An Exploration of Cozy Games as Coping Mechanism to Manage Mental Well-being

This study examines how gamers use cozy games as a coping mechanism for managing mental well-being, grounded in uses and gratifications theory alongside interactivity and agency theory. Drawing on ten semi-structured interviews conducted via Zoom with adults aged 18 to 34 who play cozy games at least weekly, recruited from large Discord community groups, the research applies thematic analysis to reach saturation. The authors frame cozy games around three pillars of safety, abundance, and softness, arguing that these satisfy basic needs virtually and free players to pursue higher-level aspirations such as relationship building and self-actualization.

The findings identify three central themes. First, players initially seek hedonic gratifications such as relaxation and aesthetic appeal but report unexpected utilitarian and social benefits, including autonomy and a sense of control, with fulfilment occurring when experiences meet or exceed expectations. Second, cozy games serve a dual coping function, providing emotion-focused stress relief in the short term and enabling problem-focused clarity and resilience over time, with participants consistently reporting feeling relaxed, recharged, and mentally lighter after play. Third, the active construction and tending of virtual environments delivers a "restorative agency" that offers a tangible sense of order often absent during real-life crises.

The discussion concludes that the results partly support Maslow's hierarchy of needs and uses and gratifications theory, while challenging prior claims that lower-level survival mechanics are inherently demotivating. Participants favored a balance of gentle challenge and higher-level motivators, and found that misapplied higher-level elements, such as broken character relationships, could harm engagement more than lower-level friction. The authors conclude that cozy games can function as a therapeutic component of players' coping repertoires, fostering both immediate relief and lasting mental resilience.