Happier, less anxious and more creative: Video games have a positive impact on players’ mental and physical well-being
Pesaro, 10 October 2025 – Video games are more than just a pastime. Italian gamers report a range of tangible benefits from playing video games, both emotional and skill-based. Playing video games helps to reduce stress, promote personal happiness and stimulate the mind. These findings emerge from The Power of Play, a global study in which approximately 24,000 gamers from 21 countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Korea, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, Poland, Spain and the United States, were surveyed.
The research was coordinated by the Entertainment Software Association in collaboration with ESA Canada, IGEA, KGames and Video Games Europe, which includes IIDEA (Italian Interactive Digital Entertainment Association). The results were presented today at the opening of the festival dedicated to socially impactful video games, which is taking place at the Auditorium Scavolini in Pesaro. The festival is organised by IIDEA, with the support of the Comune di Pesaro – CTE Square and the Università di Urbino Carlo Bo. It is also supported by Games for Change and is held under the patronage of Rai Marche.
Video games can be an effective antidote to stress, anxiety, and loneliness.
Playing video games can reduce stress, anxiety and feelings of isolation, providing a healthy outlet during challenging periods. Across all 21 countries surveyed, stress relief is among the top three perceived benefits of gaming.
In Italy, more than seven out of ten people (71%) report playing to relax and reduce stress, while 62% play simply for fun. 60% of respondents say that video games act as an antidote to anxiety, 49% say that they help combat loneliness and 54% report that gaming contributes to increased daily happiness.
Cognitive stimulation and personal growth
Almost half of all gamers report that they play to stimulate their minds, recognising video games as an effective way to stay mentally active. The most popular genres are puzzle games (51%), followed by action games (35%) and games of skill or chance (33%).
Beyond immediate entertainment value, Italians recognise the importance of video games in developing life and work skills. One in two respondents states that gaming allows them to pursue a hobby or interest that would otherwise be difficult to practise. Furthermore, 34% believe that their gaming experience has positively impacted their professional or educational path thanks to the skills they have acquired while playing, such as creativity (70%), time management (50%), teamwork (64%), problem solving (67%) and critical thinking (57%). Additionally, 28% report that video games have positively influenced their study or career choices.
Video Games as a Space for Connection and Sharing
The social value of video games is a key finding of the research in The Power of Play. 39% of surveyed parents say that playing with their children has improved family relationships, creating moments of dialogue and shared experience. Sixty-four percent of respondents believe that there is a suitable video game for everyone, regardless of taste or age. Furthermore, 61% recognise that video games can foster new social connections, and 55% report discovering music, characters or stories through games that later became part of their wider cultural interests, such as films, books or TV series.
The full study and a detailed focus on Italian data from The Power of Play can be accessed via the following link.
The Power of Play – Methodology
AudienceNet conducted a global survey, collecting 24,216 responses from 21 countries across six continents: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States. Participants were aged between 16 and over 65, and all qualified as ‘active gamers’, defined as individuals who play video games for at least one hour per week on consoles, PCs/laptops, tablets, mobile devices or VR platforms.
Sampling quotas and selection criteria ensured a minimum of 1,000 active gamers per country. All participants were recruited through professionally accredited consumer research panels. AudienceNet is a globally accredited consumer research company that is currently conducting nationally representative studies in 52 countries. As a corporate partner of the Market Research Society (MRS), AudienceNet adheres to the MRS Code of Conduct and complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) regarding the collection and management of consumer research data.