Does a game per day keep the doctor away?

Imagine a visit to the doctor’s office resulting in their recommendation for lifestyle changes including cutting down on red meat, walking two to three miles a day, and playing video games. casual games, such as Words with Friends and Right Again! Trivia, card games, like Spades and Poker, and puzzles, like Tetris, 10 x 10, or Two Dots, are provided as examples of what to play along with video games more often associated with younger audiences, such aa Forza racing, Minecraft, FIFA 23, Clash Royale, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. All can provide meaningful play which can promote longevity through stress relief, mental stimulation, problem-solving, social connection, and fun.[1]

At first, this might seem a far-fetched scenario, yet there are sound reasons why a person may want to include playing video games in their life. Video games’ benefits for cognitive functions have already been widely demonstrated, with a main effect on executive functions. Numerous studies have shown gamers outperform non-gamers in terms of attention, visuospatial, working memory,[2] and mental flexibility performances.[3]

Many individuals already have found great benefit in playing video games. AARP’s recent research on the 50-plus Gamer finds two-thirds (67%)[4] of the 52.4 million older adults who play games do so because they feel it helps them stay mentally sharp and a majority (57%)[5] of them do so to reduce stress.

How do the benefits of playing video games carry over to everyday life?

Although the findings of the multitude of studies which have been conducted over the years point to having a positive impact on a person’s well-being, more research is needed to understand the full value of playing video games and whether the gains transfer over to everyday life, like responding more quickly while driving or noticing a rare bird more quickly on a hike. The challenge in more fully understanding the benefits of video game playing is because most of the research has been conducted in controlled, laboratory environments and people tend to act differently in these settings. The gamers’ behavior can even be so out of place they may show false positive results when playing in a lab with a clinical trial team around compared to playing the same games at home. There are several reasons for this, but the important ones are that users who are part of a structured study supported by scientific staff can experience ‘placebo effects’ which subconsciously influence a belief the user is doing something which will be positive for them.

Real-life improvements are quite challenging to demonstrate and more research with diversified gamers is needed to develop sensitive and specific tests which assess changes in everyday life skills. The good news is that this deeper research is certainly underway and the current consensus in the field is one of optimistic skepticism. Researchers see a lot of promising results, including one health game which treats ADHD which was recently approved by the FDA.[6]

As mentioned in the beginning, however, there are a number of reasons video gaming is considered meaningful play and part of healthy aging due to the value in enjoyment, reduction in stress, and mental stimulation.

Play keeps us young at heart

It is important to underscore the importance of playing just for the fun of it. The three-quarters (76%)[7] of 50-plus year old participants in an AARP study said the most important reason they play games is to have fun. It is easy to forget play does not need an ulterior motive. It is one of the most important things we do in our lives. In her seminal work, Hamlet on the Holodeck, media scholar Janet Murray describes the underlying dynamic perfectly:

“In games, we have a chance to enact our most basic relationship to the world –our desire to prevail over adversity, to survive in our inevitable defeats, to shape our environment, to master complexity, and to make our lives fit like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. (…) Like the religious ceremonies of passage by which we mark birth, coming of age, marriage and death, games are ritual actions allowing us to symbolically enact the patterns that give meaning to our lives.”[8]

Everyone knows the value of play for children as they grow, but far less understand the importance of continuing to play as one grows older. Games are needed in people’s lives because they support challenging oneself and others, they help form strong connections with one’s community, and enable one to strive to obtain goals. As Irish playwright Bernard Shaw famously once said, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.”

Unfortunately, our society can put pressure on people to stop playing. We are asked to “act our age,” be serious grown-ups, and spend our time efficiently and productively. When we do take time for “play,” it often needs to be justified in terms of being useful, such as keeping our bodies and minds healthy, or because it provides a service to others. It is the antithesis of what play is supposed to be: frivolous and engaged in for its own sake.[9] Feeling guilty about playing video games can influence what types of games to play. However, while perhaps counterintuitive, one of the biggest considerations to make when looking for games which promote wellbeing is to not focus only on word games or brain health activities or exercises. It is a much better strategy to look for games you genuinely want to play for their inherent challenges, for how they match your other interests in life, and for the meaning and beauty they may provide for you. Aim for fewer 8^th grade algebra problems disguised as games and more clever puzzle games which force you to think in a different way or inspiring online worlds where you and your loved ones can partake in an epic adventure.

A game for every gamer

After more than two decades of studies exploring the relationship between health and gaming, the research points to reasons – big and small – to consider video games a robust component of wellbeing for all ages, including older adults. Certainly, positive user perceptions and high engagement with games is telling, but it will be really exciting when science understands which certain game mechanics, gameplay experiences, and environments are beneficial, which ones are not, and why.

Video games offer - varied and accessible options for play which can be gently social and simply beautiful, such as the Grammy Award-nominated Journey or its successor Sky: Children of the Light. Others offer a sneaky way to increase minutes spent in doing moderate to vigorous aerobic activity, such as Beat Saber[10] or Wii Fit, or introduce players to new concepts or perspectives, such as Monument Valley or Hocus. The latter is a series of brilliant puzzle games inspired by the mind-bending works of MC Escher which require players to look at the world in ways which expand beyond our natural instincts.

Of course, as with many other activities, it is best to play games in moderation[11] and, wherever possible, play with others as part of a healthy aging practice. Luckily, the large and wonderful world of games has offerings for all tastes to discover.

Dr. Bob De Schutter
Dr. Leanne Chukoskie

The Games for Life Initiative
Northeastern University

Dr. Bob De Schutter – Bob is an Associate Professor of Game Design at Northeastern University. He has specialized in researching play in relation to aging since 2004, and he is also the owner of independent game development studio Lifelong Games.

Dr. Leanne Chukoskie – Leanne is an Associate Professor at Northeastern University. Her lab develops sensor-enabled experiences for assessment, intervention, and education, especially for children on the autism spectrum and older adults experiencing cognitive decline.

End Notes

Unless indicated otherwise, the authors are not affiliated with the developers or publishers of any of the games mentioned. Before playing any games with younger generations, please review any cited games’ content on a parental review site as some games may contain content not suitable for young children or teens.

While none of the games provided by AARP Games offerings were studied as part of any of the studies mentioned above, it should be noted there are many similarities in the design of AARP Games’ Arcade and Word games to the games included in this article.