From healthy to problematic gaming use: Considering the role of age

Based on ICD-11 guidelines, King et al. (2025) address the boundary between normal and disordered gaming across conceptual, assessment, and intervention domains. We propose two additional perspectives to enrich this discussion. First, gaming is a normal leisure activity rooted in childhood that contributes to development. Second, age must be considered, as video games accompany individuals across developmental stages, including adolescence and its related biopsychosocial changes. Integrating these dimensions is essential for refining the distinction between normal and problematic gaming.