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According to a large study conducted by the University of Oxford, the time spent playing video games has no consequences on the well-being of gamers.
“We found little or no evidence for a causal link between video gaming and well-being”can we read in this study which followed nearly 40,000 players over the age of 18 for six weeks. “For good or ill, the average effects (of video games) on player well-being are likely very small, and more data is needed to determine potential risks”argue the researchers whose work has been published in the journal The Royal Society.
To study their well-being, players were asked about their emotions in daily life, including their level of happiness, sadness, anger or frustration.
The researchers also relied on playtime data provided by the developers of seven video games, the simulation game “Animal Crossing” to that of car racing in an open world “The Crew 2”.
More than 10 hours per day
According to the study, the consequences of video games, whether positive or negative, would be perceptible only if a gamer played more than 10 hours a day. These results contradict a study carried out in 2020, in the midst of a pandemic, by the same Oxford University which then concluded that playing video games could be good for mental health, unlike this one which reports an absence of link.
Video games, especially online games, are regularly accused of affecting the mental health of players, and previous studies have criticized the effect of too long gaming sessions on the youngest. “One thing is certain: at present, there is not enough data and evidence for public authorities to develop laws and regulations aimed at restricting gambling among certain groups of the population”said Matti Vuorre, one of the authors of the new study.
“We know we need a lot more player data from a lot more platforms to be able to inform policy and advise parents and healthcare professionals.”underlined his colleague Andrew K. Przybylski.