A new study has found that young male gamers in the UK are twice as likely to believe conspiracy theories compared to the country’s general population.
The statistic comes from a new report by research firm More in Common and The AKO Storytelling Institute at the University of Arts London (via Video Games Industry Memo), which polled thousands of young Brits on their thoughts, and grouped them based on their average video game usage.
One aim of the study was to identify if video games could be a useful tool to reach those who may have switched off from mainstream media, and instead believed misinformation or disinformation spread by other sources.
Intriguingly, the gaming-heavy group that most stated they agreed with the idea that “secret groups are controlling global events” also stated they were four times more confident that they would be able to spot misinformation.
2,000 British men aged 18 to 24 were polled for the study, a group dubbed “Sceptical Scrollers”, who account for 10% of the country’s population, though are among those with the lowest income, most likely to be in debt and live in social housing close to where they grew up.
The group is among the least likely to watch terrestrial TV, listen to radio, or read a newspaper, instead favoring to trust news and reports seen on YouTube, via podcasts or social media. But in terms of video games, the group plays more than any other.
So, could video games be used to reach the group? It’s unclear. The study found that those within the group valued video games highly as an escape, and a space “free of political ideology.” Indeed, the study stated that “most treat games as an alternative to the moral, political and gritty reality they live in, and they want them to stay that way.”
When the group was given games to play with a subtle message (one character was revealed to have been manipulated, another centered on being susceptible to misinformation), results were “mixed” — especially after the purpose of the games were explained. “A number of participants felt betrayed,” the study stated.
But while video games may not be the avenue to change beliefs, the study does at least show that video games can be a positive aspect in the lives of a group which otherwise feels disenfranchised, and a place of common ground. And while Sceptical Scrollers aren’t likely to play a video game designed specifically to contest a conspiracy theory, it’s suggested that games which encourage critical thinking can still be useful — such as the social deduction game Among Us, or Papers, Please.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
