People often believe that video games are bad for the brain, eyesight, and whatnot. But is that the truth? Or is there more to it? The gaming industry is rapidly growing, and some video games have mind-blowing budgets.
So, why are they so popular? Can they make you smarter? Or are they just a way to ruin your eyes? Well, we will find out. Here, we will discuss all the things that may happen to those who play video games.
Video Game Stereotypes
Video games are old. They have been around for quite a while. The first games were quite basic, and they used an oscilloscope instead of a display. As you can probably guess, they weren’t as popular as they are today. The biggest change came with Atari, and later with the first PlayStation. Earlier PCs weren’t capable of playing video games, but as games started becoming more and more popular, companies started focusing on different devices, genres, and so on.
Today, you can play a game on nearly anything. You can use consoles like PlayStation or Xbox, Stadia, Nintendo Switch, smartphones, PCs, and so on. A lot of things have changed since the forties, but some remained the same. There are still so many people who believe that video games are harmful and that they will do more harm than good.
There are so many stereotypes you can hear today. You probably heard some of them, like, that video games affect your sight, that people spending hours on games will go blind (or close to it). The most common discussion in the world is that video games cause violence. There are so many games with guns, shooting, and fighting, and people are convinced that it will cause children to be more violent. And that’s rubbish. It isn’t different from movies, novels, and any other media.
In reality, video games can be beneficial for both children and adults. But people are always afraid of things they don’t understand. They follow inertia, and it wasn’t long ago when people were afraid of electricity or cars.
Researchers and Scientists Say Otherwise
For the past couple of decades, scientists have been trying to discover the effects of video games and what will happen to children who are exposed to them at an early age. As it turns out, video games are beneficial for brain functions and problem-solving. Naturally, it depends on the type of game a person is playing, but more on that later.
One of the first things you might notice is improved coordination. People often believe that children are only staring at the screen, but they are improving their coordination. Regardless of the game they play, there is always something that they need to do in order to progress or finish the game.
Some games have puzzles or riddles the player needs to solve before they can continue. That will force children to think about the task at hand and improve their problem-solving skills. A similar thing can apply to concentration and focus. While there are games that you can play on auto-pilot, the majority of video games will require you to complete a certain task. That means that you’ll need to concentrate.
Since video games will often follow a story, you will get an excellent chance to learn more about a specific topic. For those living in a non-English speaking country, they might improve their knowledge and learn a second language. Some games will allow you to change the language, featuring localization in French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, and German.
Genres and Video Game Benefits
Let’s talk about specific games, types, and how they might affect the player. Shooting video games like the “Call of Duty” series are an excellent way for the player to improve their reaction speed. There are so many things happening at the same time, and they will need to move around, hide, shoot, and anything else necessary to survive.
On the other hand, if they decide to play action games, the focus will be somewhere else. A perfect example is the “Tomb Raider” series. The game follows Lara Croft, a young archaeologist in search of truth, secrets, and knowledge. The player will encounter riddles from time to time, they will need to think about each problem, and they might learn a lot. Even if we take a look at the newer series with “Shadow of the Tomb Raider,” the game is still filled with facts about ancient civilizations, mythology, and secrets.
Of course, action video games or action-adventure are just one of many genres available. RPG (role-play games) are often focusing on the story, which will help players with memory, enhance multitasking skills, and so on. The player will need to follow different stats like the health bar, armor, enemy level, mini-map, and so on.
Thanks to the faster internet connection and LAN connection, people are able to play with others on the same network. Today, you can even talk to other people while playing the same game. That can significantly improve one’s social skills. Many people enjoy online games, and they consider it to be a social activity.
You can find a game for any possible genre, and each will be able to improve different parts of a person’s life. Video game players can improve their cognitive skills and achieve so much more during their gaming sessions.
Summary
So, the final question is whether the game will make someone smarter. Well, no. Playing games won’t make you smarter, but it will help you with many different things. Think of it as going to the gym, but for gray matter. It might serve you as an exercise for your brain that will help you think faster, solve puzzles, etc.