A research team from the University of Wisconsin–Madison has a paper out this month purporting to show that Pokemon Go play essentially makes people happier, or more specifically, is associated with being happy. Having surveyed 399 US adults last summer, the team concludes that playing the game “was associated with various positive responses (increased positive affect, nostalgic reverie, friendship formation, friendship intensification, and walking), most of which predicted enhanced well-being” and that “two indirect effects of gameplay were moderated by social anxiety.”
According to the University, the researchers asked
“questions about [subjects’] emotional and social lives and levels of physical activity before segueing into Pokemon. More than 40 percent of their respondents turned out to be Pokemon Go players, and those people were more likely to be exercising — walking briskly, at least — and more likely to be experiencing positive emotions and nostalgia. […] They were also more social. Players were more likely than nonplayers to be making new friends and deepening old friendships.”
The full article is paywalled and not available to us, so it’s unclear whether the team was able to disentangle “I have the luxury time to exercise, chill with friends, and play video games on my sweet, sweet phone” happiness from Pokemon Go or MMOARG happiness
In other PoGo news, the game’s Easter event is kicking off today. Eggy egg eggs.
“Lace up your walking shoes and get ready to put a spring in your step—the Pokémon GO Eggstravaganza is nearly here! From 1:00 P.M. PDT on April 13 to 1:00 P.M. PDT on April 20, 2017, a greater variety of Pokémon can now be found in 2 km Eggs, so get cracking and see what you find! Your Egg-venture doesn’t stop there, though—you’ll also earn more Candy for every Egg you hatch!”
