Meta-Analysis of 133 Studies Finds Video Games Boost Cognition Modestly

1 articles · Updated · emjreviews.com · Jul 9

A review of 133 studies found video game play was linked to small but statistically significant gains in memory, attention, reasoning and other cognitive measures.
Across 14,245 participants and 269 effect sizes, the strongest evidence came from 22 controlled trials, which still showed a modest benefit with an effect size of r=0.088.
Between-group comparisons produced a larger overall effect of r=0.22, while correlational studies showed r=0.162, helping explain why earlier research pointed in different directions.
Moderator tests found almost no meaningful differences by age, sex, culture, health status, intervention length or game type, suggesting the association was broadly consistent.
The authors said games may serve as a supportive cognitive-training tool, but the small effects and heavy reliance on correlational evidence mean they are not a proven treatment.