Video games have come a long way from the days of Pong and Pacman. They're hyper-realistic, they're interactive, and in some cases they appear to be alarmingly addictive.
The disappearance of Barrie teen
Brandon Crisp, who left home enraged after his parents took away his Xbox and the game he enjoyed most,
Call of Duty 4, has raised strong concerns about how much is too much when it comes to allowing our kids to pick up the controller.
According to
WebMD, two major warning signs parents should look for if they're concerned their kids are hooked on video games are: if they need to keep playing in order to keep themselves going, and also if they become irritable or upset if they can't continue to play.
Experts say they've seen severe symptoms of withdrawal in hard-core gamers, not unlike the symptoms people with other forms of compulsive behaviour or substance addiction might experience.
Making the games more seductive, the fact that they're extremely realistic and the role-playing more dynamic than ever before.
"You're not just observing; you are that character. You're solving problems, and when you solve them well, you're successful. People like to be successful," Charles Ungerleider, a professor of education at the University of British Columbia, noted in a
2006 Today's Parent article on video game addiction.
So what can parents do if they're afraid their children are becoming slaves to the console? WebMD recommends documenting their behaviour including when they play and for how long, any resulting problems, and how they react when they're given a strict time limit.
Warning signs parents should look for in their kids include playing for a long time, trying to escape from real life problems by gaming, lying to friends and family about it, and getting angry when they're told to cut back on how long and how often they play.
Here's more on how to spot an addiction to gaming and what parents can do about it.
What makes a video game addictive?
Information for adults
The top 5 signs you need help
The most addictive games