Can Minecraft Help Autistic Young People Build Social Skills? What the Evidence Says
Many autistic and neurodivergent young people spend hours in Minecraft, often happily and often on their own. Families regularly ask us whether that time could be doing more, and whether Minecraft can genuinely help with social skills. Therapists and support providers in Australia and overseas have started using Minecraft in structured groups, and a small but growing body of research is examining whether it works. This article sets out what the evidence says about Minecraft and social skills for autistic young people, where that evidence is still thin, and what good gaming-based support looks like.
Can Minecraft Help Autistic Young People Build Social Skills?
Early research suggests it can, when the game is used in a structured, facilitated group rather than as free play. Studies report gains in communicating needs and emotions, teamwork and social confidence, and some young people have formed friendships that continued outside sessions. The evidence is promising but early. Studies so far are small, and we are not aware of any large controlled trials of Minecraft-based groups.
What the Research Says About Games and Social Skills
The strongest overview currently available is a 2025 systematic scoping review published in the journal Autism. The reviewers screened more than 3,000 studies and identified 17 that used games to support social skills for autistic children and young people. All 17 reported improvements, and every one used some form of technology (Walsh et al., 2025).
The same review also found that many studies did not clearly define which social skills they were targeting, and the authors recommended that autistic people be involved earlier and more centrally in designing these programs (Walsh et al., 2025). A review of this kind maps a field. It shows the direction of the findings, but it cannot tell us how large or how lasting the benefits are.
Minecraft-Specific Studies
An Australian Evaluation of an Online Minecraft Program
The most detailed study to date comes from Perth. Researchers from Curtin University evaluated a weekly online Minecraft program run by therapists at an NDIS-registered provider, in groups of up to three young people (Black et al., 2025). Each player took on a role, such as miner, crafter, builder or guard, so the team could only reach its goal by communicating and working together.
Through interviews and 17 observed sessions, young people, caregivers and facilitators described improvements in communicating needs and emotions, working as a team, managing frustration and taking initiative. Some young people formed friendships that carried on beyond the sessions. One caregiver said it was the only support their child never complained about (Black et al., 2025).
The researchers also identified what seemed to make the program work. It built on young people's existing interests and skills, treated them as the experts in the game, and let social learning happen naturally while the group worked towards a shared goal. The authors are clear about the limits: the study involved 12 participants, all of the young people interviewed were boys, and everyone came from a single service (Black et al., 2025).
Other Early Studies
A smaller study of four autistic boys aged 11 to 13 found they made more social initiations in later sessions of a Minecraft-based program (MacCormack & Freeman, 2019). Earlier exploratory research with parents and clinics already using Minecraft found that both groups observed positive social interactions in the game. Parents also held reservations about open online gaming communities and wanted stronger links between online and face-to-face friendships (Zolyomi & Schmalz, 2017).
| Study | What it looked at | Key finding | Strength of evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walsh et al. (2025) | Review of 17 game-based social skills studies | All reported improvements; skill targets often unclear | Review level, drawing on mostly small studies |
| Black et al. (2025) | Online Minecraft groups at an Australian provider | Better communication of needs and emotions, teamwork, some lasting friendships | Emerging: qualitative, 12 participants |
| MacCormack & Freeman (2019) | Minecraft-based social program | More social initiations in later sessions | Emerging: four participants |
| Zolyomi & Schmalz (2017) | Interviews with parents and clinics | Positive interactions observed; parents cautious about open online spaces | Exploratory |
| Mazurek & Engelhardt (2013) | Video game use in 141 boys | Higher risk of problematic gaming for autistic boys and boys with ADHD | Cross-sectional survey |
Why Minecraft Works as a Social Space
For many young people, the biggest barrier to a social group is walking in the door. A shared interest lowers that barrier. For some autistic young adults, games are already a central part of social life (Finke et al., 2018), so a Minecraft group starts from familiar ground rather than from a skill gap.
Minecraft also shifts the focus from talking to doing. When a group is building something together, conversation comes from the task: asking for materials, agreeing on a plan, sorting out a disagreement about where the tower goes. Players join as avatars from their own homes, which removes cameras and unfamiliar rooms from the equation. The game's open, sandbox design lets each group set its own goals, so the challenge can be matched to the young people in it (Black et al., 2025).
There is a neuro-affirming case for this approach too. Programs that focus on teaching autistic people to perform neurotypical behaviours risk encouraging camouflaging, which has been linked to poorer mental health (Mandy, 2019). In the Australian evaluation, the skills facilitators supported were about young people communicating their needs and emotions in their own way, not about meeting neurotypical standards (Black et al., 2025). Research also shows that autistic people often build rapport easily with each other (Crompton et al., 2020), which a group of peers who share an interest can build on.
What the Evidence Does Not Tell Us Yet
It is important to be honest about the gaps. Current studies are small, mostly qualitative, and rely heavily on parent and facilitator reports. We do not yet know which ingredients matter most, whether it is the game, the facilitation, the peer group or the combination, or how long any benefits last.
Gaming-based groups are also not right for everyone. Facilitators in the Australian study noted that online sessions may not suit young people who need face-to-face support to regulate, and that the approach depends on a genuine interest in gaming (Black et al., 2025).
Screen time deserves attention as well. A survey of 141 boys found autistic boys averaged 2.1 hours of video gaming a day compared with 1.2 hours for their non-autistic peers, and both autistic boys and boys with ADHD showed higher rates of problematic gaming, with inattention a key predictor (Mazurek & Engelhardt, 2013). That study measured unstructured gaming at home rather than facilitated groups, but it is a good reason for families to keep an eye on overall balance. Caregivers in the Australian study raised similar concerns about time spent gaming and online safety (Black et al., 2025).
What Good Gaming-Based Social Support Looks Like
Taken together, the research points to several features worth looking for in any gaming-based social program. The game world should be private and closed to strangers, not a public server. Facilitators should know the game well and actively support the group rather than simply supervising it. Activities should involve shared goals that genuinely require teamwork. Individual goals should be set with the young person and their family, with progress tracked over time. The approach should build on strengths and never ask young people to mask who they are. And there should be a clear plan for how skills carry over into school, home and friendships beyond the game.
How Our Online Gaming Groups Apply the Research
Unified Care Solutions is a nurse-led provider supporting autistic and neurodivergent young people across Australia. Our online gaming groups, coming soon, are built on these principles. They sit within our school-age programs, The Adventurers (primary school) and The Cadets (high school), as a low-pressure first step for young people who have not yet found a social group that works for them.
Small groups meet online each week during school term in a private, invite-only game world. Members join as their avatar, with no cameras. Two trained facilitators run every session, one leading the game and one supporting the group, with clinical oversight from our Clinical Nurse Consultant. Every session follows the same structure, while the team challenge and one social skill focus change each week, such as taking turns, joining a group task, being a good sport, or repairing things when a build goes wrong. Progress is recorded against each member's goals, and each block ends with a clinician-led review with the family.
The groups are one part of a broader pathway. Young people can move into our structured social skills programs when they are ready, and a functional assessment can help clarify goals and the right starting point.
Groups are coming soon. Register your interest and we will let you know as soon as they open. Support coordinators and allied health professionals can refer through the same link or by emailing zeaton@ucsol.com.au.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Minecraft good for autistic children?
Many autistic children enjoy Minecraft, and early research suggests that structured, facilitated Minecraft groups can support communication, teamwork and confidence. The evidence is still emerging, and unstructured solo play is not the same as a facilitated group.
Is Minecraft therapy evidence-based?
Not yet, if evidence-based means supported by large controlled trials. Current evidence comes from small studies, qualitative evaluations and a 2025 review of game-based social skills interventions. Together these are promising, but early.
Does my child need to be good at Minecraft?
No. Interest matters more than skill. In the Australian evaluation, young people's existing interest in the game was a key reason they engaged, and being treated as the expert helped build their confidence and independence (Black et al., 2025).
Can NDIS funding be used for an online gaming group?
The NDIS funds supports linked to a participant's goals, not the game itself. Depending on the participant's goals, our groups can be funded through Improved Daily Living or Core supports, or paid privately at the same rate. We confirm the right option with each family on our first call.
Is online gaming safe for my child?
Open public servers carry real risks. Our groups run in a private, invite-only game world that only approved members can join, with two trained facilitators present in every session.
References
Black, M. H., Lilford, A., Nguyen, V., Walker, E., Wee, H. H., Falkmer, O., & McGarry, S. (2025). Gaming in the intervention and support process: A realist evaluation of a gaming-based programme. Autism, 29(7), 1688–1699. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613251320542
Crompton, C. J., Sharp, M., Axbey, H., Fletcher-Watson, S., Flynn, E. G., & Ropar, D. (2020). Neurotype-matching, but not being autistic, influences self and observer ratings of interpersonal rapport. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, Article 586171. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.586171
Finke, E. H., Hickerson, B. D., & Kremkow, J. M. D. (2018). "To be quite honest, if it wasn't for videogames I wouldn't have a social life at all": Motivations of young adults with autism spectrum disorder for playing videogames as leisure. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 27(2), 672–689. https://doi.org/10.1044/2017_AJSLP-17-0073
MacCormack, J. W. H., & Freeman, J. (2019). Part 2: The virtual environment social program for youths with autism spectrum disorder. International Journal of Play Therapy, 28(4), 218–237. https://doi.org/10.1037/pla0000093
Mandy, W. (2019). Social camouflaging in autism: Is it time to lose the mask? Autism, 23(8), 1879–1881. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361319878559
Mazurek, M. O., & Engelhardt, C. R. (2013). Video game use in boys with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, or typical development. Pediatrics, 132(2), 260–266. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2012-3956
Walsh, O., Linehan, C., & Ryan, C. (2025). Is there evidence that playing games promotes social skills training for autistic children and youth? Autism, 29(2), 329–343. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613241277309
Zolyomi, A., & Schmalz, M. (2017). Mining for social skills: Minecraft in home and therapy for neurodiverse youth. In Proceedings of the 50th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (pp. 3391–3400). http://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/handle/10125/41569
Minecraft is a trademark of Mojang Synergies AB. Unified Care Solutions is not affiliated with, endorsed by or associated with Mojang or Microsoft.