A new study by four Brigham Young University information systems professors found newly-formed work teams experienced a 20 percent increase in productivity on subsequent tasks after playing video games together for just 45 minutes.
The study, published in AIS Transactions on Human-Computer Interaction, adds to a growing body of literature finding positive outcomes of team video gaming.
Team video gaming may truly be a viable -- and perhaps even optimal -- alternative for team building. Researchers also said it doesn't matter if people are avid video gamers to see the positive effects of gaming together; they observed video game novices established communications norms -- and built working relationships -- even quicker with new teammates so as to learn the nuances of the game.
"To see that big of a jump -- especially for the amount of time they played -- was a little shocking," said co-author and BYU associate professor Greg Anderson. "Companies are spending thousands and thousands of dollars on team-building activities, and I'm thinking, go buy an Xbox."
Well, why not?