Playing Through the Pandemic: Gaming Usage as a Buffer During COVID-19
Dados Bibliográficos
| AUTOR(ES) | |
|---|---|
| AFILIAÇÃO(ÕES) | Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA, Kellogg School of Management Northwestern University, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA, Amsterdam UMC - University of Amsterdam |
| ANO | Não informado |
| TIPO | Artigo |
| PERIÓDICO | Games and Culture |
| ISSN | 1555-4120 |
| E-ISSN | 1555-4139 |
| DOI | 10.1177/15554120241236531 |
| ADICIONADO EM | 2025-08-18 |
Resumo
Amidst the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, video games were used heavily, presumably to help cope with negative moods and social isolation. This study sought to understand the implications of such play on well-being within a particular sample. Drawing on uses and gratifications and self-determination theories, the study adopted a longitudinal perspective incorporating data from one game, both before and during the pandemic. Data included both repeated cross-sectional surveys as well as unobtrusive, within-game measures. Among players of a marginally social, large-scale, team-based vehicle combat game (World of Tanks), play time increased slightly while well-being was generally steady. Increases in play were associated with increases in competence, which in turn lead to higher well-being. The theoretical implications and generalizability of the findings are discussed.