Policy Positions

Digital Wellness

Digital Wellness

Video games are fun, often educational and, increasingly, therapeutic. Billions of players worldwide enjoy video games as part of a healthy, well-balanced lifestyle. The ability of people around the world to continue to benefit from this technology depends upon policies that foster and celebrate gameplay.

Video games are fun, often educational and, increasingly, therapeutic. More and more people report that video games provide stress relief while creating positive mental stimulation. Medical professionals and health experts now recognize the benefits of gameplay, employing games to achieve positive health outcomes for patients of all ages. The ability of players, students, patients and numerous others around the world to continue to benefit from this technology depends upon policies that foster and celebrate gameplay for the billions of players who enjoy video games as part of a healthy, well-balanced lifestyle.

The video game industry supports digital wellness by providing information and tools for all audiences to make educated, age-appropriate decisions regarding video games. Nearly all video game devices offer parental controls. These tools offer parents and players the ability to efficiently set preferences that are appropriate for their household. These controls enable parents to block video games by age rating category, manage the amount of money their kids can spend playing video games and limit the amount of time their kids can spend playing video games.

In addition, for more than 25 years, the industry has worked through the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) to ensure that consumers—especially parents and caregivers—have the resources, including voluntary ratings, needed to make informed decisions about video games. The effectiveness of these efforts has been praised by the U.S. Supreme Court and U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Related News and Resources

results in Media Violence.
  • Statement by the Entertainment Software Association on Illinois HB3531

    Statements /

    The Entertainment Software Association issued the following statement in response to legislation (HB3531) introduced this week by Illinois state representative Marcus C. Evans:

  • Family Game Night with ESRB Senior Vice President Bill Garrity

    Perspectives /

    Learn more about why ESRB Senior Vice President Bill Garrity loves family game nights. "Playing together is quality time, full stop. We’re talking. We’re encouraging each other at times and competing at others. I’m sure I’ll miss it when they move out."

  • ESA Leadership Desk: Science Says Video Games Don’t Cause Real-World Violence

    Perspectives /

    Video games are about more than fun. They make us better thinkers, more creative, more curious, and bring us closer together. Thanks to the passion of video game developers, publishers, and players across the globe, the future of interactive entertainment is brighter than ever before.

  • Essential Facts About Video Games and Violence

    Fact Sheets /

    Blaming video games for violence in the real world is no more productive than blaming the news media for bringing violent crime into our homes night after night. Numerous authorities have examined the scientific record and found that it does not establish any causal link between media content and…

  • ESA statement on Valve’s decision not to launch controversial title

    Press Releases /

    "We applaud Valve for pulling this tasteless game that so heinously exploits recent national horrors. It’s the right call. ESA and its members take its responsibilities seriously, as illustrated in its support of the ESRB rating system and broad compliance with strict industry marketing guidelines. Valve’s decision reinforces the…

  • Lack of Evidence That Neural Empathic Responses Are Blunted in Excessive Users of Violent Video Games

    Academic Research /

    This study found that violent video games did not cause emotional desensitization or blunt neural responses to empathy. These results highlight the lack of evidence supporting the hypothesis that violent video games cause aggression.

Load More

More From The ESA

No content currently available.