Video Games: An Unexpected Hero Of The COVID-19 Lockdowns

For generations, video games have been a common scapegoat cited by those who blamed them for everything from glorifying violence to exacerbating laziness.

But when the world shut down during the pandemic, these games became a lifeline for countless people around the world. And now there’s evidence showing just how beneficial they were.

More than a year of data

Researchers in Japan studied what impact owning and using a video game console had on individuals throughout much of the COVID-19 lockdown period (specifically from late 2020 to early 2022).

More than 8,000 people were entered into a lottery for a chance to buy either a PS5 or Nintendo Switch, and the results of the ensuing study were recently published in the Nature Human Behavior journal.

Here are some of the highlights:

• All of those who received a console demonstrated lower psychological distress and increased life satisfaction.
• Among those who purchased a PS5, the greatest boost was seen in men, avid gamers, and those without children.
• The group that bought Switches, on the other hand, provided a bigger benefit to inexperienced gamers and families.

So while it seems clear that video games can provide a psychological benefit in certain situations, it’s also apparently important to choose the right console for your lifestyle.

A different type of research

While some folks might be surprised to learn that playing video games can significantly improve the lives of those living during a lockdown, many experts say the study’s results make sense.

Unlike previous clinical studies that don’t look at the real-world impact of gaming, this research is more focused on the daily lives of gamers. And psychologist Daniel Johnson concluded: “These results are not surprising. They fit with what we know from talking to video-game players for decades.”

Chris Agee August 20th, 2024

Share this story: