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The bleak,stereotypical image of the lonely, socially isolated video game player is rapidly falling away.

As the COVID-19 pandemicforces peopleto findnewpursuits while stuck in their homes, theres been a surge in online gaming and a growing realizationthese gamescan contribute toa healthy sense of connectedness and community, experts say.

The shift in perception was inevitable, says Kristopher Alexander,professor of video gamesat Ryerson University in Toronto.

What this pandemic has done is highlight some of the more positive aspects of video games that are often lacking inthe media, says Alexander, whospecializes in video game design, e-sports and broadcasting.

Todays online games offercountlesschallenges and immersive experiences, but most also provide players with the option to chat live with teammates and exchange texts during play.

As well, people whotake part in multi-playergamesare oftenrequiredto co-operate to achieve a goal, which contributes to a sense ofpurpose and belonging.

The pandemic has brought on a new kind of awareness forthe video games medium, particularly in terms of how it can help us connect with our families, friends and traditionally offline communities, says Alexander, who as a teenager was ranked17th in the worldonthe Street Fighter 3 video game.

Video-game researcher Rachel Kowert says the perception of the anti-social gamer was never based on reality.

Theres no evidence to suggest that the people who play online games are less socially competent than the people who do not, she said in an interview.

Kowert, who is based in Ottawa, says well-designed games help players meet threebasic needs related to good mental health: competence, autonomy and relatedness.

Competence is aboutachieving goals.Autonomy isabout making choices. Relatedness is about feeling connected to others.

The recent restrictions imposed on our social lives, including physical distancing and self-isolation, have short-circuited our ability to meet those needs.

We cant go where we want to go, we dont have control over the pandemic, and were being socially distant, said Kowert, who works for Take This, aWashington-basednon-profit thatsupportsmental health in the gaming community.

Online gaming with family, friends and strangers can offer players a sense of accomplishment, virtually unlimited choices and a sense of connection through real-time communication that doesnt always focus on the game.

Its not a singular activity, Kowert added. They are chatting with their friends. Theyre reducing stress, reducing depression and releasing endorphins all of the things that we could really use right now during a very stressful, anxious time.

Even some of the industrysmost outspokencritics have recognized that gaming can play a key role in keeping people connected during the pandemic.

The World Health Organization, which has frequently raised red flags about excessive use andsomething it calls gaming disorder, recently announced its support for a gamingindustry initiative that encourages players to #PlayApartTogether.

Im not surprised that the WHO has altered its stance on gaming, saysAlexander. People are now having to take a look at the richness of this medium . The shift in their stance comes from education.

The gamingindustry now rivalsthe musicand film industriesin terms of revenue.

According to a January 2020 study from the Canada Media Fund,more than 2.5 billion gamers spent about US$152 billion on video games last year. And all that money isnt just for solitary gaming.

It may look like kids spend an awful lot of time in their rooms, on their screens, the study, titled Closer, Wider, Faster, says. But dont be fooled. Instead of meeting at the mall or the park, they convene on platforms like Fortnite and YouTube, where they socialize and meet other kids.

The Entertainment Software Association of Canada says thevideo-game industry in this country, which employs 27,000 people,generated $3.6 billion in revenue last year, up 15 per cent since 2017.

And theres plenty of evidence to suggest the industryhas received a bigboost since the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on March 12. Nintendos popular Switch console, for example,has sold out around the world in the past few weeks.

There has been a boom, says Alexander, pointing to online platforms like Steam, which hit a new recordearlier this month withmore than 25 millionusers logging on in one day.

Scott Stewart,a senioranalyst withinternational market research firm Mintel, says video games have evolved from a niche hobby in the 1990s to a mainstream form of entertainment that cant be ignored.

A recent Mintel consumer survey suggests that 67 per cent of Canadian adultsplay video games, and among them 39 per cent play online with other people.

If we ask people why they play video games, 32 per cent of them say they do it to connect with others or to compete with others, said Stewart, whospecializes intechnology and is based in the Toronto area.

Among those who play online games,47 per cent say they do so to connect with friends and family.

At a time like this, theres a need for social connection while were all stuck at home, says Stewart. Thats a reason why people are gravitating towards (gaming).

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 16, 2020.

Michael MacDonald, The Canadian Press

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There has been a boom. Surge in video games linked to need for connection - CityNews Winnipeg