Young Male UK Gamers Twice as Likely to Believe Conspiracy Theories, Study Finds

A UK study from research firm More in Common and The AKO Storytelling Institute at the University of Arts London found that young male gamers are twice as likely to believe conspiracy theories compared to the general British population. The findings come from a poll of 2,000 British men aged 18 to 24, a group the researchers call "Sceptical Scrollers."

Sceptical Scrollers make up roughly 10% of the UK population and skew toward lower incomes, higher debt, and social housing close to where they grew up. They're among the least likely to watch terrestrial TV, listen to radio, or read a newspaper — instead trusting YouTube, podcasts, and social media for news. They also play more video games than any other group surveyed. Notably, the gaming-heavy segment most likely to agree that "secret groups are controlling global events" also reported being four times more confident than average in their ability to spot misinformation — a striking gap between perceived and likely actual media literacy.

One of the study's goals was to test whether video games could serve as a tool to reach people who've tuned out mainstream media and are more exposed to misinformation. The results were mixed at best. Participants valued games as an escape and a space free from political messaging — the study noted that most treat games as an alternative to the moral and political reality they live in, and want them to stay that way. When researchers had participants play games with subtle anti-misinformation messages baked in, the reaction turned negative once the purpose was revealed. "A number of participants felt betrayed," the study noted, suggesting that covert messaging in games risks backfiring badly with this audience.

The study stops short of writing games off entirely as a tool for critical thinking. It points to titles like Among Us and Papers, Please — games that naturally encourage players to question information and weigh evidence — as potentially more effective than purpose-built messaging games. The broader takeaway is that while games probably can't directly counter conspiracy beliefs, they do represent genuine common ground and a positive space for a group that otherwise feels largely cut off from mainstream society.