Video games can have a positive mental health effect on people of all ages – unless you play for more than three hours a day – a study suggests. It is often believed that video gaming is bad – especially for children – with concerns it can cause issues with development and socialisation, promote violence and lead to addiction. The World Health Organization (WHO) has even labelled gaming disorder as a health condition, characterised by impaired control over gaming. But now, a study of more than 97,000 people indicates that owning a video game console and playing games can actually have a positive effect on mental well-being. Owing to a shortage of game consoles in Japan between 2020 and 2022, retailers used lotteries to assign a PlayStation 5 or Nintendo Switch to residents aged between 10 and 69.

Playing video games could have a positive impact on a person's wellbeing, scientists at the University of Oxford have claimed. Researchers at the Oxford Internet Institute accessed the data of two games, Plants vs Zombies: Battle for Neighborville and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, in order to investigate the relationship between game play behaviour and mental health. The scientists, who worked with Electronic Arts and Nintendo of America, found that players experiencing genuine enjoyment from the games saw an improvement in their mental health. Professor Andrew Przybylski, lead author of the study and director of research at the Oxford Internet Institute, said the findings show'video games aren't necessarily bad for your health' and there are other psychological factors which have a significant effect on a person's wellbeing. Scientists at the University of Oxford found that the players experiencing genuine enjoyment from the games experienced a more positive wellbeing.