The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) says video games may be helping the well-being and mental health of U.S. veterans. According to a new survey from the ESA, 77% percent of veterans say they believe video games have a positive impact on their lives post-service. A majority (86%) of vets say video games provide a healthy outlet for stress and 81% say it helps them cope with difficult times.
“We have long seen the benefits of video games beyond entertainment, and this new data offers an especially compelling example of the power of play,” says ESA President and CEO Stanley Pierre-Louis. “We take great pride in the positive impact of video game play in supporting mental health, fostering social connections, and enhancing overall well-being, and it’s deeply rewarding to know these benefits are felt by those who have served our country.”
“[A] growing body of research, not just from the ESA, but from third-party academic, scientific researchers, shows that there are enormous positive mental, social, and emotional benefits of playing video games.,” adds Senior Vice President Aubrey Quinn. “We talk often about the power of play, and so what’s cool about this research is that when we talk specifically to U.S. veterans, they are really feeling the positive impact on their mental health and emotional well-being as well as a form to stay connected with others whether that’s family, friends, fellow veterans they know from service, and that’s a really important thing, especially if we talk about those heroes who served our country.”
The study says 77% of veterans say video games provide a valuable means of connecting with others. When looking back at their time of service, 85% of vets say video games helped them “relax and unwind and escape the stressors of military life,” 7% say it boosted morale and strengthened camaraderie and 73% say it provided an effective tool for fostering teamwork and cooperation.
Quinn adds, “So many people think of video game players as teenagers, right? Teenagers playing alone, and what we see is we asked people what do you play? Who’s playing? What are you playing? We find more and more that video game players are adults, so our veteran players are 37, and they aren’t unemployed they’re college-educated, they’re employed, they’re married, they’re more likely to have kids than their civilian counterparts and they’re playing with people.”
As for the types of games, 55% say they prefer shooting games (or “shooters”) like Call of Duty and Fortnite, 39% like role-playing games (RPGs)/massively multiplayer online RPGs (MMORPGs)/Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA), 31% like sports, and 28% prefer action-adventure.
The full study can be found online: “U.S. Veterans Say Video Games Support Mental Health and Well-Being”
You can listen to the full interview with ESA Senior Vice President Aubrey Quinn below.
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