The Oxford Internet Institute, part of Oxford University, partnered with FuturLab, which developed a special research edition of PowerWash Simulator, to look at the effects a video game has on a player's mood. Nearly 8,700 people from all over the world took part in the study, playing over 67,000 individual sessions and submitting more than 162,000 mood reports. The researchers found that the average player reported a more positive mood during play than before. Moreover, going by the statistics from the study, it's predicted that this boost in mood will be experienced by 72 per cent of players. If you're interested in really diving deep into the study, you can read the full thing through the link.
The research edition of PowerWash Simulator aimed to be as accurate to the regular game as possible while still incorporating the needs of the researchers; as well as recording various player metrics, it has an in-game character asking for answers to survey questions. Additionally, the study was carried out with players in their "natural contexts", essentially meaning they contributed from home rather than coming into a lab environment.
"Our current study corroborates what qualitative research and reports from video game players around the world have long suggested: People feel good playing video games," says Nick Ballou, second author on the study.
Senior author Professor Andrew Przybylski adds that, while the findings are consistent with the notion of games being a tool for recovery and relaxation, there's more to be done to research their effects on players' mental state. "The fact that we studied only one game – and one that is not likely representative of today's most commonly played games – suggests caution in generalizing from our findings to other games," he said. "Future work should consider the use of randomized controlled trials to evaluate the effect of playing PowerWash Simulator or other games compared to other leisure activities or therapeutic interventions."
So, summing up, PowerWash Simulator is scientifically proven to be a relaxing mood-lifter. No wonder we couldn't stop playing it for a while. Does the game put you in a better mood? Tell us in the comments section below.
