# Video games 'good for well-being', says University of Oxford study

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-good-for-well-being-says-university-of-oxford-study/925712>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [November 16, 2020, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-good-for-well-being-says-university-of-oxford-study/925712 "2020-11-16T15:54:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-good-for-well-being-says-university-of-oxford-study/925712/1 "2020-11-16T15:54:52Z")

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I feel vindicated!

> **[Video games 'good for well-being', says University of Oxford study](https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-54954622)**
>
> Gamers who played titles for longer reported feeling happier than those who did not.

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**Author:** ![Staggerlee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/staggerlee/32/3134_2.png) [@Staggerlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staggerlee)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-good-for-well-being-says-university-of-oxford-study/925712/2 "2020-11-19T22:12:34Z")

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I can testify that I’ve been playing ‘Slay the Spire’ at every opportunity for the past week, and I feel happy. But probably only in the way that a crackhead is happy.

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**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-good-for-well-being-says-university-of-oxford-study/925712/3 "2020-11-19T22:15:11Z")

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These days I won’t judge what makes someone happy.

If you are still slavishly playing ‘Slay the Spire’ in six months with a six month beard and have not showered in weeks then you might have a problem. 😉

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**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-good-for-well-being-says-university-of-oxford-study/925712/4 "2020-11-19T22:18:32Z")

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Though note, the article mentions that this may only apply to games with a social aspect to them (like Animal Crossing), as it was different than previous studies.

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**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-good-for-well-being-says-university-of-oxford-study/925712/5 "2020-11-19T22:20:11Z")

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I’ve always viewed playing video games as closer to reading a book, than sitting there watching a television.

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**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-good-for-well-being-says-university-of-oxford-study/925712/6 "2020-11-19T22:25:43Z")

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These days most console games are played online with countless other people. I play mostly with my close friends and we spend a couple of hours chatting to each through our headsets in and around our gaming experience. How many men chat to each other on the phone or over the internet in normal circumstances? We’re not the sort to make phone calls to each other to be honest. Yes a lot is talking about the game but we do actually chat about each others lives too, and it’s nice to spend an evening with friends even if it is in audio only rather than face to face.

I have female friends who play online and it’s the same experience but let’s face it, it’s mostly guys.

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**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-good-for-well-being-says-university-of-oxford-study/925712/7 "2020-11-19T22:26:53Z")

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Me too.

Far more engaging and engrossing than watching a show on TV.