“Not taken seriously enough or overlooked by politicians”

It's a rather stereotypical image commonly portrayed of computer gamers: one of ill-mannered, taciturn nerds who spend the whole day playing in front of their computers in their outsized bedrooms, living in their own private bubble, unfazed by the ways of the world and real life.

A new study by the Bertelsmann Foundation demonstrates how inaccurate this image is. On the occasion of the Gamescom gaming trade fair, which kicks off in Cologne on Wednesday, the foundation surveyed 6,435 internet users aged 16 and older about their online gaming behavior and their attitudes toward democracy, politics, and the media.

67 percent of respondents from all educational backgrounds – and in the 16- to 34-year-old age group, the number rises to 86 percent – said they play digital games in their daily lives, some occasionally or only on their mobile phones, others frequently or even daily. The range extends from mobile games like "Candy Crush," which are particularly popular among women and older people, to puzzle games like "Solitaire," and role-playing games with online communities.

Fifteen percent of respondents, or 23 percent of all gamers in the sample of 1,203 people, described themselves as "gamers" or "gaming enthusiasts" who play computer or console games several times a week. Fifty-five percent of them are in the 16- to 34-year-old age group, and 75 percent are male. The quite surprising result: These "gaming enthusiasts" are not only disproportionately young and well-educated, but also have a strong interest in politics and significantly greater confidence in the effectiveness of democratic processes than the other respondents.

When asked whether the state of democracy in Germany has improved or worsened in recent years, 65 percent of all respondents said it has deteriorated. This was not the case for the gaming enthusiasts group. Significantly fewer respondents – 46 percent – reported a deterioration; 34 percent even viewed the development of democracy as positive, and 19 percent said it remained the same. 65 percent say the political system in Germany is functioning "all in all well."

"This illustrates something remarkable," the study states. Apparently, this relatively young, digitally savvy group, involved in gaming cultures, "views the general development in this country and the state of democracy significantly more positively than the average population and all other subgroups."

And that's not all: Networking in gaming communities on platforms like Twitch, TikTok , YouTube, or Discord not only allows for discussions about shared hobbies, but also a great deal of exchange about political and sociopolitical topics. One in two respondents to the survey stated that they discuss political issues with other gamers. "Gaming communities are anything but apolitical. For many young people, they are important channels for forming political opinions and help them learn democratic rules," says study author Joachim Rother, an expert at the Bertelsmann Foundation for Gaming and Democracy. "So far, however, they have been neglected or taken too seriously by politicians and the public."

The survey showed that heavy gamers, who describe themselves as "gamers," are particularly more likely to participate in democratic processes than average. 44 percent participated in a petition or other civic participation initiative last year. Among the general population, the figure was 39 percent.

The gap is even wider when it comes to political commentary on social media channels (43 percent to 25 percent) and participation in demonstrations (27 percent to 14 percent). "These young people trust in democracy and confidently express their own opinions. It's time to harness the democratic potential of gaming communities," Rother concludes.

However, he doesn't want to turn a blind eye to problematic developments. Sexist and anti-queer attitudes are significantly more prevalent among the predominantly male "gaming enthusiasts" than among the average of all respondents. One possible reason for this could be that gamers spend an above-average amount of time in interactive online spaces, which are characterized by high levels of communication, weak social regulation, and sometimes problematic discourse cultures. "Community structures emerge there that can have both an integrative and an exclusionary effect—depending on the actors, narratives, and cultural codes that shape them," the study states.

Antisemitic attitudes are also widespread among intensive gamers. For example, 43 percent of them agreed with the statement "Jews have too much influence in the world" – an average of 25 percent of respondents said this. However, Rother cautioned against jumping to conclusions. Antisemitic statements have indeed increased significantly. "However, we see this development more in correlation with age and gender than in the context of gaming."

Overall, people with a strong gaming affinity are significantly more active on social media platforms than the average population. This generally applies to common platforms like YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram, but especially to gaming platforms like Steam, Discord, or Twitch, which many non-gamers may not even be familiar with. For those with a strong digital affinity, obtaining information from so-called content creators and influencers is part of the media mix.

With an interesting consequence: While trust in "the media" is characterized by skepticism among the general population – only 45 percent trust them – gamers are more confident. Fifty-six percent of them state that political reporting in the media can generally be trusted. At the same time, however, 53 percent of them agree with the statement that the German population is "systematically lied to" by the media (average: 45 percent).

For study author Rother, this isn't necessarily a contradiction—rather a sign of ambivalence. "We're observing a very critical and reflective view of the media in all its plurality," says Rother. "Young people are very aware of what's happening online, which influencers they trust, and what opportunities for abuse exist." Therefore, alternative information gathering options are viewed "with all their associated opportunities and risks."

But there was also a surprising result for Rother: the fact that, despite all the gaming, analog interpersonal interactions aren't neglected. More than half of those aged 16 to 34 stated that they had already made a friend through a gaming community.

"That did surprise me," the expert admits. Especially since the friendship doesn't remain confined to the digital world. "They meet offline for a beer. That shows what a connecting medium games can be."

Sabine Menkens reports on social, educational and family policy issues.