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Yes. Before entering NASA’s CHAPEA habitat, the four-person Mission 1 crew said they had several PS4 games, including world-building games and F1. During the mission, commander Kelly Haston later said, “I’m not a huge gamer, but the others game a lot.” NASA confirmed video games were available during free time, but it did not publish a full list of titles or quantify how many hours the crew played.
What the crew said about PS4 games
In NASA’s June 30, 2023 podcast episode “A Year on Mars”, host Gary Jordan asked whether the crew planned game nights or movie nights. Flight engineer Ross Brockwell said both were on their list. Asked which games, Mission 1 commander Kelly Haston replied that they had “several PS4 games,” including a good number of world-building games and “more standard” games such as F1.
That is the extent of the specific title information in the transcript: NASA did not provide a title-by-title inventory. The comments support saying the crew had PS4 games, world-building games and F1; they do not establish that the crew played any particular, unnamed world-building game.
What NASA confirmed from inside the habitat
In NASA’s October 6, 2023 “Mars Audio Log #2”, Haston said, “I’m not a huge gamer, but the others game a lot.” The episode’s host explained that video games were among the activities available during the crew’s free time. This in-mission account confirms that gaming was part of their leisure, rather than just a pre-mission plan.
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“A lot” is Haston’s description of her crewmates, not a measured total. NASA’s cited materials give no gaming schedule, hours played or share of free time spent on games. They also do not identify gaming as a mental-health treatment, cognitive-training exercise or formal part of the research.
What CHAPEA Mission 1 involved
CHAPEA stands for Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog. NASA describes it as a series of Earth-based Mars-surface simulations in which four crew members live in isolation in a 1,700-square-foot habitat while researchers collect data on health and performance. It is an analog study, not a mission to Mars.
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Mission 1 began June 25, 2023, and ended July 6, 2024, after 378 days. NASA’s completion report says the crew conducted simulated Mars walks and robotic operations, maintained the habitat, exercised and grew crops. They also faced isolation, confinement and resource limitations. NASA says the broader aim is to gather evidence that can inform future human exploration.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the record does—and does not—show
- Established: Before the mission, the crew said they had several PS4 games, including world-building games and F1.
- Established: During the mission, games were available in free time, and Haston said other crew members gamed a lot.
- Not established: The exact titles played, how often anyone played, or total gaming hours.
- Not established: That gaming dominated the crew’s leisure time or was selected by NASA as a health intervention.
NASA’s accounts place gaming among free-time options; they do not quantify its place alongside other leisure activities, such as watching shows or movies and doing crafts.
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