Gaming sometimes receives unjust criticism as being unhealthy, pointless and a waste of money, when that cannot be further from the truth. You see, there are actually a lot of benefits that you can experience from playing games.
If you have a hard time believing this, then this article is for you. There are various benefits of playing games from all sorts of different aspects:
Socialization
This may come as a surprise, but playing computer games can actually make you more social. You may picture a lot of gamers being antisocial and staying indoors with no one to talk to, but that is not necessarily the case.
Most games are online and require interaction with other players - especially with competitive games like shooters, you need to be able to talk to your team. In many of cases, this leads to making some new friends online and potentially future in person meetings.
Although nothing beats face-to-face interaction, you can still feel social when talking to people online, and joining a match in any popular online game - you’ll be sure to hear a few people talking and having a chat.
Improved Problem Solving
Playing games helps activate areas in the brain and can improve your cognitive abilities in many ways. One of the most noticeable elements is the ability playing games has on your problem-solving and logical thinking.
This may be considered quite obvious given the large number of puzzle style games in circulation, but for other games, you may not even realize that you are 'doing a puzzle'. Many Super Mario games involve puzzles, and games like Tomb Raider, Portal, Angry Birds and Limbo are considered puzzle games that can help overall cognitive functioning.
Better Multitasking
Being able to multitask effectively is probably one of the most useful skills that someone can have, and playing certain games can help improve your multitasking abilities a little more than others. A good example of a multitasking game is Mini Metro, where your goal is to create an entire subway system that relies on some quick thinking and planning.
First person shooters also are great for multitasking, since you have to keep track of things like your health, ammo, abilities and where other enemies may be around the map.
Physical Activity (with certain consoles)
Virtual reality is a growing industry, with more and more people having access to the amazing technology every day. Thanks to VR headsets, and also consoles like the Nintendo Wii, we are able to enjoy playing video games while also being active.
The Nintendo Wii, released in 2006 was probably the most common console that promoted the use of physical gameplay. With the remote and nunchuck, you are able to interact with the world of the video game with your own movement.
Later on, Microsoft released the Kinect for Xbox, although it did not have nearly as much success as Nintendo. Nowadays, all the rage is being able to step into a purely immersive alternate reality thanks to VR headsets.
Lots of sports and fitness games are available with the previously mentioned consoles. In fact, you may be familiar with Nintendo’s Wii Fit - a game that was designed to help people stay in shape.
Improved Eyesight
Believe it or not, playing video games can help your eyesight in a few ways. But keep in mind that having too much screen time is a bad thing too.
When we say “improved eyesight” we really mean that your eyes learn to pick up small details and use peripheral vision more often. This is especially true with first person shooters, where you need to spot enemies in the distance and detect small movements and changes throughout the game.
Since your peripheral vision is improved by playing certain games, you can expect better performance in tasks like driving.
Ensure you're taking adequate breaks though, as too much time in front of a screen can make your vision blurry and lead to some irritation and dryness. You may also be familiar with the fact that too much screen time can give some annoying headaches.
Conclusion
Playing computer games can come with a lot of benefits, and many people are completely unaware of them. Here is a quick recap of some of the most noticeable benefits of playing computer games:
- By playing puzzle games, you are able to improve your problem-solving skills.
- Certain fast-paced games allow you to train your multitasking skills
- You are able to socialize with others online
- You can improve your eyesight and peripheral vision
- You can get physical activity by playing VR
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