The Most Addicting Games You Can Play

Are you having trouble putting the controller down? You're not alone, according to a new study from Clutch, which dives into the psychology behind video game addiction. Interestingly enough, it also attempts to list the most addictive games out there right now.

What are those games, you ask? Let's find out.

The fifth most addictive game among those polled won't surprise anyone. Grand Theft Auto 5 has been killing it in sales for the past few years, and thanks to Grand Theft Auto Online, continues to churn out new things for players to do and new items to collect. Rockstar sure takes a while to develop its various masterpieces, but when they do eventually drop, they're apparently highly addictive.

Coming in at number four, we have Overwatch. It's pretty amazing how quickly this title — which released in 2016 — has developed into an esports staple. That's what happens when a whole lot of people enjoy playing a particular game, and in Overwatch's case, there are millions of players across four platforms who can't get enough — sometimes to an extreme.

The third-ranked title on the list might come as a shock, as it's not a game you hear a whole lot about anymore. Ubisoft's For Honor is an action multiplayer game with a focus on melee combat, and out of the 1,570 players polled, most found this title more addicting than Grand Theft Auto 5 and Overwatch. That is something we genuinely didn't expect.

Red Dead Redemption is listed at number two, though we suspect Clutch actually means Red Dead Redemption 2 in this case. Like GTA 5, Red Dead Redemption 2 has an online component in Red Dead Online, which keeps the in-game world alive and kicking with regular content updates and new activities. There's a lot to do in the base game and in Red Dead Online, which is likely why some players are spending a little too much time in the Wild West.

Finally, Minecraft comes in at number one. Given the game's massive player base and its endless possibilities, we can see how this one might easily ensnare those with addictive tendencies. Minecraft can be whatever you want it to be; so much so that sometimes it may feel like you're playing a totally different game. It's possible that some players lose countless hours in Mojang's title switching from activity to activity, whereas fans of other titles might just pop a new disc in after a while.

Video game addiction — or "gaming disorder" as the World Health Organization has termed it — is a condition that is still being actively studied. Should we happen upon more news about it, we'll get you an update.