Speaking with an ex-pro Counter-Strike player, star podcaster and UFC host Joe Rogan has acknowledged that he can't return to playing video games, because they risk drawing him in at the expense of other people and activities. Rogan has previously mentioned a love of games like the NBA 2K series and Quake Champions.

The podcaster has sometimes courted controversy with his attacks on video gaming, at one point calling it a "real problem" and a "waste of time.Rogan argued, for example, that while someone could practice jujitsu for three years and potentially open a gym, a gamer would have nothing to show for their time. This drew fire from expected quarters, including Twitch streamer Ninja, who suggested that Rogan might be coming for a place of misunderstanding. Rogan, however, has likened his relationship with the hobby to an addiction.

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"I can't have the video games," Rogan elaborated on episode 1666 of The Joe Rogan Experience, while interviewing Counter-Strike veteran Jordan "n0thing" Gilbert. "That, to me, is like protecting my children against wolves. It becomes this obsessive thing where it's like, I've got to protect the tribe. You get locked into these goddamn games because they're so exciting." The broadcaster referred to himself as a "simpleton" for being unable to limit his sessions. "I wish I wasn't such a simpleton because if I could f**king just play for like one hour and stop… I cannot," Rogan explained. "Because, at one hour, I start getting a better feel of where my cursor's going, when I'm moving the mouse around. I get a better understanding of strafe jumping and where to aim with my rail gun, can't do it. I'm too dumb. I get too excited. I get too locked in." Railguns have been a staple of the Quake series since 1997's Quake 2.

Quake 2 RTX in Action

The comments were shared on the web by Dexerto. Addiction is a well-known threat in the gaming world, since people prone to such behavior can find themselves playing at the expense of work, school, relationships, and even their bank account. The World Health Organization has labeled gaming addiction a mental health disorder, and governments like India have even cracked down on games like PUBG Mobile. The issue has become particularly serious because of "free-to-play" games and loot boxes - these encourage high spending, sometimes well beyond a $60 or $70 standalone game.

Rogan's comments could help draw attention to gaming addiction. The Joe Rogan Experience is the third highest-rated podcast on Spotify, its exclusive home since September 2020 in a deal estimated at $100 million. The show has hosted many famous guests, ranging from gaming luminaries like John Carmack and Cliff Bleszinski to controversial political figures like Alex Jones and Ben Shapiro.

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Source: DexertoThe Joe Rogan Experience