6 Benefits of Playing Video Games
Video games have always gotten a bad rap by people who don’t play them nor have sought to understand why others play them. Instead, video games have become the go-to scapegoat for gun violence, laziness, and all around bad attitudes. Many adults have brushed off gaming as a waste of time or a habit that rots your brain. Others see gaming as a hobby for kids. Statistics, however, say otherwise, as the average gamer is 34 years old.
There’s good reason there are more than 2.5 billion gamers around the world. Gaming is scientifically proven to be good for you. And during the time of Covid-19 and social distancing, more people are discovering the benefits of gaming.
More adults are using gaming as an escape from a stressful day of work, gaming to deal with depression, and as a means of social interaction. Parents and grandparents are also using gaming as a way of bonding with kids and teaching them new things.
I am one of those adults who use video games to help manage my major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. For me, playing open-world, looter shooters like Fallout 76 or fantasy MMORPGs like World of Warcraft are relaxing. With Fallout 76, there’s the looter-shooter aspect of being rewarded for doing well and leveling up. There’s also the relaxing and oh-so-satisfying aspect of camp building where you hunt for resources to build a camp wherever you want in a post-apocalyptic Appalachia. And with World of Warcraft, I enjoy everything from the fascinating lore to the absolutely beautiful scenery. It’s soothing to fly to different places in the game just to take a beautiful screenshot.
Gaming has helped me so much throughout the years, literally saving my life. So I’ve always known the benefit that gaming could have on a child and an adult. And I’m not alone. Unfortunately, too often gamers are told that their hobby is feckless and promotes violence. Luckily, more studies are being done that prove otherwise.
What are the benefits of gaming?
For years studies on the effects of video games have focused primarily on the negative effects of video games. Many of those studies were conducted in response to specific video game title releases and tragic events involving children, such as school shootings, while completely overlooking relaxing and nostalgic computer browser games. In recent years, however, research has been more consistent as more adults play video games, and introduce video games to their children and family members. And also as gaming technology advances gaming’s uses have surpassed being just a recreational pastime. Let’s talk about some of the many benefits of video games.
Increased Brain Matter and Better Brain Connectivity
A 2015 neuroscientific study “on the plasticity of insular subregions and functional networks” published in Science Reports found that playing action video games increased grey matter volume. Grey matter in the brain is responsible for muscle control, sensory perception skills (sight, sound, visual, etc), memory function, emotion, speech, and the ability to make decisions. An increased volume of grey matter means an improved ability to carry out these functions.
Increased Problem-Solving Skills
When you think about it, open-world, multi-level games with puzzles, quests, and complex missions are designed to be challenging, yet fun. Overcoming those challenges requires being able to think on your toes, and being able to think outside the box to solve problems. It’s no wonder that studies show that children who played strategy-based games developed or improved their problem-solving skills.
Games like Solitaire and its many versions underscore this. TriPeaks Solitaire, for example, challenges players to anticipate outcomes and plan several moves ahead, which sharpens problem-solving skills through strategic thinking and pattern recognition. As players navigate the game, they learn to make quick decisions and adapt their strategies in response to new scenarios, fostering flexible problem-solving abilities. Furthermore, the game's requirement to clear all cards using a limited deck teaches resource management, an essential component of effective problem-solving.
Helps with Mental Health
More people look for digital solutions to help deal with the stressors of everyday life. Playing video games has become one of the top ways adults decompress after a hard day’s work or stressful events like unemployment. When money is tight and there’s nowhere to go at night, video games are the solution to many people’s problems. University of Glasgow’s Dr. Matthew Barr said, “Choosing a game for relaxation is very much dependent on the person. But something like Stardew Valley, where you're engaged in what you might call 'busywork,' can be quite soothing." For Dr. Barr, it’s strategy games.
Helps Improve Dexterity
Playing video games with a controller helps with manual dexterity—improving wrist and hand-eye coordination. Medical professionals are increasingly using video games as a form of physical therapy for stroke patients to help regain control of their wrist and hand movements.
Makes Learning Fun
From reading and math skills to history and science, there’s a video game for virtually everything. A video game could be about a specific subject or it could be a title that simply incorporates various subjects. There are so many games that include subjects that may not be offered in school, such as cooking or coding.
Fosters Job-related Skills
From leading squads and 25-man raids to having excellent memory retention, gamers develop valuable and transferable skills from a hobby that gets so much flack from society. One of the main skills employers look for when hiring is the ability to work as a team. Games like Overwatch, League of Legends, and World of Warcraft require teamwork strategy, and the ability to think on your toes in order to rise through the ranks.
Some experiments have demonstrated that experienced gamers outperform their non-gamer counterparts in various fields, including flying drones and performing surgery.
This list doesn’t even scratch the surface of the many benefits of gaming, nor the advancement in technology that brings gaming to the visually impaired. Now is a great time to learn more about gaming and find a game that fits your lifestyle and needs. Just remember, all things in moderation.
If you’re a gamer, which ways has gaming helped you?
