University of Washington researchers have found that meaningful gaming experiences can significantly influence players’ lives, enhancing mental health and personal growth. Their findings could reshape societal views on video games.
Video games have often faced criticism as mere pastimes devoid of any substantive value. However, a compelling new study by the University of Washington (UW) paints a different picture, highlighting how gaming experiences can profoundly impact players’ lives.
In a survey conducted among 166 gamers, 78% of respondents reported that meaningful gaming experiences had positively altered their lives.
These findings, which will be presented Oct. 14 at the Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play in Pittsburgh, offer new insights that could redefine how society perceives video gaming.
Insights From the Survey
Lead author Nisha Devasia, a doctoral student in UW’s Human-Centered Design and Engineering program, explained that the research emphasized three crucial themes.
“We highlighted three conclusions drawn from modeling the data,” Devasia said in a news release. “The first is that playing games during stressful times was strongly correlated with positive outcomes for physical and mental health.”
She noted how games like Stardew Valley provided mental respite during challenging periods like the COVID-19 pandemic.
The study also revealed that engaging with story-rich games helped players gain insights into their own lives.
“Many participants also said that they gained a lot of insight from the game narrative. Story-based games often tell a sort of hero’s journey, for instance. People reported that the insight they gained from those stories correlated to their own self-reflection and identity building,” Devasia added.
Interestingly, these meaningful experiences primarily occurred in early adulthood or younger when individuals are still shaping their identities.
Personal Stories and Industry Impact
One particularly striking story comes from a fan of Final Fantasy VII.
Devasia shared her personal connection to the game, explaining why certain stories from the survey stood out to her.
“All the stories about Final Fantasy VII, because that’s the game that I love. I’m actually sitting in my childhood bedroom right now and the wall behind me is covered in Final Fantasy VII posters. The quote we used in the title also really resonated with me: ‘I would not be this version of myself today without these experiences.’”
The study’s findings resonate with broader industry trends.
“People said things like, ‘This helped me build the skills that ended up being my career. I learned how to program because I wanted to make games.’ I worked in the gaming industry and can verify that’s true for many people in the industry,” Devasia added.
Shifting Societal Perspectives
Co-senior author Julie Kientz, a professor and chair in UW’s Human-Centered Design and Engineering department, emphasized the need for nuance in how society views video games.
“People have a tendency to treat technology as a monolith, as if video games are either good or bad, but there’s so much more nuance,” she said.
Jin Ha Lee, another co-senior author and a professor in the Information School, pointed out that even games often perceived negatively could foster meaningful experiences. She shared her approach to using games to bond with her children: “When my daughter plays games with interesting stories, we have the opportunity to talk about our lives as we analyze the story.”
Future Directions and Technological Opportunities
Looking ahead, the research team aims to develop tools to deepen players’ reflections on their gaming experiences. They are working on a project called “Video Game Book Club,” which would allow players to annotate their gameplay and reflect on their experiences post-playthrough.
Lee mentioned another innovative project: a reflection chatbot designed to prompt critical thinking about gaming sessions. This initiative aims to treat games with the same reflective depth often reserved for literature.
Source: University of Washington