Testing positive mood effects of playing Gris, a eudaimonic video game

Video games (VGs) are known for their positive impact on players’ mood [1], emotions and emotion regulation [2], depressive symptoms [3], and general well-being [4]. However, only few studies have focused on the effects of eudaimonic (i.e., meaningful) VGs. In two laboratory studies (N = 145), we examined eudaimonic VG effects. In Study 1, we tested whether the game could improve mood by enhancing participants’ current emotional state. In Study 2, in addition to testing mood improvement, we explored the game’s potential for mood repair, defined as the ability to cope with acute negative distress and to alleviate negative emotions following a sadness induction. Additionally, we investigated whether the game could trigger physiological relaxation in both studies. We also hypothesized that people with higher depression scores might benefit more because VGs can improve depressive symptoms. Although there was no interaction with depression levels and no significant effect on mood improvement, playing the eudaimonic VG after sadness induction in Study 2 led to mood repair. In addition, the increase in heart rate variability in both studies indicated physiological relaxation. The present findings suggest that eudaimonic VGs can facilitate mood repair and physiological relaxation, thereby highlighting their potential for future clinical interventions.