The classification of gaming addiction as a mental health disorder by the World Health Organization ruffled quite a few gaming feathers. While studies have gone back and forth on whether or not gaming can be detrimental to one's health, the general public has started focusing more heavily on games themselves. Now, a new study has classified which games are the most addictive.

The study surveyed more than 1,500 gamers to determine which games have the most addictive qualities depending on the "addiction score" of those that played them most. By utilizing this score and such a large sample group, the research team was able to determine that Minecraft is the most addictive game currently on the market, earning a score of 37.9. The runner up was Red Dead Redemption, earning a score of 36. The same study determined that female gamers are more likely to be addicted than men.

RELATED: ESA Says Video Games Are Not Addictive

Other titles on the list have a heavier skew to competitive multiplayer games, with Destiny 2 earning a 32.6, Overwatch earning a 35.1, and Rainbow Six Siege earning a 33.9. It makes sense that these types of games have a higher likelihood of being addictive, as they're designed to be almost infinitely replayable. The study suggests that in-game rewards affect how addictive the games actually are. In games where rewards aren't as frequent, such as Minecraft, that level of addictiveness is derived from a lack of interruptions or endpoints. Interestingly, Fortnite was only about halfway up the list, despite a lawsuit claiming Fortnite was too addictive.

Graph by Clutch displaying the most addictive games

The initial classification of gaming addiction as a mental health disorder stirred up a fair bit of controversy online. Gamers are very defensive of the pastime, in large part due to its negative portrayal in other forms of media. That being said, the classification only applies to a very small percentage of gamers. For the typical person, even those that play games daily, there's little chance of being diagnosed with the disorder.

While recognized, gaming addiction won't be officially classified as a disease until 2022. For now, it's safe to assume that more studies will be released on the topic, though what those studies will find remains to be seen. For the most part, studies tend to go back and forth on the advantages and risks of gaming, so there will likely be quite a bit of discussion between now and 2022 on the subject.

MORE: Health Experts Say Gaming Could Be As Addictive As Heroin

Source: Clutch