Benefits of Video Gaming: Mood, Friendship and Learning

Author: Currys PC World
Published: 4 Dec 2020 - Updated: 8 Nov 2026
Publication Type: Informative

Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - Overview - FAQs - Insights, Updates - Related Content

Synopsis

This information looks at the emotional, social and learning benefits of video games, drawing on comments from a games researcher, a game studies lecturer and a psychotherapist alongside a 2021 Oxford Internet Institute study in Royal Society Open Science that used real play-time records. It explains how games can bring absorption and a sense of achievement, keep friends connected, and build skills such as problem solving, and it sets these benefits against the World Health Organization definition of gaming disorder. Parents, teachers, older adults and people with disabilities who use games for leisure and social contact will find a balanced, evidence-based view.*

At a Glance

• 1 - Minecraft: Education Edition is used in lessons on history, geography, engineering and physics.
• 2 - Online and team games let isolated people keep in touch with friends and meet others anywhere in the world.
• 3 - Experts describe flow as being fully absorbed in a task with the right balance of challenge and achievement.
• 4 - Adjustable controls, captions and audio cues let many people with disabilities enjoy the same games as their friends.

Topic Definition

Gaming Disorder

Gaming disorder is a condition listed by the World Health Organization in the 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases, defined as a pattern of digital or video gaming marked by impaired control over gaming, increasing priority given to gaming over other interests and daily activities, and continued gaming despite harm. For a diagnosis, the pattern must be severe enough to cause significant problems in personal, family, social, educational or work life and would normally have lasted at least 12 months.

Overview

Video games are often blamed for laziness, isolation and addiction, but research and expert opinion paint a more balanced picture. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when many people were cut off from friends and family, gaming offered distraction, social contact and a sense of achievement. This article looks at the emotional, social and learning benefits that psychologists describe, what studies of real play time have found, and when gaming can become a problem.

What the Experts Say

In late 2020, the UK electronics retailer Currys PC World asked three specialists for their views on gaming: Dr. Rachel Kowert, then research director of the mental health nonprofit Take This; Dr. Matthew Barr, a lecturer in game studies at the University of Glasgow; and Noel McDermott, a psychotherapist. Their comments, quoted below, are expert opinion rather than new research, so this article sets them beside published evidence.

Gaming and Mental Well-Being

Activities that offer a positive distraction can help people set their worries aside for a while, and well-designed games are good at holding attention. Barr says:

"Video games are good at getting players into the state of optimal experience that psychologists call 'flow', by offering an appropriate balance of challenge versus achievement. It's that feeling of being 'in the zone', where you're totally absorbed in the task at hand, and you're operating at the top of your game. In turn, this has a positive impact on how players feel."

The sense of reward that comes from reaching a goal in a game is linked to the brain's dopamine reward system, which helps explain why play can lift mood. Published research supports a modest link. A 2021 study by researchers at the Oxford Internet Institute used actual play-time records from the game companies, rather than players' own estimates, for Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and found a small positive relation between game play and well-being [Johannes et al., 2021]. The authors also found that how people felt about their play mattered: players who enjoyed it and felt in control tended to report better well-being.

Kowert adds: "Gameplay can also teach skills that have long been associated with increased happiness and prolonged life satisfaction, including openness to experience, self-care, a growth mindset, solution-focused thinking, mindfulness, persistence, self-discovery, and resilience."

Staying Connected Through Play

Contrary to the stereotype of the lone gamer, many games are social. Multiplayer and team games let people play with existing friends or meet new people anywhere in the world, which was especially valuable during pandemic lockdowns. McDermott says:

"Gaming, especially online, can provide immeasurable benefits to those who are lonely and isolated. It provides safe social contact and a place where skills can be developed. These skills can provide a much-needed boost to self-esteem."

Kowert explains: "Shared experiences, like playing games together, have been linked to increased self-esteem and a sense of belonging, as well as decreased feelings of depression, anxiety, and isolation." For people whose disability or health makes it hard to leave home, online games can be one way to ease loneliness and social isolation.

Learning, Skills and Cognitive Abilities

Many games involve problem solving, strategy and multitasking, and some are built for the classroom. Minecraft: Education Edition, for example, is used in lessons on geography, history, engineering and physics. Kowert says:

"Games are fantastic learning tools, particularly for children, because they are so engaging. Video games are also great vehicles for sharpening cognitive skills because they provide a range of different challenges within a single space."

The experts link game play with skills such as:

• Creative thinking
• Problem solving
• Time management
• Leadership
• Goal setting
• Taking initiative
• Decision making
• Persistence in the face of difficult challenges

Barr explains: "We all learn new skills through practice, whether that's learning how to play an instrument or training to play sports more proficiently. Learning from a video game is no different - you're exercising skills all the time, whether it's figuring out puzzles or using your communication and language skills to talk to and strategize with your fellow players."

Gaming for People With Disabilities

For many people with disabilities, games are one of the few leisure activities that can be adapted to almost any ability, through remappable controls, adjustable difficulty, captions and audio cues. Developers who follow accessibility guidelines for video games make these benefits open to more players, and Disabled World's section on accessible games and gaming covers adaptive controllers and games for players with different needs.

Myths, Moderation and Gaming Disorder

Gaming has long been tied to stereotypes of laziness, violence and isolation, but for most players it is simply a common pastime. Kowert says: "There is no evidence to suggest that playing games online has a negative impact on our ability to socialize. However, research has found that playing games with our friends online can strengthen our offline friendships and relationships."

Barr cautions against using the word addiction loosely: "People talk about players becoming 'addicted' to games, without really considering what that word means, in a clinical sense. We don't bat an eyelid when someone becomes so engrossed in a book that they sit there reading for hours on end, but somehow this sort of behavior is perceived as problematic when it comes to games."

Problem gaming does exist, however. The World Health Organization includes gaming disorder in the 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). It is defined as a pattern of impaired control over gaming, increasing priority given to gaming over other interests and daily activities, and continued gaming despite negative consequences, severe enough to cause significant impairment and normally evident for at least 12 months. WHO notes that studies suggest it affects only a small proportion of people who play digital or video games [World Health Organization, 2020]. Anyone worried about their own or a child's gaming should talk with a doctor or mental health professional, and Disabled World explains more about gaming disorder and video game addiction.

More on this topic: Accessible Gaming Publications - Recreation and Entertainment Publications

Frequently Asked Questions

NOTE: Researched FAQs by Disabled World (DW)

How much gaming is too much for a child?

There is no single safe number of hours. Experts suggest watching whether gaming crowds out sleep, schoolwork, exercise and time with family, and setting limits that fit the child.

Can video games help older adults?

Some games offer mental challenge, social contact and light exercise, which can help older adults stay engaged, though they are no substitute for medical care.

What is an adaptive game controller?

It is a controller designed for players with limited mobility, with large buttons and ports for switches, joysticks and other assistive devices that can be placed where the player needs them.

Do violent video games cause aggression?

Researchers still debate this. Most agree that any effects found in studies are small and that games are not a main cause of real-world violence.

Are there games designed for blind players?

Yes. Audio games use sound instead of graphics, and many mainstream games add screen narration, audio cues and other accessibility settings.

What are signs that gaming is becoming a problem?

Warning signs include losing control over playing time, neglecting sleep, work or school, withdrawing from people, and continuing to play despite clear harm.

Can gaming be used in therapy?

Yes. Therapists sometimes use games to practice social skills, motor control or memory, and some games are designed for rehabilitation after injury or stroke.

Is gaming disorder the same as playing a lot?

No. Many people play for long periods without harm. Gaming disorder involves loss of control and serious impairment in daily life over a long period.

References

• Johannes, N., Vuorre, M., and Przybylski, A. K. (2021). Video game play is positively correlated with well-being. Royal Society Open Science, 8(2), 202049.
• World Health Organization. (2020, October 22). Addictive behaviours: Gaming disorder [Questions and answers].

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Editorial Note: The old picture of gaming as a lonely, harmful habit does not match what most players experience, yet neither does the idea that games are good for everyone in any amount. The better evidence points to small benefits that depend on why and how people play: enjoyment, choice and social contact matter more than hours alone. That balance is useful for parents setting house rules, for older adults and disabled people who rely on games to stay connected, and for anyone who wants to keep play healthy and notice early if it starts to crowd out daily life.*

Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally issued as a press release by Currys PC World and published on 4 Dec 2020. Last updated on 8 Nov 2026. This content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.

* Editorial additions by Ian C. Langtree.