Can gaming support mental health? Researchers to present Dark Souls study at CHI '25

Could gaming provide a path to better mental health and life skills? A new study reveals how one notoriously challenging videogame is helping players find resilience, meaning and hopefulness in real life.

Using an in-depth thematic analysis of player discussions on Reddit, researchers from Aalto University focused on personal narratives related to mental health and gameplay in renowned role-play game Dark Souls. The study highlights the multifaceted ways players experience and relate to the challenging, and often bleak, fantasy-action game.

‘Players described how the game’s structure had taught them acceptance of failures as an essential part of life’s process,’ doctoral researcher Jaakko Väkevä explains. ‘Dark Souls, through its ruthless difficulty and powerful narrative themes, seemed to empower many players to confront their real-life struggles with perseverance and hope.’

The researchers hope the study will encourage others to further examine the potential positive impacts of gaming on mental health and inform game design that also serves players’ real-world needs.

‘Past studies have shown a clear need for more in-depth, game-specific research addressing the potential mental health benefits of entertainment games,’ Väkevä says. ‘When narrative, context, themes and technical execution create a strong interplay, it can evoke an impactful game experience that can have positive effects for the player.’ 

While the study maintains that playing does not replace the need for professional help or therapy, it provides empirical evidence that thoughtful game design has a role in offering players meaningful activity and support amid depression or other mental health challenges. 

‘When considering games and their impact on well-being, there is a tendency to highlight potential negatives like spending too much time in front of screens. Dark Souls is an example of how videogames can positively impact gamers’ lives beyond the gaming experience itself,’ says associate professor Janne Lindqvist.

The game’s challenging gameplay structure played a central role in its potential to help players cope with depression, he adds. In particular, the emotional and oftentimes philosophical resonance of the gameplay, especially the in-game concept of ‘hollowing,’ which players frequently interpret as a metaphor for depression. 

In Dark Souls, 'hollowing' serves both as a narrative context and as a core gameplay mechanic. It refers to how the players' character is doomed to a repeated cycle of death and resurrection, leading to gradual degeneration and loss of purpose in life.

Online communities surrounding the game, such as the game’s cooperative multiplayer community, were found to provide players emotional support, encouragement and a sense of belonging. Game phrases such as ‘Don’t You Dare Go Hollow’ were often repeated in messaging threads, promoting a sense of communal perseverance and support.

‘Some players described how they learned to ask for help in the game, which made asking for help in their own lives easier as well,’ says Lindqvist. 

The research team, which also includes associate professor Perttu Hämäläinen, will present their findings at the esteemed CHI '25 Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems in Yokohama, Japan.

For additional information, the complete research paper "Don’t You Dare Go Hollow: How Dark Souls Helps Players Cope with Depression, a Thematic Analysis of Reddit Discussions" is available at research.aalto.fi and the peer-reviewed study will be available online at ACM's digital library in late April: https://doi.org/10.1145/3706598.3714075.