Can Animal Crossing make you happier?

“Animal Crossing: New Horizons” was released on March 20th, 2020 and has since become a cultural phenomenon. Although the game itself has been praised by critics, some suggest that its success is partially attributable to its being released during the COVID-19 pandemic. During these trying times, many people have been affected by anxiety and  loneliness stemming from, for example, social isolation and/or loss of work. The world can be a scary place right now — Animal Crossing provides the perfect place for much needed escapism, and in fact many people online have claimed that this game has helped them manage challenges to mental health posed by the pandemic. 

“Animal Crossing” begins with you (the main character) moving to a deserted island to start a new life. When you arrive, a man named Tom Nook helps you set up and improve your island. As the game progresses, you help open a community shop, donate art and bug and fish specimens to the local museum, invite new animal villagers to live on your island, and decorate the island however you want — with flowers, trees, rivers, and furniture. So how exactly does this relatively simple video game help improve mental health in players?

Videogames are able to elicit positive emotions

One of the first things that comes to mind when I think about positive mental health is feeling happy. A lot of research suggests that playing videogames contributes to positive emotions, which is often defined as the ability to experience joy, happiness, and satisfaction. One study compared people who never play videogames to people who engage in low, moderate or excessive amounts of gaming and found that individuals who never play video games have worse mental health outcomes than all other groups on measures such as insomnia, anxiety and general mental health. Some of these benefits may be attributed to the stress-relieving abilities that video games have. Video games like “Animal Crossing” are designed to be relaxing. There is never a sense of urgency, and you can choose how you want to play the game. However, research has found that even games that involve more stressful gameplay or include violence can be relaxing for many individuals. By immersing themselves in a fictional world, players are able to shift their focus away from stress in their everyday, offline life.

 Social Benefits of videogames

In the past, video games have been traditionally viewed as a solitary activity. However, modern video games often include opportunities to play with other people, either by playing with each other online or playing together in person. In the case of “Animal Crossing,” you are able to visit the island of any other player in the game. Some players hold virtual birthday parties, have meteor shower watch parties or get their friends to help them water flowers in the game. This allows people to connect even in a time when many are socially isolating. 

 In addition to the in-game features that allow for socialization, “Animal Crossing” has amassed an immense online community since its release. People have been sharing pictures of their island to inspire others, have uploaded designs that others can download and use in their own games, have traded with other animal villagers for materials such as bells (the game’s currency) or furniture. People have been able to connect with others through many social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, Reddit and Discord, which likely helps many people cope with the loneliness of social isolation during the pandemic. 

Feeling a sense of accomplishment through videogames

One thing that “Animal Crossing” does really well is give the player a sense of accomplishment. Pretty much everything you do in the game gets rewarded (and sometimes even praised!) by other villagers on the island. Being rewarded for completing goals can help the player feel accomplished and competent. These feelings are commonly reported as a reason why people return to certain video games. Even though these accomplishments are happening in a virtual world, this goal-attainment can still positively impact mental health. Specifically, by producing positive feelings, these games improve life-satisfaction and enhance players’ general well-being. In addition, accomplishments in video games occur regularly, are often very achievable and have immediate rewards, whereas accomplishment in real-life can often be infrequent, difficult to achieve, and might go unnoticed. 

Although much of the past research concerning the effects of playing videogames has focused on their potential negative effects, there is much more research supporting the potential of videogames to provide benefits to mental health and contribute to mental flourishing. Although videogames should not be used as a replacement for other mental health services–especially if you are suffering from mental health problems–their positive benefits should not be overlooked.

Reference: Jones CM, Scholes L, Johnson D, Katsikitis M, Carras MC (2014) Gaming well: links between videogames and flourishing mental health. Frontiers in Psychology 5:260

Edited by JiHae Koo and Lana Ruck