VR Games Boost Player Altruism, Study Finds

Immersive narratives can influence empathy and willingness to help others, according to University of Oregon researchers.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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A new study from the University of Oregon found that playing a virtual reality game can increase a person's sense of altruism and influence levels of empathy. The researchers developed a narrative-driven VR game called "Empathy in Action" where players help a young boy find his lost dog. They found that while players' cognitive empathy (ability to recognize others' feelings) increased, their affective empathy (feeling the same emotions) declined. However, their motivation to help others did go up.

Why it matters

This study suggests that immersive digital games and experiences have the potential to foster prosocial behaviors like altruism, even if they don't necessarily lead to deeper emotional connections. The researchers believe this technology could be leveraged for social good in areas like education, therapy, and conflict resolution.

The details

The study, published in Frontiers in Virtual Reality, was led by UO communication and media studies expert Samantha Lorenzo. She teamed up with Danny Pimentel, assistant professor at the School of Journalism and Communication, to explore how narrative-driven VR games could influence empathy and altruism. In their game "Empathy in Action," players help a young boy named Alden search for his lost dog. The researchers found that while players' cognitive empathy increased, their affective empathy declined. However, their motivation to help others did go up. Participants suggested potential applications for this type of immersive game in classrooms, therapeutic settings, and conflict resolution trainings.

  • The study was published on March 10, 2026.

The players

Samantha Lorenzo

A communication and media studies expert at the University of Oregon who led the research study.

Danny Pimentel

An assistant professor at the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communication who co-directed the study.

Empathy in Action

The narrative-driven VR game developed by the research team that had players help a young boy find his lost dog.

Alden

The young boy in the VR game whose lost dog players had to help find.

Buddy

The lost dog in the VR game that players had to search for.

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What they’re saying

“I had an idea that VR might be an effective tool to influence people's ability to want to help others and better understand other people's perspectives. I wanted to explore possible behavioral changes from immersive environments and the underlying mechanisms that foster altruistic engagement within, and beyond, the gaming world.”

— Samantha Lorenzo, Communication and media studies expert, University of Oregon (Mirage News)

“This gaming technology is new and exciting, and there's a lot of potential for researchers to keep exploring how immersive media can be leveraged for social good.”

— Samantha Lorenzo, Communication and media studies expert, University of Oregon (Mirage News)

What’s next

The researchers plan to build on this study by exploring how immersive, narrative-driven interventions could be used to help people understand and cope with medical challenges.

The takeaway

This study suggests that virtual reality games have the potential to foster prosocial behaviors like altruism, even if they don't necessarily lead to deeper emotional connections. Researchers believe this technology could be leveraged for social good in areas like education, therapy, and conflict resolution.