Over 760,000 Australians took up gaming as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, a recent study has found.
The study, courtesy of Dell‘s gaming brand Alienware, surveyed 1000 Australians on how their gaming habits had changed throughout 2020.
As reported by Checkpoint Gaming, nine per cent of those surveyed recorded that they had started gaming during lockdown restrictions.
Based on the total population of Australia, this statistic suggests that there are approximately 762,000 new gamers throughout the country.
The survey, which was conducted by Lonergan Research back in June, also found that 59 per cent of participants said gaming helped with their overall wellbeing.
On top of that, a whopping 78 per cent reported that gaming helped them stay positive during lockdown, while 44 per cent said it helped them to stay connected to friends and family.
In fact, 50 per cent of participants felt that the social aspect of gaming is more important than the game itself.
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According to the general manager of Dell Technologies Ben Jackson, Australians have been finding “genuine connecting and sense of community” through gaming.
Along with the social benefits of gaming, Jackon also said that more parents are utilising the educational benefits of gaming on their children.
“Half of the respondents stated they have always thought video games have an educational element and recognise that it’s more than just ‘playtime’,” he said (via Checkpoint Gaming).
“We know from our previous research gaming can help us become more strategic thinkers, improve hand-eye coordination and increase reaction times,” he continued.
“Some even stated that gaming can help improve their teamwork and leadership skills, which can be beneficial to gamers in other aspects of life.”
Well, if you’ll excuse us, we’ve got a game of Among Us to get to.
