How Does Cannabis Effect the Gaming Experience?
We’ll start these recommendations off first with recognizing that the Electronic Sports League recognize cannabis as a potential performance enhancer so if you plan to play competitively, we recommend that you stay off the weed because they do test for it. It’s also important to note that cannabis does alter your cognitive performance and motor control, most notably reaction time in FPS, MOBAs or fighting games, meaning that without other factors you might be a little worse playing those video games high than you would if you weren’t, especially if you have a low tolerance.
What Does Science Tell Us About Cannabis and Gaming?
Now, if you’re trying to have fun and don’t care about the occasional airhead moment, we’ve got you covered. The positive effect of cannabis altering your mental state is time-dilation resulting in enhanced immersion. While cannabis does hinder reaction time, it increases that feeling of being locked in and there are ways to combat the delayed reaction times. Research shows that to balance out the reaction time effects, playing before getting high or simply playing a game you’re very comfortable with does neutralize that significantly, but also after a first session while high, the effect subsides. Essentially practice and experience show significantly less impairment. Along with that, the calming and mood boosting effects of cannabis are shown to offset tilt or anxiety so rather than playing worse due to frustration or unease, cannabis can help regulate that, allowing for better responses to negative play.
Can Cannabis Enhance the Gaming Experience?
With most of the adverse effects of cannabis on gaming being on competitive or PvP games, it’s once you get out of that world where cannabis truly shines in enhancing gaming. For anything casual or single-player, the calming, mood boosting, and enhanced immersion completely elevate the experience. Puzzle games might get a little weird at times just because high brain, but it will absolutely be a fun time. Open-world games like Zelda, Red Read Redemption or Cyberpunk 2077 become an unmatched experience full of wonder where you are basically teleported through the screen and into the universe the developers have created. Any games where exploration, adventure, and/or narrative are at the forefront become entirely new experiences when you’ve got the high brain to appreciate everything fully. One of my personal favorite games I played all last year was Ad-Hoc Studios’ episodic choice-based game Dispatch, where I got high as a kite and locked in for an entire Sunday running through all 8 episodes.
An important to note when choosing your strains for gaming is that different cannabis have different effects that lend themselves toward different games as well, effects that are determined by the dominant terpenes of strain. Alpha-Pinene most broadly lends itself towards gaming due to promoting alertness and mental clarity, with terpinolene having similar effects as well promoting focus without sedation albeit being harder to find as a dominant terpene. Linalool is a terpene responsible for calming and relaxation without sedation, making it great for combating any gaming related frustrations while maintaining a high level of focus. Limonene is the mood boosting terpene you want to look for if you’re trying to combat anxiety or are just looking for the most fun and silly time possible, while beta-caryophyllene is the last notable gaming terpene, providing reduced stress and bodily inflammation for your extended gaming session, which leads us to our recommendations:
What Are the Best Cannabis Strains for Gaming?
Sour Jack For Casual Gaming
Edie Parker’s Sour Jack is a cross between Jack Herer and Sour Diesel, two pinene rich strains that also contain limonene and beta-caryophyllene. Sour Jack as a result is a sativa providing energy, focus and creativity fitting for any game you’re looking to queue up.
Northern Lights for Maximum Immersion
Back Home Cannabis’ Northern Lights is a classic indica with high levels of limonene, beta-caryophyllene and myrcene with effects of deep relaxation, enhanced sensory perception and vivid visuals. While slightly too sedative for hyper-active and competitive games, Northern Lights is one of the best strains by far for anything story-driven and cinematic.
Ice Cream Cake for Performance/Ranked Anxiety
Rolling Green’s Ice Cream Cake is a cross between Wedding Cake and Gelato with dominant terpenes of beta-caryophyllene, limonene and linalool. Ice Cream Cake is both uplifting and inspires creativity, helping you get out of your head and into the game, while also providing a base level of calm to ease your nerves.
Lemon Cherry Gelato for Gaming “Tilt”
Milkweed’s Lemon Cherry Gelato is a modern classic strain. As a cross of Sunset Sherbert and Girl Scout Cookies with dominant terpenes of beta-caryophyllene, linalool, and limonene, LCG is similar in effect to Ice Cream Cake, the difference being LCG providing a more blissful and calming high ideal for counteracting any frustration and anger you might be building up while playing.
D-Lish for Sustained Concentration
Electraleaf’s D-Lish is on this list specifically for it’s dominant terpene of Terpinolene. Terpinolene is a rather hard terpene to find in a prominent manner, however it’s effects are incredibly ideal for any sustained gaming session. As the primary terpene in D-Lish, it provides a very clear-headed, lively, and uplifting high as well as a calm that’s supported by the beta-caryophyllene as it’s other dominant terpene.
Those are our five recommendations however there are many other strains that work beautifully for your desired effect. If you find yourself wanting or needing a substitute, just remember the most important criteria to base your decisions on are terpene profile and strain lineage. If you’d like to learn more, check out some of our other blogs:
