Open-world games can boost mental health: study
Open-world video games can boost mental health, especially that of postgraduate students, researchers found.
In “Open-World Games’ Affordance of Cognitive Escapism, Relaxation and Mental Well-Being Among Postgraduate Students: Mixed Methods Study," published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research on Dec. 17, 2024, researchers from the University of Graz in Austria and Imperial College London said open-world games "may offer unique cognitive escapism opportunities, potentially leading to relaxation and enhanced well-being."
Researchers defined open-world games as those that “provide a large, freely explorable environment." They're characterized by being "expansive and interactive."
Examples of such games include The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Researchers held 609 surveys and 32 interviews among postgraduate participants.
They found that open-world games provided players with a "sense of freedom and autonomy" as they explored and interacted with the virtual worlds at their own pace.
Analysis showed that the games directly boosted participants’ relaxation levels, positively impacting well-being.
Players reported expressing feelings of "inner peace."
Some of them said they're able to "forget my daily worries" and "switch off" from real-world problems.
Others said the games were their "form of meditation."
“Open-world games can offer a sense of exploration, a chance to develop and experience mastery and skill, a sense of positivity, and even purpose and meaning in life,” researcher Andreas Eisingerich said.
Researchers said future studies may investigate the long-term effects of regular engagement with open-world games and explore their potential therapeutic applications for managing stress and anxiety.
