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A large-scale study of changes to the quantity, quality, and distribution of video game play during a global health pandemic
File(s)
2022-01157-001.pdf (1.29 MB)
Published version
Author(s)
Vuorre, Matti
Zendle, David
Petrovskaya, Elena
Ballou, Nick
Przybylski, Andrew K
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Video game play has been framed as both protective factor and risk to mental health during the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. We conducted a statistical analysis of changes to video game play during the pandemic to better understand gaming behavior and in doing so provide an empirical foundation to the fractured discourse surrounding play and mental health. Analyses of millions of players’ engagement with the 500 globally most popular games on the Steam platform indicated that the quantity of play had dramatically increased during key points of the pandemic; that those increases were more prominent for multiplayer games, suggesting that gamers were seeking out the social affordances of video game play; and that play had become more equally distributed across days of the week, suggesting increased merging of leisure activities with work and school activities. These results provide a starting point for empirically grounded discussions on video games during the pandemic, their uses, and potential effects.
Date Issued
2021-11-08
Date Acceptance
2021-07-02
Citation
Technology, Mind, and Behavior, 2021, 2 (4), pp.281-288
URI
URL
DOI
ISSN
2689-0208
Publisher
American Psychological Association
Start Page
281
End Page
288
Journal / Book Title
Technology, Mind, and Behavior
Volume
2
Issue
4
Copyright Statement
© 2021 The Author(s) This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC-BY NC-ND).Thislicense permits copying andredistributingthe workin anymedium or format for noncommercial use provided the original authors and source are credited and a link to the license is included in attribution. No derivative works are permitted under this license.
License URL
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2021-11-08