Did you know that there are currently approximately 3.09 billion video gamers around the world? That is a rise of 32 percent over the past seven years! Yes, the gaming industry has become one of the most competitive markets in the entertainment sector. And, believe it or not, while there are many who still believe that gaming is nothing more than a pointless distraction that leads to individuals becoming more hostile and unmotivated, many researchers have shown that gaming actually has some considerable benefits. Let’s discuss some of these, shall we?
Benefits of video games
Improved learning
Nowadays, video games are used in classrooms to teach students teamwork and analytic and decision-making skills. They also help make STEM subjects, languages, and history a lot more interesting and easier to grasp. Video games enable students to experience what it’s like to fail and how rewarding persistence can be. Children who become comfortable using technology at an early age will be better prepared for future careers, especially in light of continuous advancements in artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and augmented reality.
Patience
In video games, you have to play over and over again to see how far you can get. In role-playing games, you often have to fight the same monsters over and over to get better. Life requires that you’re able to suffer through short-term discomfort to achieve long-term gain or satisfaction, which playing video games helps you acquire. Whether it’s slogging through a series of tedious tasks at work, a mountain of homework, or saving enough for a trip, video games will teach you to persevere through habit and repetition—something that will serve you well.
Socialization
Contrary to popular belief, video games can actually help you develop some social skills. People frequently believe that playing them is a way to escape from reality. However, gaming is ideal for teaching social skills thanks to its interactive nature.
Studies show a connection between problem-solving abilities in video games and real-world problem-solving abilities. In fact, playing video games has been proven to help people communicate better. Because of the team-based approach many of them use, they help practice working with other players and negotiating, and they teach strategies and techniques for settling disputes.
It’s a risk-free approach to developing social skills—gamers don’t have to face any real-world repercussions. As players try out social interactions in this setting, they understand their own conduct as well as that of others a lot better.
Strategic thinking
Research actually shows that some video games can assist in enhancing mental agility and strategic thinking. They make people better able to think ahead, predict what might happen, and come up with a plan to reach goals. It’s like having a game plan for success—no wonder gaming is so popular.
Strategy games and puzzle games are timeless, and with mobile gaming, they’re reaching an even bigger crowd. Hardcore and casual gamers alike really enjoy gameplay that gets them thinking and strategizing—valuable life skills that make playing these games a no-brainer.
Observation skills
It’s important to keep an eye on what’s happening around you in a game. For example, if you’re a soldier on a battlefield, you need to be able to determine if an enemy is nearby. Observation skills are valuable life skills—they help you understand your surroundings better so that you can figure out what other people might be up to.
Enhancing your observational abilities enables you to hear more than just the spoken word, so you’ll be in a better position to make better decisions. You’ll feel calmer, happier, and more optimistic—being aware of your surroundings tends to have that effect. It’s also been shown that learning new things that are interesting can fill you with a sense of wonder, excitement, and awe.
Hand-eye coordination
The ability to coordinate your eyes and hands is crucial for any action in a video game, from controlling a character’s movement to just hitting a button. Naturally, if you’re good at this, you’ll also be good at certain video games. If you train your eyes and hands to work together, you won’t need to keep looking down to figure out what button to push.
Your ability to respond quickly will also increase. This is a useful ability in many contexts outside of gaming, including music, sports, and everyday life.
How to find people to play with
Playing with friends is a lot more fun than playing alone. However, if you have no one in your social circle that you can play with, have no fear. There are billions of people worldwide who play, so you may be able to find other gamers in a variety of settings online.
It’s important, however, to play in moderation and never let anyone new into your life without first verifying that they are who they claim to be. Nuwber makes this very simple—all you need is to enter the person’s phone number in the search bar, and you’ll receive all kinds of information about the owner of the number. You can also search Google and your friends’ social media profiles for a further understanding of who they are.
Keep in mind, though, that if you find that gaming is taking you to an unhealthy place where you neglect your career, your mental and physical health, and your friends and family, seek help immediately. You are becoming an addict, and nothing good can come from it.
Conclusion
Video games aren’t simply entertaining—they help develop abilities like socialization, patience, strategic thinking, observation skills, hand-eye cooperation, and even improve learning. And if you truly enjoy gaming, then you are very lucky, as there is nothing better than doing what you like, especially when it brings positive results.
Many believe that playing alone is very boring, so to make things more interesting, find some new friends to play with. You should, however, exercise caution around strangers, especially if you decide to meet in real life.
In general, gaming is a good opportunity to test your skills and become more skilled.
