Learn While Gaming: Video Games’ Hidden Benefits

There’s a gap between media headlines and gamers themselves in defining the role of video games in day-to-day life. This discord is getting even more heated when it comes to debates over children and their upbringing.

Some people consider games as the source of all violence and other ills among the younger generation. However, statistics show the world is becoming a safer place and crime is falling.

Every age has its storytelling form…People are enthralled with video games in the same way as other people love the cinema or theatre.

Andy Serkis, Actor.

Gamers vary widely by age, gender, social status and the game genres they like. The skills that habitual players can master while playing games may have a positive influence and greatly help in their real life.

According to the Entertainment Software Association’s 2018 survey, video games stats look quite promising:

64% of US families have at least one device for playing video games
70% of parents consider video games to positively impact on their children
60% of Americans play games on a daily basis

Source: Essential Facts 2018. The Computer and Video Game Industry

Video games have also been proven to raise self-esteem and build confidence. It gives people an opportunity to do things that they cannot do offline, and to discover new things about themselves.

There is a social aspect to gaming as well – research has shown that a third of video game players make good friends online. As well as that, video games are also considered to be therapeutic as they help to relieve stress.

Video Games Go Professional

Video games are becoming more than just a hobby to spare your free time on. The most popular titles have already gone professional, with eSports gathering millions of fans from all over the globe.

Viewership on live-streaming platforms like Twitch and video content channels like YouTube has skyrocketed dramatically. Multiplayer online games like CS:GO, Dota 2, PUBG, Overwatch, League of Legends, Hearthstone, World of Warcraft, Fortnite enjoy their own championships with immense prize pools held all around the world.

Even physical sports associations like the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) are not against partnering with top eSports companies: previously with Konami, which passed the torch to EA Sports earlier this year. Due to this fact, UEFA has officially supported the next year’s eChampions League FIFA 19 tournament.

A game is an opportunity to focus our energy, with relentless optimism, at something we’re good at (or getting better at) and enjoy. In other words, gameplay is the direct emotional opposite of depression.

Jane McGonigal, Game Designer.

Improving IRL Skills with Video Games

On the surface, people usually play games on a PC or console just for the sake of having some fun when they are free and away from school or work. Along with this, players can get a good deal of opportunity to learn many useful skills while enjoying video games.

The learning potential is really astonishing! For instance, games can even help kids have a competitive advantage in their future careers. Just check out the video below on how gaming experience gives an edge to surgery performance.

To prove that video games are much more than just entertainment, we boiled down the practical skills and perks the frequent players can acquire through gaming.

1. Problem-solving

Most video games, be it an FPS, MMORPG or a survival Battle Royale title, force you to take time-critical decisions. Oftentimes you should think twice before entering a new operation zone.

You never know where you might get killed by enemy players hiding in ambush. In popular games like CS:GO it takes only a split second to make the right decision to stay alive.

2. Reaction and Coordination

Action games like Fortnite, GTA, Overwatch or CoD can significantly enhance your reflexes as they require very quick and precise movements along with visual and hearing competence.

Simply put, you have to act as fast as possible to win a match while keeping your eyes wide open and listening to every slight whisper.

3. Attention Span and Eye for Detail

Parents usually get mad at their children every time they see them staring at computer displays for hours. Adults are dead sure that this is a purposeless routine, making the younger generation grow stupid.

However, it’s the other way around – hardened gamers are much more attentive to details both in video games and in real life. They have enough patience to follow through and get any job done.

In most of today’s video games, it takes more than one person to have success. Which is why, teaming up with other players in, say, CS:GO or Dota 2 requires you to develop robust communication skills.

The gaming experience helps you stand your ground as well as regard other people’s motives. If you are quite shy to openly talk to strangers on the street, games can set you free.

5. General Knowledge

Playing games is an efficient way to do good for widening your horizons. RPG titles, for instance, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt with all those branchy dialogs can help you greatly enrich your vocabulary.

For the digital card games like Hearthstone, DHeroes or Valve’s newly released Artifact, it is more than essential to be sharp at reckoning while collecting your deck of the most powerful cards.

To say nothing of strategy 4X game series – Civilization, Total War, XCOM, to name just a few, which are the best brain teasers to enhance your logical thinking.

At the end of the day, playing video games is not about violence or time-wasting. Everybody needs a hobby and great games can give you an edge when it comes to broadening your mind and improving your everyday skills and personality traits.