Video games bad? You might need to switch your opinion, study shows

New research, coming counter to previous warnings about gaming addiction and physical health impact, suggests that owning a console may also improve mental well-being. — Photo: Christin Klose/dpa

TOKYO: "Put that joystick down and do your homework." Computer and video games have been a bane for parents since the first Atari and Commodore 64 consoles appeared on shelves around 40 years ago.

Long dismissed as a distraction, even in their old bleep-bleep heavily-pixelated form, video games have in recent times been criticised for their sometimes addictively violent and even lewd content.