Key information
A large-scale Japanese behavioral study utilized console shortages caused by the pandemic to evaluate the causal impact of video games on mental health. Conducted between 2020 and 2022, researchers leveraged lottery systems implemented by retailers to distribute consoles, eliminating typical biases related to purchasing power or social background.
Lead author Hiroyuki Egami from Nihon University in Tokyo and his team surveyed over 8000 participants aged 10 to 69. The findings confirm that acquiring and playing a gaming console significantly reduces psychological distress and improves overall life satisfaction.
According to the study, the mental health benefits differ depending on the hardware ecosystem. The Nintendo Switch primarily benefits adolescents and families, whereas the PlayStation 5 favors adult males and regular gamers. The study notes that using the PlayStation 5 showed lesser benefits among adolescents, a statistical anomaly possibly linked to family disputes over the main television.
Furthermore, the research establishes a strict time limit regarding these positive effects. The mental health improvements from gaming have a threshold of three hours of daily play, beyond which the positive effects inevitably diminish.
