INDUSTRY

entertainment

Category

game platforms

product Profiled

Xbox Series X/S

H-Score

30

ranked 11th of 20 within the entertainment industry

ranked 60th of 76 overall

product description

Xbox is a popular gaming console brand created and owned by Microsoft with about 120 million monthly active users(1) in 2022. Xbox offers users access to various gaming titles and entertainment options. Microsoft recently released two Xbox series consoles: the Xbox series S and series X.

product use

Xbox is primarily used for playing video games where users have access to diverse titles including single and multiplayer options. Xbox offers users an immersive gaming experience through its advanced graphics which are great for casual to more intense gaming. Xbox Live Gold offers users the capability to play online with friends, join multiplayer games, and compete with others.(2) Xbox consoles can also be used for other forms of digital entertainment with access to streaming services (such as Netflix or Hulu), music (Pandora, Spotify and others), and video apps like Twitch and YouTube, giving users the ability to enjoy movies, music, and TV shows(3) on the same platform. Microsoft offers Xbox users cloud gaming which allows players to stream and play games on other devices like PCs, phones, tablets, and selected smart TVs without the need for a physical console. Xbox Game Pass is a monthly subscription that offers users a variety of perks including access to an extensive library of games.(4) Xbox users primarily interact with the system using a handheld Xbox controller while sitting down.

who’s affected

In the US about 68% of Xbox X/S users are estimated to be male and 32% to be female.(5) In Building H’s survey data, 57% of Xbox users were male, 42% were female, and less than 1% identified as other. Twenty-nine (29) percent of Xbox users were between the ages of 18 and 29, 51% between 30 and 49, 13% between 50 and 64, and 6% 65 or older. Among heavy Xbox users (defined as using the console ≥1 hour per day), 57% were male, 42% were female, and less than 1% identified as other. Thirty-four (34) percent of heavy Xbox users were between the ages 18 and 29, 53% between 30 and 49, 10% between 50 and 64, and 3% 65 or older. Xbox users' incomes skewed higher from the general population: 23% made less than $50,000 per year, 44% made between $50,000 and $100,000 per year, 18% made between $100,000 and $150,000 per year, and 16% made at least $150,000 per year.(6)

influence on health-related behaviors

EATING

slight to moderate negative influence

Xbox, like other video game consoles, can negatively influence eating habits. Playing video games on consoles like Xbox can decrease users' ability to estimate the amount of food they have consumed and can influence the consumption of unhealthy foods. 

Several studies have documented the overconsumption of food caused by the absence of hunger(7) and impairment to satiety cues(8) following video game playing on consoles like Xbox– though not specific to Xbox. Playing video games, which can be a form of distraction while eating, puts gamers at a higher risk of overconsuming food.(9) Playing video games on consoles like Xbox has been linked with greater consumption of sugary foods,(10) fatty foods,(11) and salty foods.(12) Studies have also reported that video gamers eat fewer fruits and vegetables and foods high in fiber.(13,14) In addition, gamers may be likely to consume energy drinks, especially those that are specifically marketed to them, which claim to enhance attention and reaction time.(15)

In Building H’s consumer research, we found that 51% of Xbox users reported snacking always or almost always (19%) or frequently (32%). Heavy Xbox users reported snacking always or almost always (21%) or frequently (34%) 55% of the time.(16)

Xbox users did report that these snacks were predominantly healthy: 64% of Xbox users reported consuming either very healthy (26%) or somewhat healthy (38%) snacks and heavy Xbox users had the same distribution.(17)

Our research also found associations between Xbox use and other eating habits: 52% of heavy Xbox users have three (3) or more meals delivered per week compared to 5% non-gamers. In addition, 62% of heavy Xbox users reported eating three (3) or more fast food meals per week compared to 14% of non-gamers.(18) Note that researchers have found 70% of meals served at fast food restaurants to be of poor nutritional quality.(19)

Lastly, 42% of heavy Xbox users reported consuming energy drinks while gaming either frequently (27%) and always or almost always (15%).(20) Research has linked energy drink consumption to metabolic disorder due to their high added sugar content.(21)

PHYSICAL ACTVITY

slight to moderate negative influence

Playing video games is largely, if not exclusively, a sedentary activity, with 78% of heavy Xbox users reported playing while sitting or reclining – 31% frequently and 47% always or almost always.(22)   

As a popular leisure activity, playing video games limits the time available for physical activity. Fifty-two (52) percent of Xbox users report playing one (1) hour or more per day. Also, 46% of Xbox users reported playing five (5) or more hours per week compared to 38% of gamers in general.(23) In addition, increased gaming predicts less time spent on physical activity due to the limited time available to participate in other activities including outdoor activities or sports.(24) 

Research has shown a significant association between individuals playing video games for more than seven (7) hours per week and reduced vigorous physical activity.(25) Our own research did not reflect this relationship. We found that , 34% of heavy Xbox users reported engaging in at least two and a half hours (2½)  hours of physical activity per week compared to 27% of non-gamers. 12% of heavy Xbox users reported engaging in less than 30 minutes of physical activity per week compared to 36% of non-gamers.(26) 

Xbox offers users a limited selection of active video game titles. Xbox doesn’t offer users any features or additional equipment that encourages physical activity. In Building H’s consumer research, 42% of heavy Xbox users reported frequently (22%) or always/almost always (20%) standing and actively moving while gaming.(27)

moderate negative influence

Gaming on consoles like Xbox is associated with longer onset of sleep, short sleep duration, and poor sleep quality.(28) Recent findings suggest that with each additional hour of gaming per day, bedtime is delayed by 6.9 minutes, wake-up time by 13.8 minutes, and the odds of having poor sleep increased by 31.0%.(29) In addition it was found that gaming exceeding an hour per day decreases sleep quality with unfavorable sleep resulting from gaming for more than two hours per day.(30)

Recent US survey data indicates that 53.8% of adult gamers reported delaying sleep in order to game and 37.8% got less than 5 hours of sleep.(31) Consistent with this information, in Building H research data, 67% of heavy Xbox gamers reported delaying sleep at least two (2) nights per week compared to 46% of all gamers. However, the impact of this behavior did not show in our data on overall sleep: 30% of heavy Xbox users reported getting six (6) or less actual hours of sleep per night compared to 38% of non-gamers.(32)

Late-night gaming also leads to exposure to the blue light emitted by the TV screen on which the game is displayed. Furthermore, the blue light emitted from the gaming visuals enhances alertness and arousal and delays melatonin production all of which impact sleep-wake cycles.(33) 

Xbox offers parents access to “Xbox family” settings, giving them the flexibility to set screen time restrictions and remotely control gameplay.(34) Xbox users do also have the option to switch to Dark Mode, which allows users to change the Xbox dashboard to a darker theme. A darker theme is intended to make it easier on the eyes in low-light settings. Similar to Dark Mode, Night Mode can be turned on to dim screens and control LED brightness. With Night Mode, users have the option to turn on a blue light filter for the bright light that shines through the Xbox power button. We do not have information on how often users take advantage of the Dark Mode and Night Mode settings.

Finally, consumption of energy drinks has been tied to an increased risk of poor sleep(35) and, as noted above, well over a third of heavy Xbox users report consuming energy drinks frequently (or even more often) while they play.

Engaging Socially

neutral to slight positive influence

Xbox offers users a social platform where users can build social networks and communities. Xbox provides users with the opportunity to create social connections as players work together and have a shared experience. Multiplayer games in particular allow gamers to connect locally through in-person games or globally where they can meet and connect with people they met online. 

Building H’s consumer research shows that 22% of Xbox gamers play single-player games always or almost always. Seventeen (17) percent of Xbox users play multiplayer games always or almost always (4%) or mostly (13%).(36) Research has shown that video games offer shy, socially anxious, and socially inhibited players the opportunity to strengthen pre-existing friendships built online and generate additional social support.(37)

Online video games offer gamers the opportunity to engage actively with others compared to other on-screen behaviors by allowing gamers to participate in a shared activity with a common goal.(38) A recent study found a correlation between multiplayer online games and a sense of social identity, which corresponded with higher self-esteem and more social competence along with lower levels of loneliness.(39) Another study that focused on men, found that those with more depressive symptoms and less real-life support were roughly 40% more likely to form and maintain social ties with fellow gamers than those reporting more real-life support.(40) Increasingly users play video games to stay connected with friends and family, with 53% of US gamers reporting online gaming as a way to spend time with others that they don’t get the chance to see often.(41) Furthermore, 74% of parents report playing video games with their children at least weekly.(42) 

In Building H’s consumer research, 55% of heavy Xbox users reported being lonely compared to 41% of non-gamers. Yet, Xbox users appear to engage in more in-person social activity. Sixty-nine (69) percent of heavy Xbox users reported having two or more in-person social visits with people from outside of their household per week, as compared to 45% of non-gamers.(43) 

The quality of social experience might differ depending on the game being played or the source of communication being utilized. Gamers have identified co-players are close, trusted, and valued friends with 75% of individuals survey reporting making good friends online and 40% of those discussing offline issues online.(44) Even when voice chat is not being used meaningfully social interactions can still occur where users exchange positive social-emotional messages more than task-oriented messages.(45) Even though features offered by developers and gaming platforms provide a source for people to connect and meet new people, toxic behaviors experienced in the game can deteriorate from the overall experience. After experiencing these toxic behaviors gamers might change session length, session frequency, and retention.(46) 

In Building H’s consumer research, respondents were asked how playing games had influenced their relationships and social interactions in 13 different ways, including, for example, “meet new people,” “give emotional support to others,” and “feel less excluded.” Xbox users reported a slight positive effect: on a scale of +3 to -3, the average score was 0.93 with the low being 0.75 and the high being 1.04 across all 13 questions.(47) They gave their highest scores to “interact with people I know” and “maintain my relationships” and their lowest scores to “meet new people” and “make new friends.” Heavy Xbox users also said that the platform had a positive influence: the average score was 1.06 with the low being 0.84 and the high being 1.24.(48)

Xbox requires all gamers to create an Xbox public profile before playing any game. These profiles can be used to track any inappropriate content or misuse. For example, profiles can also be used to report players engaging in bad behaviors like online bullying. User profiles, game scores, achievements, and reputations make up part of the online social network. Xbox users can earn game-specific achievements which show up on their profiles. These achievements can be shared and viewed by friends or other Xbox users. 

Xbox offers users a friends list feature that facilitates connections with friends and family. Xbox also creates a sense of presence through the “active status” feature which notifies friends that the user is online. Xbox Stories allows users to share videos and pictures to showcase skills to online friends. Furthermore, Xbox community clubs enable online connections with other users that have similar interests. Xbox users can join and chat with current players on these community clubs and coordinate gaming sessions.

Getting Outdoors

slight to moderate negative influence

Gaming consoles are stationary devices and therefore are not intended for outdoor use. In Building H’s consumer research, 42% of heavy Xbox users reported gaming outdoors frequently (28%) and always or almost always (14%) compared to 29% reporting rarely or never. In addition, our research revealed 65% of heavy Xbox users reported being outdoors for an hour or more per day in summer compared to 51% of non-gamers.(49)

Return to 2024 Building H Index

1. J. Clement. Number of monthly active users (MAU) of Microsoft Xbox Network from fiscal January 2016 to December 2022. Statista website, accessed December 3, 2023.

2. Xbox Live Gold. Microsoft website, accessed December 3, 2023.

3. Xbox Series X|S Console Apps. Microsoft website, accessed December 3, 2023.

4. Xbox Game Pass. Microsoft website, accessed December 3, 2023.

5. Christien Pheby. Why do current-gen PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo and PC gamers game? YouGov website, November 2022.

6. Evan Cook. Measuring the Product Environment: How do Video Games on Health Behaviors? Building H on Medium. April 23, 2024.

7. Mario Siervo et al. Acute effects of video-game playing versus television viewing on stress markers and food intake in overweight and obese young men: A randomised controlled trial. Appetite. Volume 120, Issue 1 (January 2018), pp. 100-108.

8. Jean-Phillippe Chaput et al. Video game playing increases food intake in adolescents: a randomized crossover study. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Volume 93, Issue 6 (June 2011), pp. 1196-1203.

9. Rose Oldham-Cooper et al. Playing a computer game during lunch affects fullness, memory for lunch, and later snack intake. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Volume 93, Issue 2 (2011), pp. 308-313.

10. Mario Siervo et al. Acute effects of violent video-game playing on blood pressure and appetite perception in normal-weight young men: a randomized controlled trial. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Volume 67, Issue 12 (2013), pp. 1322-1324.

11. Dustin Moore and Jesse Stabile Morrell. Do dietary patterns differ with video game usage in college men? Journal of American College Health. Published online Aug 23, 2022.

12. Siervo et al. (2018).

13. Mario Siervo et al. Frequent video-game playing in young males is associated with central adiposity and high-sugar, low-fibre dietary consumption. Eating and Weight Disorders. Volume 19, Issue 4 (2014), pp. 515-520.

14. Siervo et al. (2018).

15. Dana Roscoe et al. Fueling the Games”: Energy Drink Consumption, Marketing, and the Associated Perceptions and Behaviors in Video Gaming. Journal of Electronic Gaming and Esports. Volume1, Issue 1 (2021), pp. 1-9.

16. Cook (2024).

17. Ibid.

18. Ibid.

19. Junxiu Liu et al. Quality of Meals Consumed by US Adults at Full-Service and Fast-Food Restaurants, 2003–2016: Persistent Low Quality and Widening Disparities. The Journal of Nutrition. Volume 150, Issue 4 (April 2020), PP. 873–883.

20. Cook (2024).

21. Laila Al-Shaar et al. Health Effects and Public Health Concerns of Energy Drink Consumption in the United States: A Mini-Review. Frontiers in Public Health. Volume 5, Article 225 (2017).

22. Cook (2024).

23. Ibid.

24. Beate Hygen et al. Longitudinal relations between gaming, physical activity, and athletic self-esteem. Computers in Human Behavior. Volume 132 (July 2022).

25. Siervo et al. (2014).

26. Cook (2024).

27. Ibid.

28. Joaquim Kristensen et al. Problematic Gaming and Sleep: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Psychiatry. Volume 12, 2021.

29. Chadley Kemp et al. Sleep in Habitual Adult Video Gamers: A Systematic Review. Frontiers in Neuroscience. Volume 15, 2021.

30. Ibid.

31. Lauren Gravitz. How Gamers Actually Sleep. Sleep Foundation website. November 18, 2022.

32. Cook (2024).

33. Kristensen et al. (2021).

34. Set screen time limits for your Xbox family group. Microsoft website, accessed December 3, 2023.

35. Al-Shaar et al. (2017).

36. Cook (2024).

37. Rachel Kowert and Linda K. Kaye. Video Games Are Not Socially Isolating, in C. Ferguson (ed) Video Game Influences on Aggression, Cognition, and Attention (2018), pp. 185–195.

38. Stephen Gossett. The Real Social Benefits of Video Games. Built In. January 23, 2023.

39. Kowert and Kaye (2018).

40. Tyler Prochnow et al. Online Gaming Network Communication Dynamics, Depressive Symptoms, and Social Support: A Longitudinal Network Analysis. Sociological Focus. Volume 56, Issue 3 (2023).

41. Entertainment Software Association. 2021 Essential Facts About the Gaming Industry. The ESA website, July 2021.

42. Ibid.

43. Cook (2024).

44. Kowert and Kaye (2018).

45. Andrew Fishman. Video Games Are Social Spaces: How Video Games Help People Connect. Response for Teens website, accessed November 14, 2023.

46. Otto Soderlund. Voice Chat is Popular with Gamers - It's also the Top Source of Toxic Behavior. Speechly. March 8, 2023.

47. Using an adaptation of the Retrospective Assessment for Connection Impact (RACI) scale developed by Matthew Smith.

48. Cook (2024).

49. Ibid.