Far from the negative stereotypes often associated with this art form, video games can actually be beneficial. According to a British study, over a third of gamers claim to have developed a greater interest in various sports thanks to video games. This trend is more pronounced among younger gamers, reaching 55% in the 18-34 age group.
Despite what some people may think, video games don’t necessarily numb the mind. They can even motivate people to watch sports games, better understand the strategies used, and even increase connections with teams and players. Indeed, Hisense UK’s “Pixels to Pitches” study, conducted between January 23 and 30, 2025, among 2,000 British gamers, has demonstrated yet another benefit of gaming.
Of the 37% of respondents who said they were more interested in watching sport on TV after playing video games, 12% reported a sharp increase in interest. Although the majority reported no major change, it’s interesting to note that very few said they had reduced their sports viewing as a result of playing video games. These initial findings suggest that video games have more positive than negative impacts.
In addition to fostering a personal interest in sport, gaming also helps to strengthen ties between communities. According to the survey results, 45% of respondents felt a stronger connection with their favourite team and players. Here again, the vast majority (53%) had no change in attitude, but only 2% admitted to feeling less connected to their team.
The generation gap is widening on several points. While 55% of under-45s feel this positive connection, only 31% of older generations share this opinion.
Generation Xers are more inclined to watch American football and cricket (14%) than basketball (11%). The opposite is true of the 18-44 age group, with 30% choosing basketball and 22% American football.
More generally, soccer is the most watched sport among British gamers (61%), followed by basketball (21%) and American football (18%), cricket (15%) and rugby (12%).
In addition to watching sports on TV, 56% of gamers report that they had also improved their knowledge of strategy, and 17% their general understanding of the game. Only 28% reported no change at all.
-AFP Relaxnews
-TheStar