While a varying level of stigma has always been around the playing of video games, contemporary folks are more understanding of the activity than some of their predecessors.
Long gone are the days of the classic arcade with bright neon lights and fistfuls of dirty quarters. Video game consoles, in their many forms, have found their convenient, sleek, attractive, and powerful selves content in many modern homes.
Whether a casual hobby playing apps on mobile, a friendly weekend bout with friends, or a deep-delve into a fantastical world with swords and spells, games offer opportunities to escape, unwind, improve multiple skills—and so much more.
Children, teens, and adults refine capabilities with an indulgent and relaxing foray into a digital world.
1. Improve Manual Dexterity
Handling a controller with multiple buttons while the eyes focus elsewhere leads to better hand-eye coordination. Specialized video games have been developed as physical therapy aids, particularly to assist stroke victims in regaining control of their hands and wrists. Surgeons are known to play as an exercise for their work, and owing to this, make fewer errors in practice procedures.
2. Refine Social Interactions and Connections
While gaming is often thought of as a solitary activity (depending on the title, it can be), overall, gamers have stronger relationships with peers. Either by playing on a team with friends, competing with one another, or having a topic to connect over, children’s social skills receive a boost.
Some kids have a touch of trouble fitting in, making friends in real life, or reside in a home that doesn’t allow for a lot of social interaction with peers. In these instances, an online, interactive game may offer a resolution, with many players reconnecting over multiple virtual play-dates.
3. Enhance Leadership Capabilities
Whether leading a co-op group online or on the couch, certain folks are more prone to offer direction to their team when necessary. Ensuring the team communicates, receives instruction, and is acknowledged for their efforts translates into the non-digital world. Leaders are more likely to lean into their goals, support others in theirs, and think quickly in school or workplace crises.
4. Higher Amount of Physical Activity
Virtual reality, while still on the rise, offers an innovative experience. Users don a helmet and gloves to interact with their digital adventure, literally moving their avatar through the world. The majority of VR games require gamers to be on their feet. Treadmill pads that allow walking or running in place are available for use in specific titles.
Players also admit to attempting new skateboard or basketball moves they have noticed in a game, learning the action themselves in the tangible world after.
5. Improve Vision
The repeated, subconscious in-game action of picking out small details translates into real life. Noticing minute but important attributes leads players to better spatial resolution.
6. Simplify Learning Life Skills
Of all the positives to come from engaging in virtual pastimes, understanding and improving critical life skills is enormous. Games commonly incorporate math and reading, and many contain architecture, history, chemistry, politics, or cooking-related challenges.
Some are text-based, showing a character’s dialogue, journal entries, or storyline. Reading along with the matching speech displayed in a character’s dialogue is a useful and effective way to practice reading. The fun factor of playing distracts from the reluctance toward reading that certain kids have.
Dyslexics have shown increased reading comprehension following play that consisted primarily of action, as constantly changing environments require intense focus.
Certain video games require the player to travel around the world, enhancing one’s visual-spatial skills, meaning that their understanding of distance and space becomes refined.
People who enjoy racing titles from a young pre-driver’s license age are noted to be keener drivers in real life, as the physics and motions are similar.
Implementing quick thinking and strategizing in a game translates into the real world, improving decision-making capabilities. Solving complex puzzles in mission-based adventure worlds typically take more than one attempt and inspires persistence.
Consistently solving puzzles or mysteries, managing empires, or raising a virtual person or pet requires problem-solving, repeated opportunities to learn from failure, and opportunities to practice planning, organizing, and flexible thinking.
Combined, all these applications boost a person’s ability to think outside the box and solve any problem that comes their way.
7. Slow Down Aging
Engaging in “brain games”—any that involve memory, puzzle components, or problem-solving—leads to increased cognitive function, particularly in adults aged 50 and older. A noticeable improvement can last for several years.
8. Relieve Pain and Stress
A digital diversion relaxes a player, which boosts positive mood, reduces stress, and improves mental health.
Besides being a simple distraction, an immersive escapade (the more captivating, the better) produces analgesic (pain-killing) responses in the higher cortical system, providing serious relief to sufferers.
Multiple sclerosis is a disorder that affects nerves and balance. MS patients who play gamesrequiring physical interaction while standing on a balance board display improvement.
9. Curb Cravings
Smoking, drinking, and overeating cravings are difficult to deal with. A short walk or a glass of water are suggested as deterrents, but puzzles have also been shown to take the edge off.
10. Encourage Imaginative Play and Creativity
Toddlers play with colorful blocks, dolls, and action figures. As kids grow and develop, so do their interests. Video games offer a chance to continue expanding creativity and imaginative play.
11. Lucrative Career Opportunities
The eSports industry is growing continuously. In Korea, the popular pastime of video games has turned into a gigantic tournament comparable to hockey in Canada or basketball in America. Professional eSport players earn hefty paychecks from competitions, sponsored by large companies, the same as athletes in other sports.
Games require people to create, design, code, test and troubleshoot, market, and sell them. The industry jobs available are plentiful, challenging, and rewarding.
Leave hesitation with flared bellbottoms and shag carpeting. Video games have evolved so much since their creation and continually bring more positives all the time.
Grab a controller, relax into the digital universe, and enjoy leveling up not only characters but various all-important skills.
Most importantly, have fun with playing video games!