What are videogames doing to society and how can we really know?

Videogames have been blamed in the media for violent crime, obesity, social isolation and depression. However recent research is showing that videogames can help enhance mental wellbeing, improve brain function and stimulate creativity; that gamers have higher levels of family closeness and better attachment to school; and that videogames help boys and young men to relax, cope and socialise. Children and adolescents deliberately choose to play videogames in the knowledge that they will feel better as a result, and videogame play allow players to express themselves in ways they may not feel comfortable doing in real life because of their appearance, gender, sexuality, and/or age