Computer Game Decreases Stress

By Digital Trends Staff Published October 25, 2009

When someone says they’re playing World of Warcraft to relax, better start believing them. A new study by Middlesex University has found two hours playing the game can lower stress levels. 292 online gamers, both male and female and aged between 12 and 83 – yes, 83 – were first given questions to answer regarding stress and anger. After that, they spent two hours in front on the screen playing WoW, after which they were retested. Study team leader Jane Barnett said, "There were actually higher levels of relaxation before and after playing the game as opposed to experiencing anger, but this very much depended on personality type. This will help us develop an emotion and gaming questionnaire to distinguish the type of gamer who is likely to transfer their online aggression into everyday life." Results of the study were presented to the annual conference of the British Psychological Society in Dublin last Wednesday.

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Gaming

A new patent suggests the Nintendo Switch 2 might upscale games to 4K

Two players play Nintendo Switch.

Although the Nintendo Switch is undeniably a success, the console has its fair share of critics. The graphical prowess of Nintendo's hybrid handheld couldn't really compete with that of the Xbox or PlayStation, but a new patent suggests the Nintendo Switch 2 might not have that problem. This patent shows a system that could upscale resolution to as high as 4K -- without native 4K textures.

The technology is similar to existing tools, like Nvidia's Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) or AMD's FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR). In theory, Nintendo's patent would make it possible to keep game sizes smaller while still achieving gorgeous scenery and gameplay. For example, a 1080p game might need 25GB of storage, while a 4K game might need 75GB. A Nintendo Switch cartridge can only store up to 32GB of data, so 4K is out -- unless it's artificially scaled up, according to analyst Laura Kate Dale.

Gaming

4 big predictions for where video games are going in 2025

Lucia and her partner rob a store in GTA 6.

Well, 2024 is officially behind us -- and thank goodness for that. The last 12 months has been a constant roller coaster ride, taking the world through a series of unprecedented events. While the video game industry wasn't as quite as volatile as, say, the American political landscape, it was certainly a whirlwind year. Mass layoffs left tens of thousands without jobs, hyped-up games flopped, and harassment was on the rise. In between those headaches, we got a surprisingly strong year of unpredictable games like Balatro and Black Myth: Wukong.

That makes 2025 a little difficult to predict. We saw the best and worst of the industry last year, and it's unclear which side the needle will fall on by December 2025. Are things going to stabilize and give us a year with less layoffs and more great games? Or is the industry going to decay further, giving us more studio closures and big-budget flops?

Gaming

2024 gaming report card: How did PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo fare?

Living room with Microsoft Xbox Series X (L) and Sony PlayStation 5 home video game consoles alongside a television and soundbar.

After a long and busy 12 months, 2024 is officially in the books. Players have a few weeks to rest before the video game release calendar picks up in February with a barrage of major releases. That's a problem for next month, though. Until then, we've still got some time to reflect on what was a rollercoaster year for the gaming industry, full of surprise hits, total flops, and surprising no shows.

At the center of all that was the three pillars of mainstream gaming: Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo. While their power may be waning in the age of portable PCs like the Steam Deck, these platform holders are still the watercooler conversation starters whose every move generates buzz. This year, all three companies found themselves in a strange spot. PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X hit the awkward midpoint of their lifespans, while the Nintendo Switch was left to tread water after its much anticipated successor was pushed out of 2024. All three would have to get creative if they were going to end the year strong.