Three ways gaming helped people during the pandemic

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) released their ‘Essential facts about the video game industry’ report back in July. It revealed a lot about gamer habits in the wake of the pandemic and highlighted the positives the gaming community thought most vital for them.

Below are three ways gamers believed gaming helped them throughout the pandemic, socially, emotionally, and developmentally.

Gaming improves emotional wellbeing

As a source for mental health improvement, gaming has been invaluable during the pandemic. Whilst many have been stuck inside, it’s become a part of their mental health routine.

During the ESA survey, 90% of those surveyed said that gaming brought them joy, whilst 87% of people said gaming bought them stress relief, and 48% of people said they used it as a form of distraction.

Gaming can help form and maintain friendships

For as long as gaming has been around, it’s been used to form friendships. The ability to game online has broadened people's social circles, giving them the opportunity to connect with others they might not have met otherwise.

Figures show that 89% of people believe that gaming brings different types of people together. 42% of people have said they have met a friend, spouse, or significant other through gaming. 52% also say they’ve met people gaming they wouldn’t have met otherwise.

It’s being used to help with learning development

Learning during the pandemic has been challenging with schools being closed. Some parents have turned to educational gaming as the answer for their children. Most parents in the report found that gaming helped improve their child’s cognitive skills and emotional development.

63% of those parents said the educational games their children played were very or extremely effective. Parents also believed that gaming made the transition into online learning easier for their children. 53% of people thought that gaming was an excellent way to teach children the concept of winning and losing.

It is clear that gaming has played a crucial part during the pandemic for many people, but its benefits don’t stop here. Interested in reading the rest of the survey results? Find it here