Recent research published in JMIR serious game This provides evidence that playing certain types of video games tends to reduce feelings of loneliness in adults. The findings suggest that balancing challenging open-world games with relaxing, accessible games may promote emotional resilience and provide a potential tool to help cope with modern-day loneliness.
In recent years, chronic loneliness has been recognized as a major public health crisis. Severe feelings of isolation are associated with serious mental and physical health problems, including increased stress hormones, a weakened immune system, and increased risk of heart disease. Modern society is highly connected through technology, but this digital connectivity can foster performative interactions that can leave people feeling inadequate.
As participation in traditional communities declines, modern individualized lifestyles tend to crowd out the time and energy needed to build meaningful relationships. To combat this growing sense of existential isolation, some experts are turning to philosophy. Specifically, Stoicism offers a unique approach to managing feelings of disconnection.
Stoicism is an ancient school of thought that teaches people to focus their energy only on what they can control, such as their actions and decisions. This encourages individuals to calmly accept external events and find their worth internally rather than seeking external approval. By adopting a Stoic mindset, one may be able to reframe the experience of loneliness.
Rather than feeling alone, a stoic may view solitude as a purposeful time for introspection and cultivating inner peace. Previous research on video games and loneliness has yielded mixed results. In some cases, gaming can lead to behavioral problems and increased feelings of isolation. Socially oriented multiplayer games can also be seen as a way to connect people.
The authors of this new paper wanted to investigate the internal cognitive pathways that single-player games might activate. Andreas Eisingerich, a researcher in the Department of Analytics, Marketing and Operations at Imperial College London, explained the inspiration behind the research. “A few years ago, students shared with us their thoughts about video games and how they can impact their lives,” Eisingerich said. “This was the beginning of the project.”
The researchers proposed that certain gaming environments may serve as active spaces for practicing Stoic principles. Open-world games throw players into large, indifferent digital environments where they must be adaptable and self-reliant to survive. For example, in a game like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, players start with nothing and must search for food, scavenge for weapons, and use their wits to slowly overcome obstacles.
This hypothetical struggle reflects the Stoic values of relying on one’s own internal resources and accepting difficult situations. At the same time, the authors also turned to more accessible, lower-stakes games like Yoshi’s Crafted World. These games focus on mindfulness and simple joy. These feature a slow pace and encourage players to appreciate their surroundings, directly counteracting anxiety and rumination.
The researchers suggested that combining these two types of gaming experiences could create a balanced digital diet. This combination provides both tough emotional endurance and gentle psychological recovery. To explore these ideas, researchers recruited participants near a video game store in a crowded shopping mall.
Trained research assistants approached individuals and asked them to participate in a brief survey regarding their daily activities. The final sample included 2,252 adults aged 21 years and older. The group consisted of 966 women, 1,281 men, and 5 individuals who did not wish to reveal their gender. Participants completed the survey on a tablet for approximately 7 minutes.
The survey measured the level of loneliness by asking participants how often they felt empty or without company. The study also measured stoicism by asking participants whether they consciously considered whether things were within their control before deciding how to act. In addition, participants indicated whether they had currently or recently played an open-world game in the Zelda series or an accessible game in the Yoshi series.
This data reveals that people who played open-world games reported higher levels of stoicism. On a scale of 1 to 7, open-world players had an average stoicism score of 4.87, while non-players had an average score of 3.23. Players of fun and approachable games reported higher stoicism, with a mean score of 4.49, compared to 3.61 for non-players.
Statistical analysis showed an interaction effect between the two types of games. This shows that working on both open-world and accessible games at the same time can lead to even more stoicism. The authors propose that these different gaming experiences work synergistically to build emotional resilience.
When examining loneliness, researchers found that open world gamers reported lower loneliness scores, averaging 3.02 out of 7. Non-players, on the other hand, had an average loneliness score of 4.28. Players of accessible games similarly reported a loneliness score of 3.09, which was significantly lower than the average of 4.21 for players who did not play such games.
Using statistical modeling, the authors identified stoicism as a psychological bridge between gaming and reduced feelings of loneliness. The model showed that open-world gameplay had a positive relationship with stoicism. This heightened stoicism has a negative impact on feelings of loneliness, suggesting that games may help players build the inner fortitude necessary to feel comfortable within their own ranks.
The fact that a single-player game provided these benefits stood out to the research team. “We were surprised to find that video games that people play on their own may actually help reduce feelings of loneliness,” Eisingerich told SciPost. This finding suggests that these digital environments do more than just distract from real-world issues.
“There may be more to video games than just cognitive escapism,” Eisingerich said. “We found that well-designed open-world games and games that are fun and accessible have the potential to increase stoicism and reduce feelings of loneliness.”
Although the findings provide optimism for single-player gaming, this study has several limitations. The researchers used a cross-sectional design. This means that the data was collected at a single point in time. Because of this snapshot approach, this study cannot prove cause and effect. People who are naturally more stoic and less lonely may simply be more drawn to these particular types of video games.
“Due to the cross-sectional nature of the data, we must be very careful about making causal claims,” Eisingerich said. “We call for future research that also examines the long-term effects of video games to establish cause and effect.”
Several potential confounding variables were also not measured in this study. Confounding variables are external influences that change the effects of the dependent and independent variables. Factors such as participants’ income, relationship status, living arrangements, and baseline level of social contact were not recorded. The researchers also did not know the participants’ general gaming habits. That is, the non-player group may have been made up of people who play other genres of video games.
Future research could build on these findings by conducting longitudinal studies. Longitudinal studies follow the same individuals over time to see how variables change and interact. Scientists can also use randomized controlled trials to prescribe specific games to participants and measure the resulting changes in mental health over time.
Researchers are also interested in how games can address social issues other than loneliness. “We live in a world where people are often angry and seem unable to work together to find solutions to difficult problems,” Eisingerich said. “Asceticism may be part of the answer, and furthermore, it may be interesting to examine the potential effects of video games in reducing people’s anger towards a more peaceful coexistence.”
The authors hope this study will prompt a change in society’s view of single-player video games. These interactive environments may provide an accessible and affordable way to practice emotional regulation, rather than simply viewing it as passive screen time. By carefully curating the media they consume, adults may find new ways to manage the daily stresses of modern life.
The study, “The Impact of Open World and Fun and Accessible Games on Loneliness and Stoicism in Adults: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study,” was authored by Congcong Hou, Winze Tam, Andini Ayu Rahmadianty, Pradana Rajendra, and Andreas Benedikt Aisingerich.
