Video Games: A Necessary Evil

Whenever I reminisce about the kind of life I lived during my teen days, I cannot but wonder how I grew up to be a totally different person. Back then, I use to love video games so much so that I will rather go hungry than move away from the screen of the game I am playing. I remember vividly how I saved up the money meant for my daily lunch in order to buy 'ending man' and play super Mario.

Also, I once diverted money meant for my coaching into playing Fifa when Playstation I was freshly out. Gone are those days, and thanks to the Hive blockchain. A large percentage of my free time is now being consumed by the blockchain. If I am not actively reading and curating content, I will be creating one. Of course, I am into rabona game, but that is not just the same. Right?

Ordinarily, my idea of unwinding after a long day would be being in comfortable pajamas, a bowl of popcorn on the table, and a controller in my hand winding down the clock while kicking ass in a RPG or PES/Fifa. Quite a number of people enjoy playing video games, as they are fun and competitive.

^{4k gaming wallpaper}

However, video games seem to be mainly portrayed as a waste of time and a distraction by most parents as they are quite addictive and many of them involve violence. Looking on the positive side, we will find out that video games offer many benefits when played in moderation. I have done a bit of research and below are some of the positive effects of playing video games!

Video games can improve creativity

Most video games are filled with unreal events. For example, car racing games where crashing a car thrice does not stop it from working. Watching and controlling events that are beyond reality can help broaden one's creative skills and improve the cognitive ability of an individual.

This is why many writers report that they get over their writer’s block just by playing video games for a few minutes. The unusual characters and environment usually found in Video games can help to improve a child’s imagination so that they learn to think out of the box.

Video games can help relieve stress.

As video games tend to be a great distraction, they also in a way serve as an effective way to get rid of stress- emotionally or mentally. When stressed out, a couple of hours playing a regular video game will leave you feeling a lot better - as research has found.

When we spend time gaming, dopamine – a hormone, which makes us feel happy - is released into the bloodstream. This alone can serve as a great mood brightener and improve your overall mental health. Therefore, the next time you feel a little stressed, be sure to put in your favourite video game and unwind for a bit!

Video games can help create bonding time

Whether you are trying to bond with a child, friend, parent, or even your partner, video games are a great way to catalyze the bond. The competitive nature of the games and the teamwork they require can help to form beautiful and lasting friendships. These games can also be found in arcades so it will be a great idea to stop by one on your next hangout with friends.

Video games are useful for building thinking skills and logic

Most games are designed to keep their players hooked. What better way is there to do this than to keep them engaged, and absorbed? Engaging them must involve creating challenges that a player must overcome to move on to the next level. This is where the thinking comes in. The player’s brain must come up with ways to overcome these challenges usually within a short period. Over time, players become much smarter and develop better-thinking skills.

Video games help train us to multitask

I have seen a lot of movie scenes where teenagers have to yell back answers to their parents while playing a video game but this is not what I mean here. While playing games like “call of duty” where teamwork is key, a player has to be great at multitasking.
There are many times during the game where you have to protect your weaponless team members and figure out how to remain focused on your game plan. You also never know when the opposition might strike out so there is a need to be able to fight back and move on with the game at the same time. Focusing on doing these things at the same time can help you become great at multi-tasking.

Increase in social activity

Have you ever experienced a meeting of two gamers? If you have not, go add it to your bucket list. The shared love of gaming is usually a great way to kick start lifelong friendships. Most gamers gain a lot of joy from talking about their gaming achievement and treasures they have gathered from playing the same game. I have watched this played out a couple of times in OCD Discord server where @acidyo and other Hive users chat excitedly about their experiences in games. If a new user who happens to be a gamer joins the server, he/she will bound easily by bringing up game-related topics.

Gamers can also form friendships and make new connections while playing multi-player games on the internet. This can even be a more fun way of having a pen pal.

Helps with weight loss!

Recently, new video games have been introduced. The fantasy world of virtual reality gaming is even more vivid and engaging than playing with a controller. With virtual reality, one is thrown into an entirely new world. This is due to its use of 3-d visuals. Virtual reality gaming includes more physical activity than regular gaming so it is likely to help your burn down some calories.

Useful for getting rid of depression

Depression is an advanced form of sadness that causes a person to feel continually moody and disinterested in regular activities. When playing video games, we are literally drawn into a different environment. This is extremely helpful as it helps us get out of our minds for some time. Being able to forget your problems for a while and engaging your mind in a non-stressful activity like gaming will leave you feeling refreshed. The euphoria that winning a game gives you is also great for brightening your mood. If you see a depressed person, find them a video game.

^{children playing video games}

Helps to increase attention span

It is common for children to get bored when stuck with a regular routine. However, when they are given a task which they find fun, they are able to remain focused for a long while. Video games can serve as a way to help children develop a longer attention span as they gradually get used to focusing on one thing at a time. This increase in their attention span could even lead to them getting better grades over time which really, is quite ironic.

Final words

Do you still have reservations about the positive sides of playing video games? Perhaps you need to try it out. It is apparent that video games offer quite a number of benefits. Hence, next time you pass by an arcade, be sure to pop in and try out a few games. Will you?