When video games first hit the scenes, many people didn’t know what to make of them. For most, they were little more than toys made for children. Others believed video games to be dangerous. Over the years, however, society’s view of games has changed drastically.
Today, most people understand that video games are just another form of entertainment. They are made for adults, children, and anything in between in the 21st century. However, a lot of research has been poured into what effect video games have on people. It seems it is mostly positive.
Decision Making Under Pressure
For most of gaming’s history, the goal of games has been to challenge the player with difficult gameplay and mechanics. Recently, some developers have attempted to shift the focus on story-telling. But, the heavy gameplay games still remain popular, if Elden Ring and the Dark Souls trilogy is anything to go by.
The difficult gameplay often results in players having to make split-moment decisions, while under incredible pressure. When you are facing off a big boss and one wrong move can lead to a Game Over screen, you always have to think a few steps ahead. That is why gamers excel at making tough decisions while under pressure.
This skill also comes in handy when gamers are attending online casinos. Research has shown that gamers are much more likely to visit internet gambling sites, rather than land-based establishments. If we think about it, it makes sense. After all, online casinos feel much more like video games.
Of course, the similarities between gambling and gaming end at the feeling. Most video games are skill-based, whereas the games most familiar when it comes to casino sites are all luck-based, or at least mostly revolve around getting lucky. Still, gamers seem to enjoy spinning reels, just as much as they enjoy fast-paced action.
Hand-Eye Coordination
One of the most important skills that humans have is hand-eye coordination. The phrase refers to our ability to coordinate eye movement to hand movement, and process that visual input quickly. Hand-eye coordination is a useful skill in a number of different walks of life, including cooking, exercise, cleaning, and even some expert fields like surgery.
Researchers have poured a lot of hours into exploring the benefits of gaming, and among the first discoveries was that video games can help coordination, particularly, hand-eye coordination. This is especially true for action games, first-person shooters, and adventure RPGs, where players have to spot the enemy or the obstacles in the distance and react accordingly. Even racing games can greatly improve hand-eye coordination.
The discovery that video games affect hand-eye coordination was a big deal, as it showed not just that video games have this capability, but that humans can, indeed, improve the skill. Thanks to the realization, doctors and psychologists can now help people who may lack these motor skills, and some have even recommended playing fast-paced games as a treatment.
Spatial Awareness
One of the most popular sub-genre of gaming is the, so-called, Metroidvania game. A portmanteau of Metroid and Castlevania, Metroidvania games combine elements from these two classics of gaming, and create a new and exciting genre. A staple of Metroidvania games is the retraceable map. Basically, the player has to travel all over the map, discovering new rooms as they level up.
As one could imagine, this requires a lot of spatial awareness. Remembering what room was where, and what tool would best serve in which situation is an important aspect of spatial awareness, and in order to successfully play these games without getting frustrated, you all but need to remember details like these. But, we don’t want to make it seem like Metroidvania games are the only ones that help with spatial awareness.
Indeed, RPGs, MOBA games, multiplayer FPS games, and more are quite beneficial in helping players improve their spatial awareness, as they have to be able to navigate the map, and find the best spots for ambush attacks, and defense. Of course, in order to get the best out of these maps, you will need a top-tier gaming monitor, that can perfectly render the high-quality graphics in 2024.
Spatial awareness is, self-evidently, a useful skill in real life. Being aware of our surroundings can help us navigate neighborhoods that we’ve not experienced before, and can help us better understand maps when we are traveling abroad. It is, in essence, one of the most useful skills for a person that enjoys hiking, running, jogging, walking, or traveling.
Teamwork & Collaboration
In 2024, multiplayer gaming is incredibly popular. A lot of multiplayer games allow players to head down their own path, and fly solo. However, the true joy of multiplayer gaming is joining a guild, fighting alongside friends, and working together in order to achieve greater goals. The key word here is working together.
If you are playing massively multiplayer online battle arena games (MOBA) like League of Legends, DOTA, or Smite, or MMORPGS like Final Fantasy 14, World of Warcraft, or Guild Wars 2, then you’ve certainly interacted with a group of people in-game, that share the same goal. Anyone will tell you that, the way to win in these games is to build a balanced party.
However, a balanced party can’t do much, if the players don’t work together. Teamwork and collaboration are the two pieces of the puzzle called victory. So, in essence, gamers must put aside any differences that they might have, if they want to defeat the major boss, or take the enemy headquarters.
Hopefully, we don’t have to explain why teamwork and collaboration is an important skill. Teamwork is the cornerstone on which most businesses are made of. If you can work together with people, then, you will almost certainly be successful at any job, profession, or career you choose to pursue. Video games can help players get just a bit of experience in the field of teamwork, and teach them what it’s like to work with like-minded, as well as difficult people.
Leave a Reply