If there’s one entertainment medium that’s almost always seen in a negative perspective, it’s video games. There has always been a controversial stigma against the world of gaming and how it affects the people who play them. From many statements such as lowering IQ, causing children to become more violent, and being called a “waste of time", gaming has always been seen as one of the lowest forms of entertainment despite its amazing feats. However, beyond its negative reception, gaming can provide as many bad (and good) moments as other forms of entertainment that we spend time with after coming home from work or school.

Of course, the common belief about gaming is that it’s nothing but a violent and mind-numbing way to waste people's lives - a claim that couldn’t be farther from the truth. While it’s true that video games have a bad reputation with certain players spending too much of their time playing them, the conception can be compared to any other medium. People can spend too much time watching television, mindlessly browsing the internet, and many other hobbies that are seen as acceptable within our culture; too much of anything isn’t healthy for anyone. On the good side of gaming, the medium can bring family and friends together for fun experiences, thanks to party games, racing games, and many other genres to play. Gaming has also started become more similar to films and movies over the years in regards to its visuals and characters. Many people are surprised to find out that many games present stories, characters, acting, and music equally as grand as a Disney or summer blockbuster film score. It shows that there’s a depth to gaming besides the Call of Duty's and the Grand Theft Auto's - that’s there’s more artistry (yes, there’s artistry) within something that’s often seen in a simplistic way.

There’s a lot more for people to understand about the world of gaming and how it’s not as “horrible” or “nerdy” as many would think. There’s many worlds and stories that the industry brings for the public to enjoy. As there are many great aspects to the gaming world, there’s also plenty of responsibility that goes into exposing our family and friends to the games we play. Many of the violent and time-consuming habits that are formed are thanks to parents not being responsible enough to teach their children about how to handle the games they play. Hopefully in the future, the concept of gaming will be better understood and the negativity will die down.