PowerWash Simulator Is Good For Mental Health, Study Finds

Summary

• PowerWash Simulator is one relaxing game, and it actually can help boost your mental health, a new study has found.
• According to a study commissioned by Oxford University and FuturLab, PowerWash Simulator players reported being in an uplifted mood.
• The feelings were similar to those felt when reading a book or listening to music or other relaxing activities.

It's no secret that PowerWash Simulator is not only a fun little title with several unique collaborations, but it's also pretty relaxing. But did you know that playing PowerWash Simulator can directly impact your mental health positively? That's exactly what a study led by Oxford University found after about two years of research.

As first reported by Eurogamer, the study which was commissioned in 2022, analyzed data from over 8,500 players from nearly 40 countries, including the United States and United Kingdom, among others. The study was housed on Steam via a "Research Edition" opt in.

At the time, FuturLab called it a "one-of-a-kind anonymous research study centered around the well-being of PowerWash Simulator’s players [that] also aims to deliver insights into the larger discourse of gaming and mental health." Two types of data were collected, one based around player progression and the other based on player responses to questions provided by researchers.

The end results are truly fascinating.

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Per the results of the study, 72 percent of players reported being "uplift in mood" when engaging with PowerWash Simulator. Specifically, according to Oxford University and FuturLab, gamers "consistently reported a higher mood after the first fifteen minutes of the play session compared to the start of each session."

Of the 162,325 "in-game mood reports" that were taken from players, most reported a more positive mood while playing PowerWash than they did when they first started a session. In other words, engaging with the game in full helped bring positive vibes. According to the results, the positivity is "comparable with changes seen in other leisure activities such as reading, shopping, or listening to music."

Suffice to say that the data is really neat. In many ways, PowerWash Simulator is a pseudo-cathartic experience, allowing players to meticulously wash away bit by bit without any outside forces at play like enemy AI. So it's no surprise that players feel happy playing it. It'll be interesting to see if any future studies are conducted, particularly around action-heavy games. In the interim, hooray for video games that double as a health benefit.

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