Playing Video games during the COVID-19 pandemic and effects on players’ well-being
Open accessAbstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected our lives in many ways, including how we choose to spend our time and deal with unprecedented circumstances. Anecdotal reports suggest that many have turned to playing video games during the pandemic. To better understand how games are being used during the lockdown, we conducted an online survey ( N = 781) that focused on gameplay habits and effects on players’ well-being. We find that time spent playing games has increased for 71% of respondents, while 58% of respondents reported that playing games has impacted their well-being, with the overwhelming majority of responses indicating a positive impact. We identify seven ways that games have affected players, such as providing cognitive stimulation and opportunities to socialise, and a variety of benefits related to mental health, including reduced anxiety and stress. Our findings highlight the sociocultural significance of video games and the potentially positive nature of games’ effects on well-being.
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A study (n=781) found that time spent playing video games had significantly increased in 71% of participants, and 58% of participants reported that playing games had positively impacted their well-being.
“A study aiming to explore the well-being effects of playing video games on gamers during the COVID-19 pandemic (n=781) found that time spent playing had significantly increased in 71% of participants, and 58% of participants reported that playing games had positively impacted their well-being.17”
From Mixed-methods feasibility outcomes for a novel ACT-based video game ‘ACTing Minds’ to support mental health (2024) · cites this paper as [17]
The Abstract reports an online survey of 781 respondents and says playing time increased for 71%. It says 58% reported an impact on well-being, with the overwhelming majority of those responses indicating a positive impact—not that 58% of all participants reported a positive impact. The paper also does not describe the increase in playing time as statistically significant. (LLM, conf=0.92)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThemes of escape, cognitive stimulation, stress relief, agency and socialisation were most associated with feelings that playing video games had increased well-being.
“Themes of escape, cognitive stimulation, stress relief, agency and socialisation were most associated with feelings that playing video games had increased well-being.”
From Mixed-methods feasibility outcomes for a novel ACT-based video game ‘ACTing Minds’ to support mental health (2024) · cites this paper as [17]
In “Games’ Impact on Well-Being” (page unavailable), the paper identifies seven themes in positive responses, including the five named in the claim. But it says only escape, socialisation and stress relief were the most prevalent; it does not place cognitive stimulation and agency among them. (LLM, conf=0.90)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredPreliminary data suggest that involvement in gaming activities may have mental health and social compensatory benefits for those experiencing reduced face-to-face social contact due to social distancing or lockdown conditions during COVID-19.
“In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, some preliminary data suggest that involvement in gaming activities may have mental health and social compensatory benefits for those experiencing reduced face-to-face social contact due to social distancing or lockdown conditions 137,138 .”
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References 31 · Cited by 316
Research works printed but not linked: 5
- Caillois, R. (1958). Man, play, and games. Champaign, IL: University of Illinois Press.
- Ghuman, D., & Griffiths, M. (2012). A cross-genre study of online gaming: Player de- mographics, motivation for play, and social interactions among players. International Journal of Cyber Behavior, Psychology and Learning (IJCBPL), 2(1), 17. www.igi-global. com/article/content/64348
- Reer, F., & Quandt, T. (2019). Digital games and well-being: An overview. In R. Kowert (Ed.), Video Games and Well-being: Press Start (pp. 1-21). Basingstoke, UK: Springer Nature.
- bkw · DOI
- Author Biographies Matthew Barr is a lecturer at the University of Glasgow, where he convened the University's first Game Studies course and founded the international student game studies journal, Press Start. He currently leads the Graduate Apprenticeship in Software Engineering programme and is co-Director of the University's Games and Gaming Lab. Matt serves as Vice Chair of British DiGRA and as a Trustee and Director of the Scottish Game Developers Association. He also sits on the BAFTA Scotland Committee and currently serves as the Games Jury Chair. His book, Graduate Skills and Game-Based Learning, was published by Palgrave in 2019.
- Authors
- Barr, M., & Copeland-Stewart, A.
- Affiliations
- University of Glasgow (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Barr, Matthew
- ORCID
- Barr, Matthew
- Venue
- Games and Culture
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2021-05-06
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 122-139
- ISSN
- 1555-4120 (ISSN-L)
- 1555-4139
- OpenAlex
- W3157839239
- Cited by
- 316
- References
- 31
- Citations by year
- 2026: 19 · 2025: 54 · 2024: 72 · 2023: 95 · 2022: 61 · 2021: 14 · 2014: 1
- FWCI
- 83.84
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Locations
- Games and Culture (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- ENLIGHTEN (Jurnal Bimbingan dan Konseling Islam) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Knowledge Commons (Lakehead University) (cc-by)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Digital Games and Media
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › COVID-19 and Mental Health
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Educational Games and Gamification
- Keywords
- video games, COVID-19 pandemic, lockdown, well-being, mental health, anxiety, stress, socialization, cognitive stimulation
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