Video games are the third most popular leisure activity worldwide, after television and social media, with 53% of people aged 6 to 64 regularly playing games. Despite this popularity, research into the psychological effects of gaming remains in its early stages.

"Games are becoming more and more sophisticated, and increasingly involve more than just entertainment. For many people, completing a long, engaging game is not only a moment of satisfaction but also an emotional challenge. In an age of increasingly realistic and immersive games, understanding the processes taking place in players' minds can help us understand how they impact our mental health," said psychologist Kamil Janowicz, PhD, from the Center for Research on Personality Development at the Institute of Psychology, SWPS University, in a press release.

Some players experience post-game depression—a sense of emptiness after finishing an exceptionally immersive and emotionally charged game. While widely discussed on online forums, the phenomenon has been largely overlooked by researchers.

To address this gap, Janowicz and psychologist Piotr Klimczyk from the Stefan Batory Academy of Applied Sciences in Skierniewice created the Post-Game Depression Scale (P-GDS), the first scientific tool to measure the intensity of P-GD. Their study, titled "Post-game depression scale – a new measure to capture players' experiences after finishing video games," was published in Current Psychology.

The researchers conducted two studies involving 373 players across various game genres. In the first study, participants completed the initial P-GDS alongside measures of well-being and mental health. Most reported playing every day (28.1%) or almost every day (41.4%), primarily alone (30.6%) or with teammates against other players (19.0%).

The study identified four aspects of post-game depression: game-related ruminations (intrusive thoughts about the plot), challenging end of experience, necessity of replaying the game, and media anhedonia (loss of interest in other media). The second study confirmed this four-factor structure and measured the intensity of each aspect. Game-related ruminations were the most intense, while media anhedonia was the least.

The studies also found that higher P-GD intensity was associated with stronger depressive symptoms and lower overall well-being, though the causal direction remains unclear. "Unpleasant emotions, game-related ruminations, and experiencing media anhedonia due to finishing a highly engaging game may elevate the risk of a decrease in general mental health. On the other hand, suffering from intense depression symptoms may result in more challenging emotions associated with finishing the game," the researchers noted.

"Our research shows that gamers playing role-playing games (RPGs) are most susceptible to post-game depression. It is in these games that players have the greatest influence on character development through their decisions, and build the strongest bonds with their characters. And the more engaging the game world and the closer the relationship with the character, the more difficult it is to return to reality once the game is over," Janowicz said.

Both studies confirmed that people prone to repetitive, intrusive thoughts may experience them after playing and finishing video games. Those who felt stronger sadness after completing a game were also more likely to dwell on events pessimistically, suggesting that P-GD may reflect a broader difficulty coping with emotions.

"P-GD is a specific type of grief after loss, reminiscent of parting with a loved one or the end of an important life stage. Our research shows that for many gamers, the virtual world becomes such a significant source of emotions that returning to everyday life requires time and appropriate psychological tools," Janowicz said. "These results may help us better understand gamer experiences, and they could be useful in the game design process. They also raise a number of questions about the ethical aspects of game development, and taking into account the potential impact of gameplay on player well-being in this process," he added. (PAP)

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