Do video games improve cognitive skills?

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1. 1

   Video game training does not enhance cognitive ability: A comprehensive meta-analytic investigation.

   Psychological Bulletin (Sala et al.)Published Dec 14, 2017Checked Oct 3, 2026

   “Video game training is another activity that has been claimed by many researchers to foster a broad range of cognitive abilities such as visual processing, attention, spatial ability, and cognitive control. We tested these claims with three random-effects meta-analytic models. The first meta-analysis (k = 310) examined the correlation between video game skill and cognitive ability. The second meta-analysis (k = 315) dealt with the differences between video game players and nonplayers in cognitive ability. The third meta-analysis (k = 359) investigated the effects of video game training on participants' cognitive ability. Small or null overall effect sizes were found in all three models. These outcomes show that overall cognitive ability and video game skill are only weakly related. Importantly, we found no evidence of a causal relationship between playing video games and enhanced cognitive ability. Video game training thus represents no exception to the general difficulty of obtaining far transfer. (PsycINFO Database Record”

2. 2

   The effect of active video games on cognitive functioning in clinical and non-clinical populations: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

   Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews (Stanmore et al.)Published Apr 22, 2017Checked Oct 3, 2026

   “Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to establish effects of exergames on overall cognition and specific cognitive domains in clinical and non-clinical populations. We identified 17 eligible RCTs with cognitive outcome data for 926 participants. Random-effects meta-analyses found exergames significantly improved global cognition (g=0.436, 95% CI=0.18-0.69, p=0.001). Significant effects still existed when excluding waitlist-only controlled studies, and when comparing to physical activity interventions. Furthermore, benefits of exergames where observed for both healthy older adults and clinical populations with conditions associated with neurocognitive impairments (all p<0.05). Domain-specific analyses found exergames improved executive functions, attentional processing and visuospatial skills. The findings present the first meta-analytic evidence for effects of exergames on cognition. Future research must establish which patient/treatment factors influence efficacy of exergames, and explore neurobiological mechanisms of action.”

3. 3

   Video game training enhances cognition of older adults: A meta-analytic study.

   Psychology and Aging (Toril et al.)Published Jan 1, 2014Checked Oct 3, 2026

   “However, effects across studies are mixed. We conducted a meta-analysis to examine the hypothesis that training healthy older adults with video games enhances their cognitive functioning. The studies included in the meta-analysis were video game training interventions with pre- and posttraining measures. Twenty experimental studies published between 1986 and 2013, involving 474 trained and 439 healthy older controls, met the inclusion criteria. The results indicate that video game training produces positive effects on several cognitive functions, including reaction time (RT), attention, memory, and global cognition. The heterogeneity test did not show a significant heterogeneity (I(2) = 20.69%) but this did not preclude a further examination of moderator variables. The magnitude of this effect was moderated by methodological and personal factors, including the age of the trainees and the duration of the intervention. The findings suggest that cognitive and neural plasticity is maintained to a certain extent in old age. Training older adults with video games enhances several aspects of cognition and might be a valuable intervention for cognitive enhancement.”

4. 4

   Effects of video game-based interventions on executive functions and motor skills in children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

   Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences (Gao et al.)Published Feb 27, 2026Checked Oct 4, 2026

   “PurposeThis systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of video game-based interventions in improving executive functions and motor skills in children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs).MethodsWe searched 4 databases: Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and IEEE Xplore up to December 2, 2024.ResultsCompared to the control groups, the video game-based intervention groups exhibited a small to medium effect size for inhibitory control (SMD = -0.41, 95% CI: -0.58 to -0.25, P P P P ConclusionVideo games can serve as an adjunctive therapy to improve executive functions and gross motor skills in children and adolescents with NDDs. Active video games (AVGs) demonstrate improvements in cognitive flexibility, while sedentary video games (SVGs) show improvements in working memory. Intervention frequency and session duration also influence outcomes. However, due to study heterogeneity and limited sample sizes, these findings remain preliminary and exploratory.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42024534097, identifier CRD42024534097.”

5. 5

   Cognitive effects of video games in older adults and their moderators: a systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression

   Aging & Mental Health (Mansor et al.)Published Feb 20, 2019Checked Oct 3, 2026

   “The present review sought to evaluate video game effects, relative to no-game control condition, on cognitive functions in older adults. The functions included processing speed, attention, delayed memory, reasoning, and executive functions (inhibition, shifting and updating memory). Personal and methodological moderators were explored to explain the variability in cognitive effects using meta-regression. Through a systematic literature search of online databases, 27 intervention studies were eligible, with a total of 1126 participants, for analysis. Using random-effect models, small but significant training effects were found on updating memory but none were detected in other cognitive functions. The heterogeneity across studies was in general high for all cognitive functions and was partially accounted for, in all cognitive functions except for inhibition and updating, by different moderators such as the proportion of females, outcome measure parameters, training intensity, and game type. The findings highlight limited effects of video games on cognitive functions that were largely influenced by factors related to study design.”

6. 6

   Video Games for Well-Being: A Systematic Review on the Application of Computer Games for Cognitive and Emotional Training in the Adult Population

   Frontiers in Psychology (Pallavicini et al.)Published Nov 7, 2018Checked Oct 3, 2026

   “The search string was: [(“Video Games” OR "Computer Games" OR "Interactive Gaming")] AND [(“Cognition”) OR ("Cognitive") OR ("Emotion") OR ("Emotion Regulation”)] AND ["Training"]. Results. 35 studies met the inclusion criteria and were further classified into the different analysis’ variables. The majority of the retrieved studies used commercial video games, and action games in particular, which resulted to be the most commonly used, closely followed by puzzle games. Effect sizes for training with video games on cognitive skills in general ranged from 0.06 to 3.43: from 0.141 to 3.43 for processing and reaction times, 0.06 to 1.82 for memory, 0.54 to 1.91 for task-switching/multitasking, and 0.3 to 3.2 for mental spatial rotation; regarding video games for the training of emotional skills, effect sizes ranged from 0.201 to 3.01. Conclusion. Overall, findings give evidences of benefits of video games training on cognitive and emotional skills in relation to the healthy adult population, especially on young adults. Efficacy has been demonstrated not only for non-commercial video games or commercial brain-training programs, but for commercial video games as well.”

7. 7

   The relationship between esports and cognitive function: A scoping review.

   PloS one (Lu et al.)Published Jul 10, 2026Checked Oct 3, 2026

   “Five studies primarily examined expertise-level differences, three addressed lifestyle, health load, or intervention-related factors, and one focused on decision-making and training processes. Overall, the available evidence suggests that competitive esports players may show advantages in selected cognitive domains, particularly executive control, attentional flexibility, and visuospatial processing. However, findings were heterogeneous across game genres, participant classifications, cognitive tasks, and reporting practices. Because only nine studies were eligible and most designs were cross-sectional, the current evidence base remains insufficient for strong causal conclusions about whether esports participation improves cognitive function or whether pre-existing cognitive abilities contribute to esports expertise. Future research should use longitudinal, experimental, and cross-cultural designs with standardized cognitive measures and transparent reporting of statistical results.”

8. 8

   Health Benefits of Video Games in Adolescents and Young Adults.

   Current pediatrics reports (Nagata et al.)Published Feb 26, 2026Checked Oct 4, 2026

   “Purpose of reviewAlthough studies of outcomes associated with video gaming in adolescence and young adulthood largely focus on potential harms, video game use may also promote certain health benefits. This review synthesizes the positive health outcomes associated with video gaming, while providing recommendations to clinicians for considering and evaluating both beneficial and adverse effects.Recent findingsRecent evidence suggests that video gaming may strengthen the development of cognitive and executive functioning in adolescents and young adults. Moreover, video game use may also contribute positively to social connection and personal identity formation.SummaryClinicians should engage in open, nonjudgmental dialogue with youth to better explore the context and patterns of their video gaming. The American Academy of Pediatrics' 5 Cs framework and Family Media Plan offer evidence-based frameworks that can be referenced to facilitate thoughtful discussions about video game use.”