For those of you who grew up loving to play video games, you've probably heard a lot that they are a "waste of time" or that they make you "lazy." Well, I'm here to tell you that's simply just not true. While our parents and the other adults in our lives told us to get outside and off the couch, or to stop wasting our time playing the "Nintendo" (whether it was actually a Nintendo system or not), we were actually learning and experiencing more than they thought.
Video games may not be physically exhausting (except for Wii sports), but they are mentally stimulating, increase social and problem solving skills, build hand-eye coordination, and can even be educational! Not to mention they alleviate stress. The benefits of playing video games is very often over looked, and over time they have gained a reputation for being useless, time-wasting, and distracting. But that's just because they are misunderstood. From someone who has put a ton of hours into video games, I can tell you first hand that they have stimulated and encouraged me in ways that other activities couldn't have.
For someone who's sometimes socially awkward or naturally introverted, playing team sports is not always appealing. However, social interaction through playing multiplayer video games is an alternative option for getting some socialization. When playing online with other gamers, players are able to interact, cooperate to finish tasks, and work together while talking, laughing, and communicating with others. The virtual friendships can even become real ones sometimes, regardless of geographic distance.
In addition to the social aspect, video games have been proven to increase problem solving skills, even more so than games designed to do that, like "Luminosity." By focusing on specific tasks, some that require solving puzzles or working through real life scenarios, gamers learn valuable lessons while developing and fine-tuning cognition. Hand-eye coordination is another valuable skill that can be developed through playing video games. Gamers have been found to be better at recognizing patterns and perform better in visual and motor (eye and hand) tests.
Some video games that are based on historical events can actually even be educational. I know that I would personally much rather learn about history through experiencing it first hand (or at least first person) through playing a historically based video game than reading it in a book. Games like "Assassin's Creed" (one of my favorite franchises), have created historically accurate experiences for players. "Assassin's Creed III" takes place during the American Revolution, and allows gamers to experience historical events and time periods in a way that textbooks cannot.
Additionally, playing video games can reduce stress and alleviate depression. As a healthy way to release built up tension, work through frustrations, and take your mind off of everyday troubles, video games can provide a real and much needed escape from reality.
Whether you play as a way to de-stress, to boost your brain power, or to experience new (or historical) worlds, it's clear that playing video games is more beneficial than you might think.
