For many years, video games have been the subject of numerous studies which alternately labeled them as either bad or good for mental health. However, the latest analysis focused specifically on the types of games that require different gameplay styles and accordingly can vary in impact.
According to research from a team at Imperial College London (UK) and the University of Graz (Austria), open-world games significantly contribute to the mental health of players and can be used as therapy in the fight against stress.
This type of game is characterized by a branching, detailed environment where the gameplay is not always linear and structured—players can easily leave the main storyline and instead take on side quests or explore the surroundings, meaning they have complete freedom of action.
“The competitive nature causes high levels of excitement and urgency. Open-world games, on the other hand, often emphasize the experience of the players, rather than predefined goals. This allows them to set their own agenda and choose their own pace: whether it’s building a new settlement, taming wild creatures, or mapping uncharted territories,” the researchers write.
All this in turn provides gamers with greater relaxation and improved mental state. In perspective, open-world games could be used as therapy to combat stress and anxiety.
To explore the connection between open-world games and the mental health of gamers, researchers surveyed over 600 people who played The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Red Dead Redemption 2, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and similar, applying quantitative and qualitative analysis. As a result, “cognitive escapism,” or the ability of players to temporarily detach from stressful thoughts through immersion in the game, often improved their mood and psychological well-being.
The study was published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (via New Atlas).
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