From Mario Kart to Fortnite, video games are a hugely popular pastime for kids and adults alike. As more studies examine the effects of video games on our lives, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the interactive element of this art form has numerous benefits on our personal development. Games that used to be dismissed as “mindless entertainment” actually instill valuable skills in those who play them. Let’s take a look at some of the positive effects gaming can have.
Importance Of Video Games
Concentration
Most video games take dozens of hours to complete if they’re ever complete at all! A study from the University of Wisconsin showed that kids who are diagnosed with ADHD can manage to focus on a video game for hours at a time. The interactive nature of the games channels their concentration in a way that most other activities don’t. As those kids grow, they learn to view the world through the lens of a video game and can improve their concentration in other areas of life.
Teamwork
Some of the most popular games, like World of Warcraft or League of Legends, require gamers to utilize teamwork to climb the leaderboards. Gathering together a team, organizing an attack, and executing a successful campaign all takes extreme levels of coordination in a digital world. Often, this teamwork doesn’t even occur in the same room. Because players may be in remote locations, the teamwork skills learned through video games are increased by the hardship that must be overcome by lack of same-room communication. This can come in handy for remote employees, college students, and even long-distance couples!
Resourcefulness
In many video games, it’s critical to not let any of your resources go to waste. Battle Royale games like Fortnite or Black Ops 4 PC drop players onto a map and forces them into a mad dash to find weapons and useful equipment. As the game progresses, players must use what they’ve gathered in the most strategic manner. This mindset is a particularly useful skill for managing money. When you see your resources as finite, such as you do in a game, you’re more likely to use them wisely. That attitude can transfer over to the player’s bank account and other aspects of their lives where resourcefulness can make a big difference.
Leadership
No matter how old you are, it can be intimidating to take charge and be the leader in a group. Video games help players establish leadership skills and gain confidence in their ability to delegate tasks to others. It can also help with conflict resolution, motivating teammates toward a certain goal, and managing different schedules—all things that can be applied in business, school, and personal relationships. Leading your group of friends to victory in New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe could translate to effectively leading your sales team at work to a high success rate!
Art appreciation
Video games have come a long way since Pong. The graphics can be stunning, the storytelling capabilities impeccable, and the interactive elements truly a stroke of genius. For players who might not otherwise be interested in classical forms of art, video games can inspire a love of and appreciation for the arts. When they derive so much joy out of something so beautiful and thoughtful, it makes them realize just how important art is for society to flourish. Perhaps an appreciation for video games will inspire a career in the arts or at least get players involved in fighting for art education in schools!
Multi-tasking
In any given game, you could be running through a digital landscape, fighting off competitors, gathering new resources, and keeping tabs on your health—all at the same time! This level of multi-tasking is a major life skill that can be applied in many other personal and professional settings. Several studies have shown that people who frequently play video games are able to maintain high levels of productivity even when constant distractions threaten their attention levels.
Business Smarts
While most avid players won’t become professional gamers, video games have become an incredibly lucrative way for some people to make money. Youtube, Twitch.tv, and other video platforms allow fans to watch their favorite gamers take a whack at new releases. If they have a high level of business savvy, pro players can generate ad revenue and even rake in fan donations for their gaming skills! Even for the majority of players who don’t go pro, video games can teach valuable lessons about persuasion and communication, which always have a use in the real world!
The next time someone disparages video games as rotting your brain, make sure to point out all the life skills this wonderful artform can impact on players!
Great article and I agree! I think there was a research done somewhere that concluded that video games also improve problem solving skills, quick thinking and reflexes. Pretty interesting stuff, need to find the source!
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