A recent scientific publication highlights the benefits of certain video games on the health of players.
There is no shortage of studies on the practice of video games these days. While some highlight its addictive side or its impact on the ability to concentrate of younger players, others focus more on the advantages of the game on a daily basis. Because there are some. This is particularly the case with a recent study carried out by researchers from the Imperial College London institute which highlights the benefits of certain games, in particular for the mental health of their players.
Among the titles mentioned, we find in particular “Legends of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” and its sequel “Tears of the Kingdom” available on Nintendo Switch, the title “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” or even “Red Dead Redemption”. These all have one thing in common which may seem quite obvious: they take place in an open world. Thus titles like those mentioned or even others more recent or known like Elden Ring, GTA 5 or Palworld would have therapeutic benefits for fans.
The study carried out by researchers from Imperial College London highlights the benefits of open world games on the mental health and daily lives of players. The study in question demonstrates that these open-world games offer great benefits for mental health by improving relaxation and overall well-being of the players studied.
The group studied, which consisted of 15 young women and 16 young men, felt less stress and had improved mental health thanks to the benefits of open worlds which encourage exploration, discovery or even long hours in superb landscapes. The study links these benefits to the advantages of enjoying non-linear gameplay which lends itself much more to relaxation and freedom of movement.
Conversely, the study points to titles like Fortnite, where progression is quite linear and dictated by a precise objective, a timer and a competitive aspect which generates a high sense of excitement and urgency. The players concerned then seem more frustrated and less inclined to feel relaxed when launching this type of game where the slightest second of inattention can result in a “game over”.
The Imperial College London study, however, specifies that these effects should also be pursued in a long-term analysis with regular engagement in open world games in order to explore and confirm the therapeutic benefits of this type of game on stress and anxiety. Not all open world games are also worth considering: there is little chance that you will be very relaxed when launching a boss on Elden Ring for example. But the parts related to the exploration of Inter-Earth can be conducive to relaxation and discovery.