IIDEA – Italian Interactive Digital Entertainment Association

Power of Play: 2025 Global Video Games Report

Across more than twenty national markets, the majority of gamers report that playing video games reduces stress and enhances happiness, with 70‑90 % indicating lower stress levels and 57‑91 % feeling happier. Respondents also cite diminished anxiety and isolation, while parents observe a positive shift in relationships with their children, ranging from roughly one‑third in Sweden to nearly four‑fifths in Nigeria. Mobile devices dominate the landscape, accounting for 60‑96 % of play sessions, and online multiplayer emerges as the most prevalent social mode. In the United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and United States, surveys of roughly three thousand gamers reveal consistent benefits: about 70‑80 % experience reduced stress and increased well‑being, and roughly two‑thirds of parents note improved parent‑child interaction. Genre preferences diverge, with UAE players favoring teamwork, collaboration and creativity, whereas UK and US gamers gravitate toward problem‑solving, critical‑thinking and cognitive‑skill development. Approximately half to sixty percent of participants perceive gaming as supportive of career‑related or hobby pursuits, and a similar share report enhancements in professional competencies. Research spanning multiple sectors demonstrates that video‑game‑based training yields measurable gains in cognition, decision‑making speed and technical performance. Gamers outperform non‑gamers in robotic‑surgery simulations, emergency‑response drills and retail‑seasonal‑sales scenarios, with meta‑analyses confirming statistically significant improvements in perception, attentional control and procedural accuracy. These outcomes translate into higher job performance, reduced error rates and stronger return on investment, prompting organizations such as NASA, the U.S. Air Force and elite sports teams to integrate game‑based platforms into their training pipelines.