Pixel P&L: Gaming Study Challenges 'Brain Rot' Narrative

Welcome to another Pixel P&L edition. This issue takes 6 minutes to read. If you only have one, here are the 5 most important things:

• New research reveals 10 hours of gaming per week is the health threshold, each hour beyond correlates with declining wellbeing.

• Monopoly Go hits $6 billion revenue in record time, becoming the fastest mobile game to reach the milestone.

• Singapore officially recognizes esports as a sport, following parliamentary approval of amendments to the Sports Council Act.

• Rockstar Games cites Discord messages about time-off policies as evidence in the mass dismissal case.

• Monster Hunter Wilds players discover the game runs better if you own more DLC.

Let's get into it.

New Research Pinpoints When Video Gaming Affects Physical Wellbeing

Video gaming below 10 hours weekly poses minimal health risks, but exceeding that threshold correlates with declining wellbeing, according to Curtin University research published this week.

The study tracked 317 Australian university students with a median age of 20, categorizing them by gaming intensity. Researchers found students gaming up to 10 hours weekly maintained similar health profiles, while those exceeding this benchmark showed measurably poorer outcomes across multiple metrics.

"Each additional hour of gaming per week was linked to a decline in diet quality, even after accounting for stress, physical activity and other lifestyle factors," said Professor Mario Siervo from Curtin's School of Population Health.

High-volume gamers exhibited elevated obesity rates and disrupted sleep patterns compared to moderate users. The findings suggest gaming duration, rather than participation itself, drives health deterioration.

"University habits often follow people into adulthood," Siervo noted, recommending structured breaks and healthier snacking to mitigate risks among frequent players.

Scopely's Monopoly Go Hits $6 Billion Revenue in Record Time

Scopely's Monopoly Go reached $6 billion in lifetime in-app purchase revenue within 1,275 days, establishing the fastest trajectory to that milestone in mobile gaming history.

The achievement surpasses previous record-holders Monster Strike, which required 1,673 days, and Tencent's Honor of Kings at 1,762 days, according to Sensor Tower data. The game maintains approximately $200 million in monthly revenue, demonstrating sustained commercial momentum.

"No other title has reached the $6 billion lifetime IAP milestone this quickly," said Sam Aune, analyst at Sensor Tower. "The game's trajectory marks a defining moment for the category."

Monopoly Go generated $112 million for Hasbro in 2023 alone, contributing to a 22% year-over-year increase in the toy maker's digital and licensed gaming revenue to $471.7 million.

Sensor Tower's estimates exclude advertising revenue and direct-to-consumer sales, suggesting actual revenue exceeds reported figures. The title became the top-grossing casual game globally within its first year and now leads the tabletop-themed mobile gaming category.

⚡️Quick Bytes

Singapore Legally Recognizes Esports, Chess as Official Sports

Singapore formally classified esports and mind sports as official sports following parliamentary approval of amendments to the Singapore Sports Council Act on January 14. The legislation empowers Sport Singapore to tailor support based on governance standards and national sporting objectives. Acting Minister David Neo emphasized the "balanced and future-ready approach" accommodates evolving competitive disciplines. The decision follows Singapore's November 2025 proposal and coincides with the city-state hosting major tournaments including The International 2022 and the upcoming Counter-Strike 2 Major. Singapore will host the SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games in 2029.

Rockstar Cites Discord Messages on Time-Off Policy in Mass Dismissal Case

Rockstar Games submitted evidence including employee Discord messages about scheduling policies to justify dismissing 34 workers for gross misconduct, according to UK employment tribunal documents reviewed by People Make Games. The "confidential information" cited included discussions of a five-person time-off limit and a 32-player testing session. Rockstar's witness statement claimed one message stating "Nothing I've heard in North QA" regarding crunch could reveal Grand Theft Auto 6's development stage. The tribunal rejected interim relief requests. Rockstar flagged union representative Scott Alsworth's presence on the server as a security risk.

League of Legends EMEA Championship Expands Live Events to 15 Days

The League of Legends EMEA Championship will host five three-day arena events across Europe in 2026, tripling its live competition footprint from previous seasons. Movistar KOI will organize three events in Spain, including the LEC's inaugural Barcelona appearance at Badalona's Olimpic Arena from February 27-March 1. Karmine Corp will host two French events, beginning April 24-26 near Paris. HyperX joins as official peripherals partner across all roadtrips. Combined with the LEC Summer Finals, six arena events will complement Berlin studio matches throughout 2026.

⚔️Side Quest

🤣Laugh:

📺 Watch: Riot Games Art Director Vincent Menier reveals why talented artists get rejected: portfolios that hide technical work, ignoring fundamentals for flashy tools, and not playing the games they're applying to make. He warns AI is "killing the talent pool" by automating junior learning tasks, and explains why studios now prioritize seniors. 

🎮 Play: Bits & Bops channels Rhythm Heaven's charm with vibrant visuals and 21 quirky minigames across a 3-4 hour experience. While some levels spike in difficulty unexpectedly, the two-button system stays accessible for newcomers. At its price point, it feels slightly short, but rhythm game fans will appreciate the responsive controls and personality-packed animations. 

📚 Read: Former Nexon CEO Owen Mahoney and consultant Nicholas Lovell argue the "video game industry" doesn't exist, it's actually four distinct sectors with different economics, skillsets, and competitors. The Game Business makes a compelling case: Resident Evil competes more with Stranger Things than Clash of Clans. Essential read for understanding gaming's current landscape.

💡Did You Know

Monster Hunter Wilds players discovered that the game runs better if you own more DLC. A Reddit user investigated the title's notorious performance issues and found that aggressive background checks verifying DLC ownership are causing significant FPS drops. By testing two Steam accounts and creating a mod simulating DLC ownership, they proved the game's performance improves dramatically with more purchased content—especially between 0-100 DLC packs. The discovery has sparked outrage over "pay to win" performance standards, though the player has shared their findings with Capcom and Digital Foundry to help resolve the issue.

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