Good news, gamers: Playing ‘The Legend of Zelda’ helps mental health

Next time someone claims staying in and playing video games is bad for you, direct them to this study that suggests open-world games might actually improve your mental health.

Researchers from Imperial College London and the University of Graz in Austria surveyed over 600 postgraduate students about their experiences with open-world games and the emotional impact of these sessions. Their findings? Games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and even Red Dead Redemption and Minecraft can significantly enhance cognitive escapism (offering a mental break from everyday life), promote relaxation, and improve overall mental well-being.

“Open-world refers to games that provide a large, freely explorable environment, where players can move and interact with the game world with minimal restrictions,” writes the team in their paper, published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. “They offer large, detailed worlds to explore. Specifically, the games may feature an expansive world filled with diverse landscapes, towns, and hidden secrets.”

Unlike fast-paced action games, open-world titles encourage players to slow down. Famed video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto shared that his main inspiration when creating the Zelda games series was to capture the feeling of being a young child exploring outdoors, just as he did in the countryside of his hometown throughout his childhood. Activities like exploring, crafting, or simply enjoying the scenery make these games relaxing in contrast to competitive games structured round set objectives, such as Fortnite or Call of Duty. 

The freedom to play at your own pace helps reduce stress and boost mental well-being. Previous studies have also shown that casual gaming can be a powerful way to unwind and relax. Open-world games take that to the next level. Players interviewed and surveyed for the study reported feeling “inner peace,” the ability to “forget my daily worries,” and an ability to “switch off” from the chaos of life. One even described open-world gaming as “my form of meditation.”

Such games may also offer a much-needed antidote to the negative effects of other digital habits, like endlessly scrolling through social media—a behavior often linked to worsening mental health. With rising rates of stress, anxiety, and sadness among young people today, these games could end up playing a key role in reducing stress and enhancing mental health, with potential therapeutic applications in the future. 

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