What is it about?

This article reviews what we currently know about the effects of video games on people’s thinking skills, physical coordination, emotions, and social behavior. Instead of focusing on video game addiction or extreme cases, it looks at everyday players of all ages (from young children to older adults) and how games can impact their development. The findings show that video games can help improve attention, problem-solving, and spatial skills. Some games can also help people move more, especially older adults using movement-based games, and may support emotional regulation and social bonding when played cooperatively. However, too much gaming or using games to escape from problems can sometimes have negative effects, like social withdrawal. This review encourages a more balanced understanding of video games: they are not simply “good” or “bad,” but have different effects depending on how, why, and how much people play.

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Why is it important?

This review is the first to comprehensively examine how video game use affects cognitive, motor, emotional, and social development across all stages of life. Most previous research has focused on video game addiction or clinical risks, which leaves out the majority of everyday players. By synthesizing evidence from 27 systematic reviews covering over 130,000 participants, this study offers a more balanced and timely perspective. It highlights both the potential benefits of moderate and purposeful gaming, and the nuanced risks of overuse, without pathologizing regular players. These insights are especially relevant as video games become increasingly integrated into daily life, education, and health interventions. The findings can inform more responsible recommendations for parents, educators, clinicians, and policymakers.

Perspectives

Writing this article was an opportunity to challenge the often one-sided narrative around video games. As someone who has seen both the concern and enthusiasm surrounding gaming (whether in educational, clinical, or everyday settings) I felt it was important to step back and ask: what do we really know, across the lifespan, and beyond the addiction debate? Synthesizing such a large and diverse body of literature was intellectually rewarding and personally meaningful. I hope this article helps reframe how we think about video games, not as inherently good or bad, but as complex tools that reflect how we engage with the world. I also hope it encourages more balanced conversations among researchers, educators, and families.

Kevin Rebecchi
Universite Lumiere Lyon 2

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: The relationships between video games and cognitive, motor, emotional, and social development across the lifespan: An umbrella review., Psychology of Popular Media, June 2025, American Psychological Association (APA),
DOI: 10.1037/ppm0000612.
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