Video games have quickly risen to become the most popular virtual pastime in the world, with hundreds of millions of people enjoying video games every day, whether it’s on their phones, home consoles, or computers. However, this increase in popularity has brought with it some fears that are now commonly held, like those that claim video games increase the rate of violence or that they reduce attention spans. So keep reading to find out some of the benefits they provide as well.
1. Increasing Hand-eye Coordination
One of the greatest physical benefits that video games offer to people who play them regularly is an increase in cognitive function, especially hand-eye coordination and reflexes. There are many games out there that rely on the user aiming the character in-game using a mouse or the aiming stick of a controller, and this builds a strong link between your brain and the precise movements of your wrist and thumb, which is why, as people play aim-dependent games like multiplayer shooters more and more, their aim gets far better and so, too, does their hand-eye coordination. The same can be said for reflexes, as many games require players to make snap decisions to get out of tricky situations, and the more people play, the better their reflexes become with time.
2. Stress Relief
The modern world is filled with stressful endeavors from work to other things like the economy and the state of jobs worldwide, and there’s nothing better than coming home after a long day to indulge in some escapism or light-hearted stress relief, making everything better. The average person is bound to work for hours and hours each week, and there’s often not enough time left in the day after doing a full day’s work to participate in hobbies that take up a lot of time, like hiking or playing a sport. However, video games are easy to turn on and play, and you can do it from the comfort of your home, which is why hundreds of millions of people have turned to it as a form of stress relief.
3. Developing Cognitive Skills
As previously mentioned, video games are responsible for developing many cognitive skills in children and adults alike, and these benefits are more commonly seen in games that prioritize development and problem-solving, such as puzzle games like Patterned. This is because video games actually serve as a virtual yet fully 3-dimensional representation of a real life problem, one that you may have only read about in theory. The more responsive world of video games leads to higher retention in these problem-solving scenarios as well as a more open venue in which people can work out their methods of getting through an issue.
4. Social Interaction
Social interaction is an integral part of the development of any child and is a problem for adults who find themselves too busy to hang out with their friends, too. For children, online forums and games that foster connections and relationships are great for socializing early in life and making online friends, especially as many kid-friendly games like Roblox and Fortnite have become more strict on people who behave negatively towards other players, reducing the risk of your child running into a negative person or a bad influence. As for adults, video games present a great opportunity to hang out with and keep in touch with friends no matter where they are or how far away from you they live, providing a great stress-free arena in which friends can catch up, and new people can meet. Many games have rich and vibrant communities built around them consisting of fans who are accepting of newcomers, often forming strong online friendships through this.
Conclusion
Video games are incredibly popular and people play them continuously over years, which can have a major impact on development and changes in behavior over time. Contrary to what some people may believe, however, there are many benefits of playing video games regularly, from the more obvious like stress relief and relaxation to more specific ones like improved problem solving capabilities.