Your friend has some serious issues going on and needs to get some help. To want to live like this is not normal in any sense of the word. He is either afraid to live on his own, or has no initiative to do so, either way, it's a problem. The problem is that HE has to want to get help, you can't do it for him, and the longer he lives like this, the harder it will be for him. I think this goes beyond being shy, he may have some social anxiety going on also.
Does your friend consider himself happy? Would he like more of a social life? The truth is that staying connected to other people is the best way to be happy and live a long life. Maybe your friend could join a college club of this interest - even a videogame club.
wow hes 32.......maybe he is escaping from something..by doing something that he feels "safe" he's fearing something possibly, maybe something so overwhelming he doesnt know how to deal with it only by playing video games relieving himself and hiding from the world. I dont know what else to think. Atleast he;s being productive by going to school for part of the time.