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Does Video Gaming Have Impacts on the Brain: Evidence from a Systematic Review

Denilson brilliant t, ryuta kawashima.

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Correspondence: [email protected] ; Tel.: +62-21-29567888

D.B.T. and R.N. contributed equally to this work.

Received 2019 Aug 18; Accepted 2019 Sep 23; Collection date 2019 Oct.

Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ).

Video gaming, the experience of playing electronic games, has shown several benefits for human health. Recently, numerous video gaming studies showed beneficial effects on cognition and the brain. A systematic review of video gaming has been published. However, the previous systematic review has several differences to this systematic review. This systematic review evaluates the beneficial effects of video gaming on neuroplasticity specifically on intervention studies. Literature research was conducted from randomized controlled trials in PubMed and Google Scholar published after 2000. A systematic review was written instead of a meta-analytic review because of variations among participants, video games, and outcomes. Nine scientific articles were eligible for the review. Overall, the eligible articles showed fair quality according to Delphi Criteria. Video gaming affects the brain structure and function depending on how the game is played. The game genres examined were 3D adventure, first-person shooting (FPS), puzzle, rhythm dance, and strategy. The total training durations were 16–90 h. Results of this systematic review demonstrated that video gaming can be beneficial to the brain. However, the beneficial effects vary among video game types.

Keywords: brain, neuroplasticity, video gaming

1. Introduction

Video gaming refers to the experience of playing electronic games, which vary from action to passive games, presenting a player with physical and mental challenges. The motivation to play video games might derive from the experience of autonomy or competing with others, which can explain why video gaming is pleasurable and addictive [ 1 ].

Video games can act as “teachers” depending on the game purpose [ 2 ]. Video gaming has varying effects depending on the game genre. For instance, an active video game can improve physical fitness [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ], whereas social video games can improve social behavior [ 7 , 8 , 9 ]. The most interesting results show that playing video games can change cognition and the brain [ 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ].

Earlier studies have demonstrated that playing video games can benefit cognition. Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have demonstrated that the experience of video gaming is associated with better cognitive function, specifically in terms of visual attention and short-term memory [ 14 ], reaction time [ 15 ], and working memory [ 16 ]. Additionally, some randomized controlled studies show positive effects of video gaming interventions on cognition [ 17 , 18 ]. Recent meta-analytical studies have also supported the positive effects of video gaming on cognition [ 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]. These studies demonstrate that playing video games does provide cognitive benefits.

The effects of video gaming intervention are ever more widely discussed among scientists [ 13 ]. A review of the results and methodological quality of recently published intervention studies must be done. One systematic review of video gaming and neural correlates has been reported [ 19 ]. However, the technique of neuroimaging of the reviewed studies was not specific. This systematic review reviewed only magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies in contrast to the previous systematic review to focus on neuroplasticity effect. Neuroplasticity is capability of the brain that accommodates adaptation for learning, memorizing, and recovery purposes [ 19 ]. In normal adaptation, the brain is adapting to learn, remember, forget, and repair itself. Recent studies using MRI for brain imaging techniques have demonstrated neuroplasticity effects after an intervention, which include cognitive, exercise, and music training on the grey matter [ 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ] and white matter [ 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 ]. However, the molecular mechanisms of the grey and white matter change remain inconclusive. The proposed mechanisms for the grey matter change are neurogenesis, gliogenesis, synaptogenesis, and angiogenesis, whereas those for white matter change are myelin modeling and formation, fiber organization, and angiogenesis [ 30 ]. Recent studies using MRI technique for brain imaging have demonstrated video gaming effects on neuroplasticity. Earlier imaging studies using cross-sectional and longitudinal methods have shown that playing video games affects the brain structure by changing the grey matter [ 31 , 32 , 33 ], white matter [ 34 , 35 ], and functional connectivity [ 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 ]. Additionally, a few intervention studies have demonstrated that playing video games changed brain structure and functions [ 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 ].

The earlier review also found a link between neural correlates of video gaming and cognitive function [ 19 ]. However, that review used both experimental and correlational studies and included non-healthy participants, which contrasts to this review. The differences between this and the previous review are presented in Table 1 . This review assesses only experimental studies conducted of healthy participants. Additionally, the cross-sectional and longitudinal studies merely showed an association between video gaming experiences and the brain, showing direct effects of playing video games in the brain is difficult. Therefore, this systematic review specifically examined intervention studies. This review is more specific as it reviews intervention and MRI studies on healthy participants. The purposes of this systematic review are therefore to evaluate the beneficial effects of video gaming and to assess the methodological quality of recent video gaming intervention studies.

Differences between previous review and current review.

CT, computed tomography; fMRI, functional magnetic resonance imaging; MEG, magnetoencephalography MRI, magnetic resonance imaging; PET, positron emission tomography; SPECT, single photon emission computed tomography; tDCS, transcranial direct current stimulation; EEG, electroencephalography; NIRS, near-infrared spectroscopy.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. search strategy.

This systematic review was designed in accordance with the PRISMA checklist [ 44 ] shown in Appendix Table A1 . A literature search was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar to identify relevant studies. The keywords used for the literature search were combinations of “video game”, “video gaming”, “game”, “action video game”, “video game training”, “training”, “play”, “playing”, “MRI”, “cognitive”, “cognition”, “executive function”, and “randomized control trial”.

2.2. Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria

The primary inclusion criteria were randomized controlled trial study, video game interaction, and MRI/fMRI analysis. Studies that qualified with only one or two primary inclusions were not included. Review papers and experimental protocols were also not included. The secondary inclusion criteria were publishing after 2000 and published in English. Excluded were duration of less than 4 weeks or unspecified length intervention or combination intervention. Also excluded were studies of cognition-based games, and studies of participants with psychiatric, cognitive, neurological, and medical disorders.

2.3. Quality Assessment

Each of the quality studies was assessed using Delphi criteria [ 45 ] with several additional elements [ 46 ]: details of allocation methods, adequate descriptions of control and training groups, statistical comparisons between control and training groups, and dropout reports. The respective total scores (max = 12) are shown in Table 3. The quality assessment also includes assessment for risk of bias, which is shown in criteria numbers 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 12.

2.4. Statistical Analysis

Instead of a meta-analysis study, a systematic review of the video game training/video gaming and the effects was conducted because of the variation in ranges of participant age, video game genre, control type, MRI and statistical analysis, and training outcomes. Therefore, the quality, inclusion and exclusion, control, treatment, game title, participants, training period, and MRI analysis and specification of the studies were recorded for the respective games.

The literature search made of the databases yielded 140 scientific articles. All scientific articles were screened based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Of those 140 scientific articles, nine were eligible for the review [ 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 ]. Video gaming effects are listed in Table 2 .

Summary of beneficial effect of video gaming.

Duration was converted into weeks (1 month = 4 weeks); DLPFC, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; GM, grey matter; FPS, first person shooting. * Participants were categorized based on how they played during the video gaming intervention.

We excluded 121 articles: 46 were not MRI studies, 16 were not controlled studies, 38 were not intervention studies, 13 were review articles, and eight were miscellaneous, including study protocols, non-video gaming studies, and non-brain studies. Of 18 included scientific articles, nine were excluded. Of those nine excluded articles, two were cognitive-based game studies, three were shorter than 4 weeks in duration or were without a specified length intervention, two studies used a non-healthy participant treatment, and one was a combination intervention study. A screening flowchart is portrayed in Figure 1 .

Flowchart of literature search.

3.1. Quality Assessment

The assessment methodology based on Delphi criteria [ 45 ] for the quality of eligible studies is presented in Table 3 . The quality scores assigned to the studies were 3–9 (mean = 6.10; S.D. = 1.69). Overall, the studies showed fair methodological quality according to the Delphi criteria. The highest quality score of the nine eligible articles was assigned to “Playing Super Mario 64 increases hippocampal grey matter in older adult” published by West et al. in 2017, which scored 9 of 12. The scores assigned for criteria 6 (blinded care provider) and 7 (blinded patient) were lowest because of unspecified information related to blinding for those criteria. Additionally, criteria 2 (concealed allocation) and 5 (blinding assessor) were low because only two articles specified that information. All articles met criteria 3 and 4 adequately.

Methodological quality of eligible studies.

Q1, Random allocation; Q2, Concealed allocation; Q3, Similar baselines among groups; Q4, Eligibility specified; Q5, Blinded assessor outcome; Q6, Blinded care provider; Q7, Blinded patient; Q8, Intention-to-treat analysis; Q9, Detail of allocation method; Q10, Adequate description of each group; Q11, Statistical comparison between groups; Q12, Dropout report (1, specified; 0, unspecified).

3.2. Inclusion and Exclusion

Most studies included participants with little or no experience with gaming and excluded participants with psychiatric/mental, neurological, and medical illness. Four studies specified handedness of the participants and excluded participants with game training experience. The inclusion and exclusion criteria are presented in Table 4 .

Inclusion and exclusion criteria for eligible studies.

i1, Little/no experience in video gaming; i2, Right-handed; i3, Sex-specific; e1, Psychiatric/mental illness; e2, Neurological illness; e3, Medical illness; e4, MRI contraindication; e5, experience in game training.

3.3. Control Group

Nine eligible studies were categorized as three types based on the control type. Two studies used active control, five studies used passive control, and two studies used both active and passive control. A summary of the control group is presented in Table 5 .

Control group examined eligible studies.

3.4. Game Title and Genre

Of the nine eligible studies, four used the same 3D adventure game with different game platforms, which were “Super Mario 64” original and the DS version. One study used first-person shooting (FPS) shooting games with many different game titles: “Call of Duty” is one title. Two studies used puzzle games: “Tetris” and “Professor Layton and The Pandora’s Box.” One study used a rhythm dance game: Dance Revolution. One study used a strategy game: “Space Fortress.” Game genres are presented in Table 6 .

Genres and game titles of video gaming intervention.

* West et al. used multiple games; other games are Call of Duty 2, 3, Black Ops, and World at War, Killzone 2 and 3, Battlefield 2, 3, and 4, Resistance 2 and Fall of Man, and Medal of Honor.

3.5. Participants and Sample Size

Among the nine studies, one study examined teenage participants, six studies included young adult participants, and two studies assessed older adult participants. Participant information is shown in Table 7 . Numbers of participants were 20–75 participants (mean = 43.67; S.D. = 15.63). Three studies examined female-only participants, whereas six others used male and female participants. Six studies with female and male participants had more female than male participants.

Participant details of eligible studies.

3.6. Training Period and Intensity

The training period was 4–24 weeks (mean = 11.49; S.D. = 6.88). One study by Lee et al. had two length periods and total hours because the study examined video game training of two types. The total training hours were 16–90 h (mean = 40.63; S.D. = 26.22), whereas the training intensity was 1.5–10.68 h/week (mean = 4.96; S.D. = 3.00). One study did not specify total training hours. Two studies did not specify the training intensity. The training periods and intensities are in Table 8 .

Periods and intensities of video gaming intervention.

The training length was converted into weeks (1 month = 4 weeks). ns, not specified; n/a, not available; * exact length is not available.

3.7. MRI Analysis and Specifications

Of nine eligible studies, one study used resting-state MRI analysis, three studies (excluding that by Haier et al. [ 40 ]) used structural MRI analysis, and five studies used task-based MRI analysis. A study by Haier et al. used MRI analyses of two types [ 40 ]. A summary of MRI analyses is presented in Table 9 . The related resting-state, structural, and task-based MRI specifications are presented in Table 10 , Table 11 and Table 12 respectively.

MRI analysis details of eligible studies.

* Haier et al. conducted structural and task analyses. + Compared pre-training and post-training between groups without using contrast. TFCE, Threshold Free Cluster Enhancement; FEW, familywise error rate; FDR, false discovery rate.

Resting-State MRI specifications of eligible studies.

Structural MRI specifications of eligible studies.

Task-Based MRI specifications of eligible studies.

All analyses used 3 Tesla magnetic force; TR = repetition time; TE = echo time, ns = not specified.

4. Discussion

This literature review evaluated the effect of noncognitive-based video game intervention on the cognitive function of healthy people. Comparison of studies is difficult because of the heterogeneities of participant ages, beneficial effects, and durations. Comparisons are limited to studies sharing factors.

4.1. Participant Age

Video gaming intervention affects all age categories except for the children category. The exception derives from a lack of intervention studies using children as participants. The underlying reason for this exception is that the brain is still developing until age 10–12 [ 52 , 53 ]. Among the eligible studies were a study investigating adolescents [ 40 ], six studies investigating young adults [ 41 , 42 , 43 , 47 , 49 , 51 ] and two studies investigating older adults [ 48 , 50 ].

Differences among study purposes underlie the differences in participant age categories. The study by Haier et al. was intended to study adolescents because the category shows the most potential brain changes. The human brain is more sensitive to synaptic reorganization during the adolescent period [ 54 ]. Generally, grey matter decreases whereas white matter increases during the adolescent period [ 55 , 56 ]. By contrast, the cortical surface of the brain increases despite reduction of grey matter [ 55 , 57 ]. Six studies were investigating young adults with the intention of studying brain changes after the brain reaches maturity. The human brain reaches maturity during the young adult period [ 58 ]. Two studies were investigating older adults with the intention of combating difficulties caused by aging. The human brain shrinks as age increases [ 56 , 59 ], which almost invariably leads to declining cognitive function [ 59 , 60 ].

4.2. Beneficial Effects

Three beneficial outcomes were observed using MRI method: grey matter change [ 40 , 42 , 50 ], brain activity change [ 40 , 43 , 47 , 48 , 49 ], and functional connectivity change [ 41 ]. The affected brain area corresponds to how the respective games were played.

Four studies of 3D video gaming showed effects on the structure of hippocampus, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), cerebellum [ 42 , 43 , 50 ], and DLPFC [ 43 ] and ventral striatum activity [ 49 ]. In this case, the hippocampus is used for memory [ 61 ] and scene recognition [ 62 ], whereas the DLPFC and cerebellum are used for working memory function for information manipulation and problem-solving processes [ 63 ]. The grey matter of the corresponding brain region has been shown to increase during training [ 20 , 64 ]. The increased grey matter of the hippocampus, DLPFC, and cerebellum are associated with better performance in reference and working memory [ 64 , 65 ].

The reduced activity of DLPFC found in the study by Gleich et al. corresponds to studies that showed reduced brain activity associated with brain training [ 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 ]. Decreased activity of the DLPFC after training is associated with efficiency in divergent thinking [ 70 ]. 3D video gaming also preserved reward systems by protecting the activity of the ventral striatum [ 71 ].

Two studies of puzzle gaming showed effects on the structure of the visual–spatial processing area, activity of the frontal area, and functional connectivity change. The increased grey matter of the visual–spatial area and decreased activity of the frontal area are similar to training-associated grey matter increase [ 20 , 64 ] and activity decrease [ 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 ]. In this case, visual–spatial processing and frontal area are used constantly for spatial prediction and problem-solving of Tetris. Functional connectivity of the multimodal integration and the higher-order executive system in the puzzle solving-based gaming of Professor Layton game corresponds to studies which demonstrated training-associated functional connectivity change [ 72 , 73 ]. Good functional connectivity implies better performance [ 73 ].

Strategy gaming affects the DLPFC activity, whereas rhythm gaming affects the activity of visuospatial working memory, emotional, and attention area. FPS gaming affects the structure of the hippocampus and amygdala. Decreased DLPFC activity is similar to training-associated activity decrease [ 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 ]. A study by Roush demonstrated increased activity of visuospatial working memory, emotion, and attention area, which might occur because of exercise and gaming in the Dance Revolution game. Results suggest that positive activations indicate altered functional areas by complex exercise [ 48 ]. The increased grey matter of the hippocampus and amygdala are similar to the training-associated grey matter increase [ 20 , 64 ]. The hippocampus is used for 3D navigation purposes in the FPS world [ 61 ], whereas the amygdala is used to stay alert during gaming [ 74 ].

4.3. Duration

Change of the brain structure and function was observed after 16 h of video gaming. The total durations of video gaming were 16–90 h. However, the gaming intensity must be noted because the gaming intensity varied: 1.5–10.68 h per week. The different intensities might affect the change of cognitive function. Cognitive intervention studies demonstrated intensity effects on the cortical thickness of the brain [ 75 , 76 ]. A similar effect might be observed in video gaming studies. More studies must be conducted to resolve how the intensity can be expected to affect cognitive function.

4.4. Criteria

Almost all studies used inclusion criteria “little/no experience with video games.” The criterion was used to reduce the factor of gaming-related experience on the effects of video gaming. Some of the studies also used specific handedness and specific sex of participants to reduce the variation of brain effects. Expertise and sex are shown to affect brain activity and structure [ 77 , 78 , 79 , 80 ]. The exclusion criterion of “MRI contraindication” is used for participant safety for the MRI protocol, whereas exclusion criteria of “psychiatric/mental illness”, “neurological illness”, and “medical illness” are used to standardize the participants.

4.5. Limitations and Recommendations

Some concern might be raised about the quality of methodology, assessed using Delphi criteria [ 45 ]. The quality was 3–9 (mean = 6.10; S.D. = 1.69). Low quality in most papers resulted from unspecified information corresponding to the criteria. Quality improvements for the studies must be performed related to the low quality of methodology. Allocation concealment, assessor blinding, care provider blinding, participant blinding, intention-to-treat analysis, and allocation method details must be improved in future studies.

Another concern is blinding and control. This type of study differs from medical studies in which patients can be blinded easily. In studies of these types, the participants were tasked to do either training as an active control group or to do nothing as a passive control group. The participants can expect something from the task. The expectation might affect the outcomes of the studies [ 81 , 82 , 83 ]. Additionally, the waiting-list control group might overestimate the outcome of training [ 84 ].

Considering the sample size, which was 20–75 (mean = 43.67; S.D. = 15.63), the studies must be upscaled to emphasize video gaming effects. There are four phases of clinical trials that start from the early stage and small-scale phase 1 to late stage and large-scale phase 3 and end in post-marketing observation phase 4. These four phases are used for drug clinical trials, according to the food and drug administration (FDA) [ 85 ]. Phase 1 has the purpose of revealing the safety of treatment with around 20–100 participants. Phase 2 has the purpose of elucidating the efficacy of the treatment with up to several hundred participants. Phase 3 has the purpose of revealing both efficacy and safety among 300–3000 participants. The final phase 4 has the purpose of finding unprecedented adverse effects of treatment after marketing. However, because medical studies and video gaming intervention studies differ in terms of experimental methods, slight modifications can be done for adaptation to video gaming studies.

Several unresolved issues persist in relation to video gaming intervention. First, no studies assessed chronic/long-term video gaming. The participants might lose their motivation to play the same game over a long time, which might affect the study outcomes [ 86 ]. Second, meta-analyses could not be done because the game genres are heterogeneous. To ensure homogeneity of the study, stricter criteria must be set. However, this step would engender a third limitation. Third, randomized controlled trial video gaming studies that use MRI analysis are few. More studies must be conducted to assess the effects of video gaming. Fourth, the eligible studies lacked cognitive tests to validate the cognitive change effects for training. Studies of video gaming intervention should also include a cognitive test to ascertain the relation between cognitive function and brain change.

5. Conclusions

The systematic review has several conclusions related to beneficial effects of noncognitive-based video games. First, noncognitive-based video gaming can be used in all age categories as a means to improve the brain. However, effects on children remain unclear. Second, noncognitive-based video gaming affects both structural and functional aspects of the brain. Third, video gaming effects were observed after a minimum of 16 h of training. Fourth, some methodology criteria must be improved for better methodological quality. In conclusion, acute video gaming of a minimum of 16 h is beneficial for brain function and structure. However, video gaming effects on the brain area vary depending on the video game type.

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank all our other colleagues in IDAC, Tohoku University for their support.

PRISMA Checklist of the literature review.

For more information, visit: www.prisma-statement.org .

Author Contributions

D.B.T., R.N., and R.K. designed the systematic review. D.B.T. and R.N. searched and selected the papers. D.B.T. and R.N. wrote the manuscript with R.K. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. D.B.T. and R.N. contributed equally to this work.

Study is supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 17H06046 (Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas) and 16KT0002 (Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)).

Conflicts of Interest

None of the other authors has any conflict of interest to declare. Funding sources are not involved in the study design, collection, analysis, interpretation of data, or writing of the study report.

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The rapid development of the Internet has made online platforms, primarily comprising online gaming and social media, crucial avenues for social interaction among individuals. The impact on adolescents is undeniable, especially regarding the exploration of its effects on the mental health and interpersonal interactions of children and adolescents. Excessive use of online gaming and social media has been linked to various mental health issues among adolescents. The constant exposure to curated and often idealized representations of others' lives on social media can lead to feelings of inadequacy, low self-esteem, and depression. Moreover, online gaming, particularly when played in excess, can disrupt sleep patterns, lead to social withdrawal, and exacerbate existing mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. Cyberbullying and online harassment further compound these issues, causing significant psychological distress for affected individuals. From another perspective, there are empirical studies noted that social interaction in cyberspace can provide opportunities to enhance the mental health of users by facilitating social connections and peer support. Hence, in this Research Topic, we strive to explore the essential resources for psychological well-being through rewarding online social interactions. The main emphasis of this Research Topic is to facilitate understanding of the potential impacts of cyberspace and explore possible efficient intervention strategies. Building upon existing research and integrating multidimensional evidence, we aim to provide theoretical and practical references for relevant work. The dialogues facilitated by this collection aspire to empower stakeholders to foster healthier digital environments and support the holistic development of young people in the digital age. We invite original research on a range of topics, which include, but are not limited to, the following areas: - Explore how social interaction in online gaming and social media affects adolescents' self-concept, interpersonal interactions, and mental health in both positive and negative ways. - Analysis of the mechanisms of potential risks associated with online gaming and social media, such as Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and Social Media Addiction - Effective intervention methods will be proposed through quantitative and qualitative research.

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Playing games: advancing research on online and mobile gaming consumption

Internet Research

ISSN : 1066-2243

Article publication date: 9 April 2019

Issue publication date: 9 April 2019

Seo, Y. , Dolan, R. and Buchanan-Oliver, M. (2019), "Playing games: advancing research on online and mobile gaming consumption", Internet Research , Vol. 29 No. 2, pp. 289-292. https://doi.org/10.1108/INTR-04-2019-542

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited

Introduction

Computer games consistently generate more revenue than the movie and music industries and have become one of the most ubiquitous symbols of popular culture ( Takahashi, 2018 ). Recent technological developments are changing the ways in which consumers are able to engage with computer games as individuals – adult gamers, parents and children ( Christy and Kuncheva, 2018 ) – and as collectives, such as communities, networks and subcultures ( Hamari and Sjöblom, 2017 ; Seo, 2016 ). In particular, with the proliferation of online and mobile technologies, we have witnessed the emergence of newer forms of both computer games themselves (e.g. advertising games (advergames), virtual and augmented reality games and social media games) ( Rauschnabel et al. , 2017 ) and of gaming practices (e.g. serious gaming, hardcore gaming and eSports) ( Seo, 2016 ).

It is, therefore, not surprising that the issues concerning the ways computer games consumption is changing in light of these technological developments have received much attention across diverse disciplines of social sciences, such as marketing (e.g. Seo et al. , 2015 ), information systems (e.g. Liu et al. , 2013 ), media studies (e.g. Giddings, 2016 ) and internet research (e.g. Hamari and Sjöblom, 2017 ). The purpose of this introductory paper to the special issue “Online and mobile gaming” is to chart future research directions that are relevant to a rapidly changing postmodern digital gaming landscape. In this endeavor, this paper first provides an integrative summary of the six articles that comprise this special issue, and then draws the threads together in order to elicit the agenda for future research.

An integrative summary of the special issue

The six articles that were selected for this special issue advance research into online and mobile gaming in several ways. The opening article by Pappas, Mikalef, Giannakos and Kourouthanassis draws attention to the complex ecosystem of mobile applications in which multiple factors influence consumer behavior in mobile games. Pappas and his colleagues shed light on how price value, game content quality, positive and negative emotions, gender, and gameplay time interact with one another to predict the intention to download mobile games. This study offers useful insights by demonstrating how fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis methodology can be applied to advance research into computer games consumption.

The study by Bae, Kim, Kim and Koo addresses the digital virtual consumption that occurs within computer games. This second paper explores the relationship between in-game items and mood management to determine the affective value of purchasing in-game items. The findings reveal that game users manage their levels of arousal and mood valence through the use of in-game purchases, suggesting that stressed users are more likely to purchase decorative items, whereas bored users tend to purchase functional items. This study offers an informative perspective of how mood management and selective exposure theories can be applied to understand the in-game purchases. Continuing this theme, the third study by Bae, Park and Koo investigates the effect of perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Park and colleagues extend previous research by identifying important motivational mechanisms, such as self-esteem and compassion, which link CSR initiative perceptions with the intentions to purchase in-game items.

The fourth and fifth studies of this special issue draw our attention to the use of avatars and game characters. Liao, Cheng and Teng use social identity and flow theories to construct a novel model that explains how avatar attractiveness and customization impact loyalty among online game consumers. In the fifth study, Choi explores the importance of game character characteristics being congruent with product types in order to make advergames more persuasive.

The final study by Lee and Ko reviews the predictors of game addiction based on loneliness, motivation and inter-personal competence. The findings of these authors suggest that regulatory focus mediates the effect of loneliness on online game addiction, and that inter-personal competence significantly buffers the indirect effect of loneliness on online game addiction. This study advances our knowledge about online game addiction through an investigation of the important role played by loneliness.

Future directions for research

Taken together, our introductory commentary and the six empirical studies that make up this special issue deepen and broaden the current understanding of how online and mobile technologies augment the consumption of computer games. In this final section of our paper, we outline potential directions for future research.

First, this special issue highlights that computer games consumption is a diverse interdisciplinary phenomenon, where important issues range from establishing the factors that determine the adoption of particular computer games to what consumers do within these games; from whether computer games enhance consumer well-being (e.g. Howes et al. , 2017 ), to whether they engender addiction (e.g. Frölich et al. , 2016 ); and from establishing how computer gaming experiences are influenced by internal psychological mechanisms to querying the effects of broader social aspects of consumer lives on computer games consumption ( Kowert et al. , 2015 ). Informed by these findings, we assert that as computer games consumption becomes more complex and interactive, incorporating more technology brought about by the proliferation of online and mobile gaming, it is important that our theorizing follows by tracking the mutual imbrication of consumers, play, technology, culture, well-being and other salient issues.

Computer games consumption is a phenomenon of global significance, which is reflected by the international interest that we have received for this special issue. This prompts us to consider similarities and differences in the ways that computer games are consumed across cultures ( Elmezeny and Wimmer, 2018 ). Many computer games themselves now foster intercultural, multicultural and transcultural experiences ( Cruz et al. , 2018 ) by enabling consumers from different countries and regions to connect and build relationships within the shared virtual space. How do such experiences shape the consumption of computer games? This gap in the literature has been previously noted ( Seo et al. , 2015 ), but it has not been either sufficiently detailed or theorised. Future studies should explore the role of various transcultural experiences and practices within online and mobile games consumption.

Finally, one increasingly promising area for future research is the rise of virtual reality (VR) applications. Although the earliest references to VR date back to the 1990s (e.g. Gigante, 1993 ), it has been only recently that technological developments have allowed VR to evolve from a niche technology into an everyday phenomenon that is readily available to consumers ( Lamkin, 2017 ; Oleksy and Wnuk, 2017 ). Given that VR is an experientially distinct medium, how will it augment computer games consumption experiences and practices? Will it foster more diverse applications of computer games across various aspects of consumer lives (e.g. Tussyadiah et al. , 2018 ), or will it increase computer games addiction (e.g. Chou and Ting, 2003 )? What are the current and future intersections between VR technology, online and mobile games, and how are they likely to develop and affect consumers? We envision that these and many other questions related to the application and proliferation of VR technology in computer games consumption will be an exceptionally fruitful area for future research.

In summary, we hope that this paper and the special issue, with its emphasis on online and mobile gaming, will offer new insights for researchers and practitioners who are interested in the advancement of research on computer games consumption.

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Howes , S.C. , Charles , D.K. , Marley , J. , Pedlow , K. and McDonough , S.M. ( 2017 ), “ Gaming for health: systematic review and meta-analysis of the physical and cognitive effects of active computer gaming in older adults ”, Physical Therapy , Vol. 97 No. 12 , pp. 1122 - 1137 .

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Lamkin , P. ( 2017 ), “ Virtual reality headset sales hit 1 million ”, available at: www.forbes.com/sites/paullamkin/2017/11/30/virtual-reality-headset-sales-hit-1-million/#241697c42b61/ (accessed October 4, 2018 ).

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Acknowledgements

The guest editors would like to offer special thanks to the Editor of Internet Research , Christy Cheung, for supporting the publication of this special issue. The guest editors would also like to thank all of the authors who contributed to this research for the “Online and mobile gaming” special issue. Finally, the guest editors gratefully acknowledge the contribution of reviewers, who generously spent their time in helping to review submissions: Luke Butcher, Curtin University, Australia; Hsiu-Hua Chang, Feng Chia University, Taiwan; I-Cheng Chang, National Dong Hwa University, Taiwan; Chi-Wen Chen, California State University, USA; Zifei Fay Chen, University of San Francisco, USA; Sujeong Choi, Chonnam National University, Korea; Diego Costa Pinto, New University of Lisbon, Portugal; Angela Cruz, Monash University, Australia; Robert Davis, Massey University, New Zealand; Julia Fehrer, University of Auckland, New Zealand; Tony Garry, University of Otago, New Zealand; Tracy Harwood, De Montfort University, UK; Mu Hu, Beihang University, China; Tseng-Lung Huang, Yuan Ze University, Taiwan; Kun-Huang Huang, Feng Chia University, Taiwan; Chelsea Hughes, Virginia Commonwealth University, USA; Euejung Hwang, Otago University, New Zealand; Sang-Uk Jung, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Korea; Kacy Kim, Bryant University, USA; Dong-Mo Koo, Kyungpook National University, Korea; Jun Bum Kwon, University of New South Wales, Australia; Chun-Chia Lee, National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan; Jacob Chaeho Lee, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Korea; Loic Li, University of Auckland, New Zealand; Marcel Martončik, University of Presov, Slovakia; Mike Molesworth, University of Reading, UK; Gavin Northey, University of Auckland, New Zealand; James Richard, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand; Ryan Rogers, University of Pennsylvania, USA; Felix Septianto, University of Auckland, New Zealand; Zhen Shao, Harbin Institute of Technology, China; Kai-Shuan Shen, Fo Guang University, Taiwan; Jungmin Son, Chungnam National University; Korea; Yang Sun, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, China; Eva van Reijmersdal, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands; Ekant Veer, University of Canterbury, New Zealand; John Velez, Indiana University, USA; Wei-Tsong Wang, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan; Ya-Ling Wu, Tamkang University, Taiwan; Sheau-Fen Yap, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand; and Sukki Yoon, Bryant University, USA.

Corresponding author

About the authors.

Yuri Seo is Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland of Business School, New Zealand. His research interests include digital technology and consumption, cultural branding and multicultural marketplaces.

Rebecca Dolan is Lecturer at the University of Adelaide School of Business, Australia. Her research focuses on understanding, facilitating and optimizing customer relationships, engagement, and online communication strategies. She has a specific interest in the role that digital and social media play in the modern marketing communications environment.

Margo Buchanan-Oliver is Professor in the Department of Marketing and the Co-Director of the Centre of Digital Enterprise (CODE) at the University of Auckland Business School. Her research concerns interdisciplinary consumption discourse and practice, particularly that occurring at the intersection of the digital and physical worlds.

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An overview of the gaming industry across nations: using analytics with power BI to forecast and identify key influencers

Jesús manuel palma-ruiz, angel torres-toukoumidis, sonia esther gonzález-moreno, herik germán valles-baca.

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Corresponding author. [email protected]

Received 2021 Oct 14; Revised 2021 Dec 15; Accepted 2022 Feb 10; Collection date 2022 Feb.

This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Esports has seen a phenomenal explosion in popularity in recent years, gaining increasing interest from the media, sports, and technology industries. The purpose of this study is to show an overview of the recent evolution of the gaming market in representative countries in Eastern Asia, Western Europe, and North America during 2017–2019, and the corresponding growth projections for the next five years. For this purpose, descriptive, correlational, and forecasting analyses were used to assess the relationships among key variables associated with the growth of the gaming industry and to show different possibilities to address the data using data analytics. The games market revenues, total number of players, Google trends data, GDP per capita and online population were studied as possible key influencers to explain the industry's growth. Predictive analytics with MS Power BI revealed a positive correlation between GDP per capita and market revenues and players in European and North American countries, while in Asia was just the opposite. Also, a positive relationship between Google trends in esports and the games market revenues is noted. Forecasts showed significant growth for each region. Practical implications and future research directions are discussed.

Keywords: Analytics, Esports, Games, Forecasting, Power BI

Analytics, Esports, Games, Forecasting, Power BI.

1. Introduction

Esports stands for “electronic sports” and involves an alternative way of sports assisted by electronic systems and mediated by human-computer interfaces ( Hamari and Sjöblom, 2017 ). In simple terms, it refers to competitive professional video games and is equivalent to other terms such as cyber athletics or professional games -pro-gamers- ( Hiltscher and Scholz, 2017 ). One of the biggest advantages of esports is that people can enjoy it anywhere, anytime, and with anyone, all over the world, as they are free from time and place restrictions over the Internet ( Reitman et al., 2020 ).

The growth of computers and the development of the Internet have brought great changes in esports, as they are involved in many aspects of daily life ( Seo and Jung, 2016 ). This new form of sport has seen a phenomenal explosion in popularity in recent years, and its popularity has even threatened traditional sports ( Ward and Harmon, 2019 ). The conventional view of modern sport denotes a physical, competitive, and institutionalized activity. Nowadays, sports are described by a scientific vision of the world (i.e., standardized rules, as well as time, height, and length measurements), and fair play and good spirit, supporting better physical and mental health, as well as promoting social values ( Jonasson and Thiborg, 2010 ).

Games have always been called creative media, where neither the developers nor the player creators are solely responsible for producing the final assembly that is “the game”, which requires the participation of both. The same can be said of esports, that the final assembly of the esports experience is co-created by viewers, the game company, and other stakeholders ( Hiltscher and Scholz, 2017 ). The esports experience is valuable in today's economy, where increasingly, companies must organize experiences that engage and connect with consumers in a personal and memorable way to generate economic value. In response to the growing popularity of esports, professional players or gamers, professional teams, and professional leagues were created in a similar way to existing traditional sports (i.e., soccer, basketball, baseball) and numerous global companies have begun to invest big to buy sponsorships ( Jang and Byon, 2019 ; Weiss and Schiele, 2013 ), thus a growth in revenues and players in this industry is expected for years to come.

The rapid growth of esports has spawned another trend: people not only play games, but they create spectators as well. That is, esports represent an emerging sports genre, which has expanded from being a participation sport to an audience sport ( Watanabe et al., 2021 ). Despite its relevance, limited research has been done around esports, making it an interesting topic to investigate.

This study aims to show an overview of the recent evolution of the gaming market and the number of players in representative countries in Eastern Asia, Western Europe, and North America during 2017–2019. Moreover, this paper addresses the following research questions: What influences both total games market revenues and the number of players to increase? Are such key influencers the same for the regions of Western Europe, North America, and Eastern Asia? What are the corresponding forecasts in terms of revenues and gamers for the following five years for each of these regions? To answer these questions, this paper is organized into four main sections. This section provides an overview of esports and discusses factors associated with the professionalization and growth of esports. Section two presents the methodology used in this study, as well as introduces analytics as a useful tool to organize and process an excess of available data online and gather valuable insights. The third section highlights the results of the descriptive, correlational, and forecasting analyzes. Finally, the fourth section delivers an overall discussion, followed by future research directions, and final remarks.

1.1. Background

The early years of esports date back to 1970s with the introduction of arcade machines and game consoles. As computer components became more affordable, companies began to explore such market opportunities in videogames, which in some respects challenge modern and hegemonic sport ( Bornemark, 2013 ). Video games are a generic term for all types of digital games, played and used on some type of screen. This includes arcade machines, handheld devices, game consoles (i.e., Xbox, PlayStation, Game Boy), and computer games ( González-Moreno et al., 2019 ). Stanford University in the USA hosted the first eSports tournament in 1972 giving rise to competitive video games ( Li, 2016 ; Taylor, 2012 ). Following attempts to increase the popularity of esports were made during the 1980s and 1990s with the organization of national tournaments and world championships. Companies such as Atari or Nintendo used these events as a marketing tool to promote its video games, while fostering a gaming culture ( Borowy and Jin, 2013 ).

During the 1990s, with the development of the internet and further multiplayer capabilities, video games experienced significant growth, making it possible to not only to connect but to compete with external players. Further multiplayer tournaments began proliferating, as well as the tournament organizations across the globe (i.e., Cyberathlete Professional League (CPL) and the AMD Professional Gamers League (PGL) in the USA, the Deutsche Clanliga (DeCL) in Germany, among many others in different countries and over the years) ( Scholz, 2019 ).

As multiplayer video games became more popular, people began to compete more seriously. The spread of personal computers made more people able to play games and the rapid development of the Internet and the game's network code allowed for lower latency in the game among players ( Bornemark, 2013 ). Esports are primarily focused on the competition, and while generally, any computer game could well be a discipline in esports since it refers to one-on-one competition, there are certain core games, which are more popular even from a global perspective, such as Battlefield series, Quake series, Warcraft series, EA Sports FIFA, among many others ( Saiz-Alvarez et al., 2021 ).

During the 2000s, the esports teams and tournament grew stronger in structure, organization, and prizes. A growing number of video game developers started to offer and support esports capabilities in their games. Sponsorships began to play a bigger role in esports with companies such as Samsung, Microsoft, ATI, AMD, among others. Player's contract signing, and team transfers started at that time. Traditional media became involved by following and broadcasting the World Series of Video Games competitions, which attracted lots of spectators. Additionally, online broadcasting emerged as an important alternative to television to reduce costs and reach a worldwide audience ( Scholz, 2019 ).

Compared to traditional sports, esports have delivered a group of thrilling adjustments to content material manufacturing and delivery. This marketplace has made the internet its essential support for the consolidation of transmedia processes, streaming platforms, and video on demand ( Block et al., 2018 ). In this regard, this social phenomenon has recreated a new way of interaction providing a new experience for the spectators and audience, allowing direct contact with professional players, adding new statistics, metadata and media production techniques ( Jungsuk, 2018 ).

1.2. Professionalization and growth of esports

Nowadays, computer games are spotted in the media as an activity that competes with other physical sports and socializing events ( Jonasson and Thiborg, 2010 ). However, due to the popularity of video games, competencies in computer games have developed. Success in esports requires fine motor skills, coordination, and mental skills, rather than height, muscle power, and explosive speed. Thus players require a strategic eye for the game ( Jalonen, 2019 ). Many players want to measure and compare their skills with and against other players. As a result, online confrontation between players and at different levels of competition (i.e., amateur, semi-professional and professional) represents a determinant characteristic for the proliferation of esports ( Roncero and García, 2014 ). Consequently, players with a higher level of professionalization have a complete dedication to esports, being able to receive a salary by belonging to a professional team, compete for prizes (depending on the prestige and sponsorships), and likely acquire other sources of income through their sponsors and media relations.

Esports has implied a revolution for the video game industry, particularly in the diversity of the participants, new channels of economic income and increased physical activity ( Jenny et al., 2017 ). Today, it is still an emerging field of exploration that is diversifying thanks to the variety of sectors involved, including IT, government agencies, companies specialized in games, media, among others ( Steinkuehler, 2020 ) directly impacting on multiple degrees, models and marketing strategies that seek to impact and engage the global market ( Lu et al., 2010 ).

Esports has evolved into a professional game as well as their players. This is possible due to technological advances fostering a competitive commercial environment across the globe for both players and spectators ( Block et al., 2018 ). Several organizations have advanced competitive systems to manage such players ( Seo, 2013 ). Hence, esports relates to mental and fine motor skills development and training in the use of information and communication technologies -ICT- ( Wagner, 2006 ). The youth culture prevails among consumers since generally, they are more competent in the use of ICT, while many adult generations have not yet realized these developments. In fact, more than 70% of the total global esports total audience are from the ages of 16–34 years old; while 19% belong to 35–44 years old ( Zuckerman, 2020 ). This implies a rapidly widening socio-technological generation gap.

Nowadays, esports have become a worldwide phenomenon based on the professionalization of the competitive world of video games ( Roncero and García, 2014 ). Such competitive online games are the fastest growing means of participating in and following sports. Worldwide, it interests up to 500 million people ( Jalonen, 2019 ). One of the most intriguing social phenomena is a gaming culture that has developed alongside the media. People are no longer satisfied with just playing games, they are also creating new ways to enjoy them. These new means of enjoyment include “watching” and “supporting” professional players and teams in the game ( Kim and Thomas, 2015 ). For instance, the esports gambling market is growing swiftly with its particularities compared to traditional sports ( Roncero and García, 2014 ). Besides currency, players can also bet on in-game items. Such characteristics in addition to the game's addictive and interactive characteristics support the significance of extending the study between gambling, addiction, and esports.

2.1. Data analytics and the gaming industry

The opportunities in the gaming industry are vast in terms of new market analysis methods. In fact, analytics and big data is revolutionizing the future of this industry ( Wooden, 2021 ). This is evidenced in the present-day higher demand for data scientists or analysts, and data engineering for this billion-dollar industry ( Ozyazgan, 2019 ). The increasing developments in ICT stream new approaches for using multiple open data sources and real-time metadata or big data ( Brady et al., 2008 ). Since, information is flowing continuously at great lengths and speed, it represents both a challenge and an opportunity not only for scholars to apply data analytics in scientific research, but for organizations and governmental institutions to adapt the means and resources to analyze such data and aid their decision-making processes ( Chen et al., 2012 ; Davenport, 2013 ; Stone and Woodcock, 2014 ).

Data science, computer analytics, or analytics refers to a field or line of research where statistics converge with predictive computer models and data processing techniques to generate knowledge and contribute to decision-making ( Kannan and Li, 2017 ; Mulhern, 2009 ). Therefore, analytical and technical skills and useful performance metrics are determinants for strategy processes where digital technologies progressively impact. This challenging aspect of analytical skills results from the vitality of this research field and the excess of available data. However, the data is useless without proper analysis and interpretation ( Chaffey and Patron, 2012 ). As noted by experts in the field “decisions will be based on data-driven extrapolations and statistical heuristics” ( Valos et al., 2010 , p. 363). Such new approaches to assess data information have provided innovative techniques to study different micro and macro-economic variables ( Fisher, 2009 ; Leskovec et al., 2020 ).

While the field of analytics continues to grow, a surplus of data keeps being spawned and the limitations to capitalize on such data usage remain greatly unexplored ( Järvinen and Karjaluoto, 2015 ; Järvinen et al., 2012 ). Data analytics is expected to provide valuable insights ( Desouza and Jacob, 2017 ; Fosso Wamba et al., 2015 ; Janssen and Kuk, 2016 ; Kyriazis et al., 2020 ; Palma-Ruiz and Gómez-Martínez, 2019 ). Consequently, there is a need to develop models and methods that are inclusive in terms of information and various stakeholders, involve reasonable analysis and synthesis, and are quick ( Bryson et al., 2010 , p. 13).

This study used analytics techniques to illustrate how the gaming industry has evolved during the previous three years (2017–2019) by comparing online data from ten main economies in Asia, Europe, and America that have had the greatest growth in revenues. The focus of this research was exploratory since it is intended to explore and highlight the main differences among these economies associated with the growth of such industry. In addition, a correlational analysis was conducted to identify and compare significant relationships between variables, known as “key influencers”, which could be associated with the growth of this industry among these nations. Finally, forecasting analyses in terms of games market revenues and total players for each region were also provided for the following five years.

2.2. Data collection

The research used data from ten representative economies in the regions of eastern Asia, Western Europe, and North America, which also account for an important growth of esports during the years 2017, 2018, and 2019, and have had the greatest growth in revenues. These countries correspond to China, South Korea, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Canada. The sampling frame used in this study corresponded to the following online datasets indicators:

Games market revenues and total number of players - retrieved from https://newzoo.com/ ( Newzoo, 2019 ).

Macroeconomic variables such as GDP per capita and online population - retrieved from https://data.worldbank.org ( World Bank, 2021 ).

Trends in “Esports” using Google Trends data - retrieved from https://trends.google.com/ ( Google Trends, 2021 ).

Games market revenues reflect the year-end US$ exchange rate. Revenues are based on the amount the industry generates in consumer spending on games in each country (including physical and digital full-game copies, in-game spending, and game subscription services, such as PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass). Moreover, revenues exclude hardware sales, tax, business-to-business services, and online gambling and betting revenues (see Romeijn, 2021 ).

On the one hand, Google trends represents a relatively new approach to providing new techniques to study different areas and lines of research ( Palma-Ruiz and Gómez-Martínez, 2019 ). Google Trends records the interest over time in a particular topic or term based on how often is entered or queried into Google web browsers. Based on Google, the numbers represent search interest relative to the highest point for the given region and time (i.e., 100 is the peak popularity for the term). As a result, Google trends data depict relevant indicators on topics of interest for the general population. Such web queries are convenient indicators for present and future customer decision-making and provide valuable information for data analysis ( Choi and Varian, 2012 ; Nakatani and Chuang, 2011 ).

2.3. Analysis

After collecting the data from the aforementioned online datasets for the corresponding three years of analysis, the data was cleaned and sorted in Microsoft Excel to further allow Microsoft Power BI analytics software to process and obtain a better visualization of the data in the form of graphs, trend analyses, key influencers, and forecasts; in this way, a more accurate appreciation of the development and growth of the gaming industry was possible. In addition, in order to answer the research questions and to show the different possibilities to address data and assess the relationships among the different variables considered, descriptive, correlational, and forecasting analyses were conducted.

One of the useful tools in analytics software refers to the ability to forecast future trends based on previous historical datasets. The use of time series facilitates the analyses of major patterns, such as trend cycles or seasonality ( Davenport, 2013 ). Furthermore, time series is used for various applications including economic and stock market forecasting, pattern recognition, natural phenomena predictions, among many others ( Shaulska et al., 2021 ). Microsoft Power BI provides two versions of exponential smoothing, one for seasonal and another for non-seasonal data. Conveniently, Power BI chooses the appropriate model based on the analysis of the historical data previously supplied. The results and discussion are presented in the following section.

3.1. Descriptive analysis

The descriptive analysis conducted in this study reveals the evolution of the gaming industry in the last three years, which allows deepening into the study of key relationships between gaming and certain key influencers. Figure 1 compares the games market revenues in billions of US$ from the countries considered in this study. In 2019, China accounted for 31.69% of the games market revenues (37.2 billion of US$), followed by the USA (29.05%) with 34.10 billion of US$, and Japan (15.25%) with 17.90 billion of US$. In all cases, total revenues present an increase from the previous year, except in Japan, which remained the same. For the region in Eastern Asia, South Korea's games market revenues grew 14.5% from 2017 to 2018, followed by Japan (7.2%), and China (5.2%); whereas, during the 2018 to 2019 period, China grew 8.1%, followed by South Korea (5.4%), and Japan (0.0%). Considering the total 2017 to 2019 period, in eastern Asia, China has had the highest total revenues with 60.06% of the region, followed by Japan (30.23%) and South Korea (9.71%).

Games market revenues (billions of US$) by country and year. Note: Own elaboration based on Newzoo (2019) .

On the other hand, in Western Europe, Germany has had the highest total revenues during the 2017 to 2019 period in the region with 28.59%, followed by the UK (27.0%), France (19.29%), Spain (12.68%), and Italy (12.44%). The Spanish game market revenues grew 25.0% from 2017 to 2018, followed by Italy (24.5%), France (21.8%), Germany (20.8%), and UK (19.1%). During the 2018 to 2019 period, Italy grew 4.3%, followed by Germany (3.4%), Spain (2.9%), France (2.5%), and UK (2.4%).

Finally, in North America, the USA has had the highest total revenues in the region during the 2017 to 2019 period with 92.62% and Canada with 7.38%. From 2017 to 2018 and 2018 to 2019 periods, USA's games market revenues grew 19.2% and 3.6%, respectively, while Canada grew 18.3% and 7.8%, respectively.

Figure 2 shows the total players growth during the 2017 to 2019 period in each country. China accounted for 56.39% of the total players from 2017 to 2019. In Eastern Asia, China has had the highest growth in total players from 2017 to 2018 periods with 5.2%, followed by South Korea (5.1%), and Japan (2.8%). In 2019, South Korea experienced a 5.6% grown in players with 30.2 million, followed by China (5.2%) with 642.0 million, and Japan (0.4%) with 74.10 million.

Total players (millions) by country and year. Note: Own elaboration based on Newzoo (2019) .

In Western Europe, Germany showed the highest growth in players during the 2017 to 2018 period with 9.4%, followed by Italy (8.3%), UK (7.3%), France (3.2%), and Spain (0.8%). For 2019, France grew the highest with 5.9% with 34.2 million, followed by Spain (5.2%) with 26.5 million, Italy (1.8%) with 34.4 million, Germany (1.2%) with 43.4 million, and UK (1.1%) with 35.5 million. Finally, in North America, the USA players grew 5.7% during the 2017 to 2018 period, while in Canada grew 3.0%. Unusually, for 2019, the total players in USA decreased a 0.5% resulting in 185 million, while in Canada grew 1.0% to 20.8 million for the same period.

Based on Figure 3 , Asia accounts for 64.67% of the total players for 2019 with 778 million, followed by Western Europe (18.29%) with 220 million, and North America (17.04%) with 205 million.

Total players (millions) per region during 2019. Note: Own elaboration based on Newzoo (2019) .

As shown in Figure 4 , the region of Asia stands out for its growing popularity of esports. As suggested by Seo and Jung (2016) , interest in esports including casual titles are increasing exponentially in Asia. Nonetheless, the recent slowdown in-game licensing in China could affect the exposure of Chinese gamers to new esports titles. As a result, fewer new games are appearing on the market. Still, esports is exceptionally important to China, where major cities such as Chongqing, Xi'an, and Hangzhou are striving to become the country's new esports hub ( Xiao, 2020 ).

Google Trends in eSports (total of search interest over time). Source: Own elaboration based on Google Trends, 2021

3.2. Correlational analysis

In order to answer the research questions in this study, one of the aims is to determine possible key influencers or significant variables related to games market revenues and the total number of players. Hence, data analysis was conducted independently considering the countries in this study and regions. Firstly, for the countries in Western Europe and North America on average when GDP per capita (thousands of US$) increases, the games market revenues also increase (see Figure 5 ). More specifically, results show that when GDP per capita goes up 7.47 thousand the average of the market revenues increases by 1.13 billion of US$. This result is also directly associated with a positive relationship between the growth of the online population and the market revenues. When the online population increases by 78.94 million, the average market revenues also increases by 2.74 billion of US$. Furthermore, when the interest in esports through query searches in Google Trends goes up 377.77, the average market revenues also increases by 0.77 billion of US$.

Analysis of key influencers in game market revenues for Western Europe and North America.

Interestingly, for the region in Eastern Asia, and contrary to Western Europe and North America, when the GDP per capita decreases, the market revenues increase. More specifically, on average when the GDP per capita goes down 13.10 thousand of US$, the market revenues increase by 1.18 billion of US$ (see Figure 6 ). This finding is complemented with an increase in interest in esports (measured by Google trends), the market revenues increase as well. This is, when Google trends goes up 352.48, the average of total market revenues increases by 1.24 billion of US$. Finally, when the online population goes up 367.49 million, the average of market revenues increases by 3.36 billion of US$.

Analysis of key influencers in games market revenues for Eastern Asia.

In terms of possible key influencers to determine an increase in the total number of total players, both Western Europe and North America regions on average when the online population goes up by 78.94 million, the total players also increase by 18.69 million (see Figure 7 ). Furthermore, when the interest in esports through searches in Google trends goes up by 377.77, the total players also increase by 0.79 million.

Analysis of key influencers in total players for Western Europe and North America.

Finally, for the region of Eastern Asia on average when GDP per capita goes down 11.75 thousand of US$, the average of total players increases by 67.59 million (see Figure 8 ). Moreover, when the online population goes up by 367.49 million, the average of total players increases by 79.75 million.

Analysis of key influencers in total players for Eastern Asia.

3.3. Forecasting

In order to answer the final research question and to complement the correlation analyses in the previous section, the authors performed time series forecasting in terms of audience and revenues for each of the regions and based on the non-seasonal data provided for the years 2017–2019. Forecasts were completed for the following five years with a 95% confidence interval, also calculating the upper and lower bound indicators resultant for such confidence level. The results for North America are shown in Figure 9 , for Western Europe in Figure 10 , and predictions for Eastern Asia are shown in Figure 11 .

Total game market revenues and players forecasts for North America.

Total game market revenues and players forecasts for Western Europe.

Total game market revenues and players forecasts for Eastern Asia.

As shown in Figure 9 , the predictions for total games market revenues for North America, bearing in mind the data from the USA and Canada, show a forecast of 44.71 billion for 2021, 48.43 billion for 2022, 52.15 billion for 2023, and 55.87 billion for 2024. In addition, total players forecasts show 217.52 million for 2021, 222.88 million for 2022, 228.23 million for 2023, and 233.58 million for 2024.

Figure 10 shows the forecasting results for Western Europe, considering previous data from Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and UK. A forecast of 23.68 billion of US$ for 2021, 25.73 billion for 2022, 27.77 for 2023, and 29.82 for 2024. Additionally, total players forecasts show 189.48 million for 2021, 196.98 million for 2022, 204.49 million for 2023, and 212.00 million for 2024.

Finally, Figure 11 shows the forecasting results for Eastern Asia. Considering previous data from China, South Korea and Japan, the forecasting for the games market revenues showed 68.0 billion of US$ for 2021, 71.39 billion for 2022, 74.78 billion for 2023, and 78.17 billion for 2024. Additionally, total player forecasts show 813.52 million of players for 2021, 847.15 million for 2022, 880.78 million for 2023, and 914.41 million for 2024.

4. Discussion and conclusion

Gaming is a social experience. As seen in this study, the games market is growing at an exponential rate, and the forecasting analyses show a very promising industry for the years to come in terms of total market revenues and number of players. There is no question that games and esports have become a worldwide phenomenon because of the professionalization of the competitive world of video and computer games, in addition to the growing interest and increasing number of players and spectators in the different countries and regions around the globe.

The different analyses shown in the previous sections deliver evidence to answer the research questions in this study. Economic indicators such as GDP per capita, online population, and Google trends interest in esports indicators have resulted in key influencers in determining the increase in games market revenues and total players growth based on the data for the countries per region considered in this study. Interestingly, in those countries from the regions of Western Europe and North America with higher GDP per capita will continue to experience an increase in game revenues and players. However, the opposite happens in countries in Eastern Asia. In all cases, Google trends are a key influencer to determine growth in a particular industry. Another implication refers to the online population growth, which as continues to increase worldwide, resulting in market opportunities for the gaming industry development.

Future studies should address the identification and relationship of key influencers in other nations and regions across the world (i.e., emerging economies, such as Latin America, which continue to gather internet access at higher speeds). Moreover, data analytics software, such as Power BI, has been shown to offer attractive alternatives to explore and visualize data easily and identify valuable insights. These tools can assist not only data scientists and researchers to later deepen into more comprehensive and sophisticated statistical analyses but are appealing to a wide range of stakeholders that can easily identify key determinants for growth and significant relationships assisting decision making (i.e., forecasting techniques). Hence, this paper has fulfilled its purpose of answering the research questions and illustrating the use of analytics as a tool for examination of data over a series of time and in specific contexts and regions while considering NewZoo, World Bank, and Google Trends data.

Limitations of publicly available data have restricted the potential to explore further analytic techniques. Future studies should continue to explore and exploit the advantages of analytics software and evaluate the potential to explore additional data sources and other specific variables to complement and deepen the study of determinants of market growth and many other aspects related to the gaming industry and esports from diverse points of view (i.e., individual –developer, user, player, strategist, team, and spectator; company – sponsors, developers, investors, media; organization –associations, clubs, regulators). Further approaches to disaggregate data can be considered to inform of alternative techniques to gather and analyze information, encouraging researchers to undertake the challenges of using metadata and other analytics resources. Accordingly, in this study the authors have demonstrated with a valid example the use data analytics as a method to gather valuable market insights and to identify key influencers as determinants for market growth, offering both research and practical implications.

Declarations

Author contribution statement.

Jesús Manuel Palma Ruiz: Conceived and designed the experiments; Performed the experiments; Analyzed and interpreted the data; Contributed reagents, materials, analysis tools or data; Wrote the paper.

Sonia E. González Moreno: Conceived and designed the experiments; Analyzed and interpreted the data; Wrote the paper.

Angel Torres-Toukoumidis: Analyzed and interpreted the data; Contributed reagents, materials, analysis tools or data; Wrote the paper.

Herik G. Valles-Baca: Performed the experiments; Wrote the paper.

Funding statement

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Data availability statement

The data that has been used is confidential.

Declaration of interests statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

No additional information is available for this paper.

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107 Video Game Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

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Video games have become a popular form of entertainment for people of all ages. From action-packed shooters to immersive role-playing games, there is a video game out there for everyone. With such a wide variety of games to choose from, it can be overwhelming to decide on a topic for an essay about video games. To help you get started, here are 107 video game essay topic ideas and examples to inspire your writing:

• The impact of violent video games on children's behavior
• The evolution of video game graphics over the years
• The rise of esports and its influence on the gaming industry
• The benefits of playing video games for cognitive development
• The representation of gender and race in video games
• The history of virtual reality gaming
• The psychology of loot boxes in video games
• The role of music in enhancing the gaming experience
• The ethics of video game journalism
• The impact of video game addiction on mental health
• The cultural significance of video game franchises like Mario and Pokemon
• The future of cloud gaming and streaming services
• The role of storytelling in video games
• The influence of video games on popular culture
• The relationship between video games and education
• The impact of video game censorship on creative expression
• The portrayal of mental health issues in video games
• The role of social media in video game marketing
• The history of video game consoles
• The impact of online multiplayer games on social interaction
• The evolution of game mechanics in the survival horror genre
• The representation of LGBTQ+ characters in video games
• The influence of Japanese culture on video game aesthetics
• The role of nostalgia in the popularity of retro gaming
• The impact of microtransactions on player experience
• The relationship between video games and violence in society
• The role of artificial intelligence in game development
• The impact of video game streaming platforms like Twitch
• The representation of disability in video games
• The influence of game design on player engagement
• The evolution of mobile gaming
• The role of virtual economies in online multiplayer games
• The impact of video game sound design on immersion
• The portrayal of mental illness in video games
• The influence of Eastern philosophy on game narratives
• The role of user-generated content in game communities
• The impact of fan culture on video game development
• The representation of indigenous cultures in video games
• The influence of literature on game storytelling
• The role of game difficulty in player satisfaction
• The impact of video game piracy on the industry
• The portrayal of war in military shooter games
• The relationship between video games and sports
• The influence of board games on video game design
• The role of player choice in game narratives
• The impact of virtual reality on therapy and rehabilitation
• The representation of historical events in video games
• The influence of film on game aesthetics
• The role of gender stereotypes in video game marketing
• The impact of game mods on player creativity
• The portrayal of mental health professionals in video games
• The influence of tabletop role-playing games on video game mechanics
• The role of game mechanics in promoting teamwork and cooperation
• The impact of game development crunch on industry workers
• The representation of animals in video games
• The influence of science fiction on game narratives
• The role of player agency in game storytelling
• The impact of game difficulty on player motivation
• The portrayal of addiction in video games
• The influence of mythology on game aesthetics
• The role of puzzles in game design
• The impact of game reviews on player purchasing decisions
• The representation of mental illness in horror games
• The influence of architecture on game environments
• The role of game soundtracks in enhancing the player experience
• The impact of game tutorials on player learning
• The portrayal of robots and AI in video games
• The influence of fashion on character design in games
• The role of humor in game narratives
• The impact of game localization on cultural representation
• The representation of environmental issues in video games
• The influence of psychology on game design
• The role of game narratives in exploring complex themes
• The impact of game communities on player engagement
• The portrayal of mental health struggles in indie games
• The influence of mythology on game storytelling
• The role of player feedback in game development
• The impact of game accessibility on player inclusivity
• The representation of gender identity in video games
• The influence of surrealism on game aesthetics
• The role of morality systems in game narratives
• The impact of game tutorials on player retention
• The portrayal of mental health professionals in horror games
• The influence of psychology on game narratives
• The role of player choice in shaping game outcomes
• The impact of game aesthetics on player immersion
• The representation of LGBTQ+ relationships in video games
• The role of environmental storytelling in game design
• The impact of game streaming on player engagement
• The portrayal of mental illness in puzzle games
• The role of player feedback in shaping game development
• The impact of game aesthetics on player perception
• The representation of LGBTQ+ characters in horror games
• The influence of film noir on game narratives
• The role of environmental storytelling in shaping game worlds
• The impact of game tutorials on player skill progression
• The portrayal of mental illness in narrative-driven games
• The influence of science fiction on game aesthetics
• The role of player choice in determining game endings
• The impact of game aesthetics on player emotional response
• The representation of LGBTQ+ relationships in indie games
• The influence of literature on game design
• The role of environmental storytelling in immersive game worlds
• The impact of game streaming on player community building
• The portrayal of mental health struggles in interactive fiction games

Whether you are writing a research paper, a critical analysis, or a personal reflection on video games, these topics provide a diverse range of ideas to explore. From examining the psychological effects of gaming to analyzing the cultural significance of game narratives, there is no shortage of fascinating topics to delve into. So, pick a topic that interests you and start exploring the world of video games through the lens of your essay. Happy writing!

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Importance of Narrowing the Research Topic

Whether you are assigned a general issue to investigate, must choose a problem to study from a list given to you by your professor, or you have to identify your own topic to investigate framed only by the class you are taking, it is important that the scope of the research problem is not too broad, otherwise, it will be difficult to adequately address the topic in the space and time allowed. You could experience a number of problems if your topic is too broad, including:

• You find too many information sources and, as a consequence, it is difficult to decide what to include or exclude or what are the most relevant sources.
• You find information that is too general and, as a consequence, it is difficult to develop a clear framework for examining the research problem.
• A lack of sufficient parameters that clearly define the research problem makes it difficult to identify and apply the proper methods needed to analyze the topic.
• You find information that covers a wide variety of concepts or ideas that can't be integrated into one paper and, as a consequence, you trail off into unnecessary tangents.

Lloyd-Walker, Beverly and Derek Walker. "Moving from Hunches to a Research Topic: Salient Literature and Research Methods." In Designs, Methods and Practices for Research of Project Management . Beverly Pasian, editor. ( Burlington, VT: Gower Publishing, 2015 ), pp. 119-129.

Strategies for Narrowing the Research Topic

A common challenge when beginning to write a research paper is determining how and in what ways to narrow down your topic . Even if your professor gives you a specific topic to study, it will almost never be so specific that you won’t have to narrow it down at least to some degree [besides, it is very boring to grade fifty papers that are all about the exact same thing!].

A topic is too broad to be manageable when a review of the literature reveals too many different, and oftentimes conflicting or only remotely related, ideas about how to investigate the research problem. Although you will want to start the writing process by considering a variety of different approaches to studying the research problem, you will need to narrow the focus of your investigation at some point early in the writing process. This way, you don't attempt to do too much in one paper.

Here are some strategies to help narrow the thematic focus of your paper :

• Aspect -- choose one lens through which to view the research problem, or look at just one facet of it [e.g., rather than studying the role of food in South Asian religious rituals, study the role of food in Hindu marriage ceremonies, or, the role of one particular type of food among several religions].
• Components -- determine if your initial variable or unit of analysis can be broken into smaller parts, which can then be analyzed more precisely [e.g., a study of tobacco use among adolescents can focus on just chewing tobacco rather than all forms of usage or, rather than adolescents in general, focus on female adolescents in a certain age range who choose to use tobacco].
• Methodology -- the way in which you gather information can reduce the domain of interpretive analysis needed to address the research problem [e.g., a single case study can be designed to generate data that does not require as extensive an explanation as using multiple cases].
• Place -- generally, the smaller the geographic unit of analysis, the more narrow the focus [e.g., rather than study trade relations issues in West Africa, study trade relations between Niger and Cameroon as a case study that helps to explain economic problems in the region].
• Relationship -- ask yourself how do two or more different perspectives or variables relate to one another. Designing a study around the relationships between specific variables can help constrict the scope of analysis [e.g., cause/effect, compare/contrast, contemporary/historical, group/individual, child/adult, opinion/reason, problem/solution].
• Time -- the shorter the time period of the study, the more narrow the focus [e.g., restricting the study of trade relations between Niger and Cameroon to only the period of 2010 - 2020].
• Type -- focus your topic in terms of a specific type or class of people, places, or phenomena [e.g., a study of developing safer traffic patterns near schools can focus on SUVs, or just student drivers, or just the timing of traffic signals in the area].
• Combination -- use two or more of the above strategies to focus your topic more narrowly.

NOTE: Apply one of the above strategies first in designing your study to determine if that gives you a manageable research problem to investigate. You will know if the problem is manageable by reviewing the literature on your more narrowed problem and assessing whether prior research is sufficient to move forward in your study [i.e., not too much, not too little]. Be careful, however, because combining multiple strategies risks creating the opposite problem--your problem becomes too narrowly defined and you can't locate enough research or data to support your study.

Booth, Wayne C. The Craft of Research . Fourth edition. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press, 2016; Coming Up With Your Topic. Institute for Writing Rhetoric. Dartmouth College; Narrowing a Topic. Writing Center. University of Kansas; Narrowing Topics. Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Strategies for Narrowing a Topic. University Libraries. Information Skills Modules. Virginia Tech University; The Process of Writing a Research Paper. Department of History. Trent University; Ways to Narrow Down a Topic. Contributing Authors. Utah State OpenCourseWare.

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