Most people's book reading or screen watching numbers probably reach similar totals over years. Is that escapism or avoidance? Depends on the context of the rest of the life of course.
In the same universe? If you only read/watch stories from one fictional universe that's also weird.
On the other hand I've sunk thousands of hours into sim games and I wouldn't call it reality avoidance.
How is it reality avoidance? Playing the game is the reality for them and they enjoy it. Who are we to judge how others must live? Unless your position is "if you play over x hours of video games in x years, you are out of touch with reality" but that is still a subjective opinion not a fact.
Maybe? But then you have to defend every other hobby from the same argument.