Gaming Survey Study 1

Sorry folks, but there’s “little to no evidence” that gaming is good for you after all. A new study – which contradicts a similar report in 2020 – claims that the average player would need to play for at least 10 hours more per day to notice any difference to their well-being. This – according to the report which surveyed 39,000 players – is measured based on life satisfaction and emotions, such as happiness, sadness, anger, and frustration.

The previous study, conducted by the same Oxford research group two years ago, suggested that those who played games for longer were happier. But this has now been discredited by a much larger report, surveying a greater number of players. “Contrary to what we might think about games being good or bad for us, we found pretty conclusive evidence that how much you play doesn't really have any bearing whatsoever on changes in well-being,” said Professor Andrew Przybylski.

Players contributed six weeks of data to form the analysis, with games such as Gran Turismo Sport, The Crew 2, Apex Legends, and various others – like Animal Crossing – included in the study. It’s an interesting outcome, although we’d argue “well-being” is a nebulous thing in itself. Many people play video games to relax and unwind in their spare time, and there are very clear and obvious mental health benefits to this.

Having said that, there’s no question FIFA Ultimate Team has a negative impact on our mental health. What kind of role do you think gaming has on your overall well-being? Feel better in the comments section below.

[source bbc.co.uk]