Why We Should All Be Gaming
Good news for gamers: Your parents were wrong about video games. The general consensus now is that they are good for you. You’ve probably heard this already; it was covered on this site years ago. Yet if you’re still not gaming and still convinced that it is bad for you, here are the top reasons you should be. Everyone should be gamers now.
Games Reduce Stress and Pain
“stress” (CC BY 2.0) by bottled_void
An influential study from the US, published in 2010, concluded that both men and women who play violent video games consistently seem to be able to adopt mental skills to handle stress. Researchers also concluded that gamers are less likely to become depressed and get hostile during stressful tasks. This research was completed by medical professionals, with examples such as SnowWorld, where a burn patient played a Virtual Reality (VR) 3D snowball fighting game while being operated on. With the game, he thought about the pain less than 25% of the time. But without the game, he thought about the pain 75% of the time.
Other VR gaming treatments include SpiderWorld (to help people face their arachnophobia) and Dirty Bathroom (that assists people with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder).
We’re continually faced with more and more pressures in life and things that can trigger stress and anxiety. Playing video games is a great way to unload the demands of everyday life. And do something that you enjoy just for the sake of enjoying it.
Gaming Could Be Rewarding
“Roulette” (CC BY 2.0) by Sonny Side Up!
For many people getting paid for something you consider to be fun is the dream. For most of us, it remains just that though – a dream. But nowadays there have never been more ways to potentially make money playing video games. Not all the options are going to make you rich (you shouldn’t give up the day job just yet), but they are certainly viable money makers available.
Playing games at online casinos is one possible option, whether it’s with a traditional casino game like poker or a more modern video slots. The game choices available and the selection of payment options, such as using bitcoins to play slots online, have made online casino gaming more and more mainstream. There are no guarantees that you’ll make money and you should always remember to bet responsibly and be aware of the risk of losing, but casino games are a fun way to possibly earn some capital.
Game testing is another way to earn a little extra cash, but it might not be as fun as it sounds. You infrequently get to play games you’re interested in and most of your time could be spent hunting for programming bugs.
Creating walkthroughs or reviews means that you are able to select games that interest you and there’s potential for YouTube earnings. The downside is the high barrier to entry in this market. It will take time to gain traction in the gaming and vlogging community.
There are a few other options to earn some cash through gaming such as farming, selling characters or even competing in eSports tournaments. But these options are for the more professional gamer.
They Make You Socialise
“esports” (CC BY 2.0) by sam_churchill
Social gaming, with its emphasis on friends and community, is seeing tremendous growth and it’s not surprising that a social scene has mushroomed. In 2015, it was projected that the social online games market in the United States was worth $1.97billion and sources predict this figure to surpass $2.4billion by 2020.
Gone is the stereotypical isolated gamer, jammed in his bedroom and fenced in by pizza boxes. Games like Halo and World of Warcraft are frequently played in groups, with players wearing headsets for communication and collaboration across the internet. When your alliance works together to earn a victory in a game, your sense of achievement is higher than with a solo success. All of this is said to elevate your self-esteem, and being part of a team and making new friends is argued to help with depression.
So, video games can have a positive effect on your mental wellbeing, your bank balance and your social life. There are other benefits not mentioned such as hand-eye coordination, brain development and physical health – with games that promote movement. But there should be enough here to convince you to pick up that controller or grab that joystick and join the millions of others who find gaming does them the world of good.