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Why Video Games are Beneficial

Introduction

The debate about whether playing video games are beneficial or detrimental has been there for a long time since the days of Space Invaders and Pong. It is rather unfortunate that most people assume that video games are behind many physical and mental problems despite lacking scientific evidence to back the claims. As some people say, it is human nature to put blame on something whenever a problem arises, and video games are an easy target. As technology continues advancing, game developers have started creating more fresh content and every day, there seem to be new video games emerging. The positive effects associated with playing video games are numerous and they encourage people to keep playing video games. On the contrary, people who do not enjoy playing video games argue that they make people lazy and ruin their social lives. This essay delves into the benefits of video games, including improved vision, better problem-solving skills, improved mood, improved manual dexterity, and enhanced physical fitness.

Improved Vision

One of the reasons why playing video games is beneficial is that it helps in boosting vision. As long as a person does not sit two feet away from the screen for a prolonged time, like 10 hours, playing video games actually helps in improving vision (Gupta, 9). In a recent study, ten male students who were not gamers and ten male gamers were trained in first-person action games for 30 hours, and results compared. The outcome was that students that played video games were better placed to view objects in cluttered spaces more clearly than those who were not gamers. The student gamers had better spatial resolution. The explanation is that student gamers managed to train their brain cells to see even the smallest details because the details turned out to be important for completing each game.

Better Problem-Solving Skills

Another benefit of video games is that they contribute to better problem-solving skills. Mission-based, multi-level, and open-world games are developed to look like complex puzzles, which at times take hours to solve. Sometimes, the solution is based on the person’s actions playing the game. The experience makes players learn how to think on their feet and come up with strategies in a fast-paced environment. Such skills can be beneficial if translated into real-life situations. According to a 2013 long-term study, children that play strategy-based video games tend to show improvements in skills relating to solving problems which makes them score better games in their academics (Halbrook, Aisling, O’Donnell, & Rachel, 1097). As such, parents should encourage their children to play video games to help them become better problem solvers.

Improved Manual Dexterity

Another benefit of video games is that they boost a person’s ability to complete tasks with their hands. Particularly computer-based games are helpful when it comes to improving the dexterity of the hands. According to research involving a group of surgeons, those who played video games were found to perform advanced procedures faster than surgeons who did not. Further, the research found that the doctors who played video games committed fewer mistakes by 37% than those who did not. Special video games are also used during physical therapy to assist victims in gaining control of their wrists and hands.

Improved Mood

Playing video games helps in boosting mood. Video games are a good way to unwind and relax. According to a 2013 study conducted by the American Psychological Association, simple and short video games such as angry birds helps make people feel happier and boost their mood (Kyriazis and Elisavet, 23). Video games are deeply immersive and complex and can be rather therapeutic for the layers. When playing video games, the player tends to be fully riveted in digital work. For a moment, they do not have to worry about life pressures such as paying bills or going to work. Playing video games is an ideal way of giving the brain a break from usual the stress and anxiety of day-to-day life.

Physical Fitness

Video games also contribute to the physical fitness of the player. While the positive effect has little to do with the brain, it is an important benefit that is worth mentioning. With the surfacing of various fitness games, working out is getting easy while at the same time one is playing a video game. Video games such as Dance Revolution and Wiifit need the participant to get up and stay active. Such video games are of benefit to the players’ health and are a good way of breaking a sweat without necessarily going to the gym. The most dominant significance of video games that are exercise-focused is that they change how people think about staying active. Such fitness games are a fun way of exercising, and they provide an easy way of staying in shape.

Counterargument and Refutation

Video Games Make People Lazy and Impact Social Life

People who oppose playing video games say that they make people lazy and negatively impact their social lives. This issue has been debated widely, and naysayers insist that they lead to isolation and poor social skills. While it is true that excessive playing of video games may lead to negative social impacts, playing video games moderately helps in reducing anxiety and improving social skills. Players tend to take on imaginary personas, albeit in a virtual setting, when playing video games. They are free to try out social interactions that teach them excellent social behavior skills. Video gamers who struggle with anxiety in social settings are free and comfortable to practice social interactions when playing video games without worrying about the consequences in real life. Such video players are confident when they interact with other people in the actual world. Essentially, video games provide the perfect social settings for gamers. Moreover, 70% of people that play video games often play them with a friend. Moreover, the video game community is huge. With the presence of modern technology, video players have a way to interact with millions of people across the world simultaneously (Wang, Laramie, and Qiusi, 4075). Being part of virtual worlds for players encourages cooperation and communication, translating into real-life interactions. As such, playing video games is not as detrimental as most people paint it to be.

Conclusion

In closing, playing video games is beneficial as it contributes to improved vision and better problem-solving skills. Playing video games also boosts the players’ manual dexterity, improves their mood, and boosts physical fitness. While naysayers posit that excessive playing of video games renders them lazy and negatively impacts their social life, playing video games in moderation has been found to reduce anxiety and improve social skills. Considering the various benefits of playing video games, it is only right that parents encourage their children to play video games but in moderation. Parents should monitor the number of hours their children spend playing video games to ensure that it does not interfere with their productivity or social Life.

Works Cited

Gupta, Arnav, et al. “Can video games enhance surgical skills acquisition for medical students? A systematic review.” Surgery (2021).

Halbrook, Yemaya J., Aisling T. O’Donnell, and Rachel M. Msetfi. “When and how video games can be good: A review of the positive effects of video games on well-being.” Perspectives on Psychological Science 14.6 (2019): 1096-1104.

Kyriazis, Marios, and Elisavet Kiourti. “Video games and other online activities may improve health in ageing.” Frontiers in medicine 5 (2018): 8.

Wang, Bingqing, Laramie Taylor, and Qiusi Sun. “Families that play together stay together: Investigating family bonding through video games.” New Media & Society 20.11 (2018): 4074-4094.