New Study: Video Games Could Modestly Improve Memory and Brain Function

Because video games are a regular part of many people’s everyday lives, researchers have spent a lot of time trying to determine whether they are beneficial or detrimental to brain health, according to Medical Xpress.

A new study, published in Acta Psychologica, has compiled 20 years of research on how video games affect cognitive abilities into a single systematic review and meta-analysis. This comprehensive study indicates that video games may provide some helpful cognitive benefits to gamers.

Years of conflicting evidence

On the face of it, it might seem like video games fall into the “brain rot” category of entertainment, similar to endless social media scrolling or watching television. Yet most gamers would agree that video games involve at least some degree of skill, and many researchers would agree, too.

In fact, the interactive nature of video games has positioned them as a potential tool for cognitive training, helping to exercise core mental skills like memory, attention, self-control, spatial reasoning and broader problem-solving.

Much research has been done over the years to determine whether video games are useful for cognitive training and which cognitive abilities they might either hinder or help. Results have been mixed, with some studies showing benefits and others finding little to no real-world improvement. Differences in methodological, demographic and game-related factors may also play a role in the conflicting results.

Meta-analyses focused on action games have often found gamers outperform non-gamers on attention-related and perceptual tasks. Some meta-analyses have argued effects are small or may reflect methodological choices rather than true cognitive gains. Also, differences in what counts as “action,” and whether studies include exergames or “brain training” tools, have contributed to conflicting conclusions.

The authors of the new study explain, “Some researchers remain skeptical about the positive cognitive effects of playing video games, arguing that video game play typically produces only ‘near-transfer’ effects. This means improvements are largely confined to the video game itself or highly similar contexts, with limited evidence supporting the enhancement of ‘far-transfer’ cognitive abilities applicable to everyday life.”

A unified, up-to-date analysis of the effects of video games

To provide a more up-to-date and comprehensive look at the cognitive effects of video games, the researchers conducted three meta-analyses on correlational studies, gamer vs. non-gamer comparisons, and controlled trial studies published between January 2005 and August 2025.

In total, 133 studies were included, comprising a total sample of 14,245 participants. The team assessed the quality of these studies using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist. Most of the studies were rated medium (69.93%), while 25.56% were rated high and 4.51% were rated low.

The researchers grouped cognitive outcomes into five domains: memory, spatial ability, visual attention, cognitive control and intelligence. They found that video game play was linked to small but statistically significant cognitive advantages overall. Correlational studies showed a small overall link, with the biggest effects on memory.

Comparisons between gamers and non-gamers showed a small overall advantage for gamers, especially in spatial ability, visual attention, cognitive control and intelligence. Controlled trials for cognitive training showed the smallest but most causal effects, with memory being the only domain showing a clear significant improvement.

“In the meta-analysis of correlational studies, the findings revealed a statistically significant, yet weak, positive correlation between video game play and overall cognitive ability. This indicates that a longer duration of video game play may be associated with higher scores on cognitive assessments,” the study authors write.

“When examining specific cognitive domains, a significant association was found only for memory, suggesting that video game play may have a more consistent association with skills related to memory. One possible interpretation of this association is that individuals who invest more time in gaming engage in frequent and sustained recruitment of memory-related skills during gameplay.”

The team also conducted moderator tests to determine whether demographics or other factors made a difference. They found little evidence that results depended strongly on gender, age group, culture (categorized as Eastern or Western), health status, intervention duration or game type.