they aren't very enjoyable and then for a brief period they are very exciting (the adrenaline I'm speaking about). The game that resonated with me most emotionally was The Last of Us: Part 2 but I couldn't play it regularly or I think it would lose its charm. I generally feel quite conflicted about gaming because of this: there are games (like TLOU) that I'm glad to have experienced, but the ones that I spend the most time playing are only enjoyable some of the time (usually when I win). I think this is what I define as my own addiction: continuing to do something that doesn't bring me pleasure.

I think you actually pointed out the true reason of the addiction! It’s the victory… the need to feel like you achieved something… the satisfaction of winning… it doesn’t matter if to get there it was a chore as long as you feel accomplishment! When I play I don’t look for victory… I look for entertainment (a good story, nice lore, good characters) and a challenge with myself! If the game is not fun all the time I just abandon it! My time is precious… and since I am content with my level of accomplishment in life I don’t seek validation in games! (Mind I do not imply you are not accomplished… it’s about self perception)