How many of us gamers, do you think, grew up treating the hobby like a vice? It’s a particularly stubborn stigma that has stuck even as gaming has become a mainstream hobby. The idea of video games as a harmful waste of time has been around since Mario was called Jumpman, and Pac-Man was a single bachelor. It doesn’t matter that decades of studies have proved time and time again that gaming is healthy and beneficial. No, the naysayers keep saying nay, and the guilt gamers feel is real.
Its a symptom of the times, probably. In today’s fast-paced culture, we are expected to be continuously productive and busy. The healthy sentiment ‘time you enjoy wasting is not wasted’ may be justification enough in a kinder, less competitive world. But ours is not that world. And so, many gamers grapple with guilt. Feeling that we’d be better off doing something more healthy.
Let’s dispel that myth once and for all. It’s time to ditch the guilt. The truth is, gaming is good for you—no doubt about it. The digital playground is a boot camp for the mind, a training ground for skills that can boost your wealth, health, and happiness. Let’s explore how every minute spent with a controller in hand is a minute invested in self-improvement.
Wealth
Gaming can provide a surprising financial education. Just think about it for a second. Nearly every game you play has an in-game economy, right? Collecting gold coins is about the most stereotypical video game activity there is. And learning how to spend those coins to improve your gameplay is a skill transferable to the real world. The ability to allocate resources efficiently and identify lucrative opportunities transfers into real-life budgeting and investing skills. Thanks to this, gamers are perhaps the best equipped to predict what is the next 1000x crypto, save for experts like Eliman Dambell, who help readers understand factors that influence a cryptocurrency’s ability to achieve 1000x growth.
If you find it hard to believe, consider the popular cozy game Stardew Valley. In it, players transform into agricultural entrepreneurs, balancing budgets, managing resources, and making strategic investments in their digital farms. Chasing the joy of a reaping bountiful harvest teaches the player a deep understanding of supply and demand, risk assessment, and long-term planning. Another excellent example is the Age of Empires franchise, which casts players as virtual empire builders. Players are tasked with managing economies, trading resources, and making calculated decisions about technological advancements. It’s a simplified but spot-on model of real-world macroeconomics.
Gamers who’ve mastered in-game economies tend to exhibit a knack for real-world financial management. And whose life can’t be improved by being better with money?
Health
Okay, you won’t improve your cardio playing Hearthstone or build bigger biceps from Fortnite. But gaming can improve the health of your body’s most vital component – the mind. Research shows that gaming can significantly enhance our cognitive abilities. It doesn’t take a genius to realize why. Gaming is a mental workout.
Videogames train concentration, a precious commodity these days. Fast-paced genres like racing games and shooters, in particular, demand unwavering attention, training the brain to filter distractions and maintain focus. Gamers often exhibit superior attention spans, setting them apart from the easily distracted masses. Thanks to this, gamers may perform better in exams or remain composed in stressful situations more easily.
Also, many games require lightning-fast reflexes and split-second decision-making. By dodging virtual bullets and outmaneuvering opponents, players develop heightened spatial awareness and hand-eye coordination. These skills can translate into real-world advantages, like improved performance in sports or driving more safely.
Finally, Puzzles, RPGs, and strategy games are effective for enhancing memory. This can positively impact academic performance, career success, and even help ward off age-related cognitive decline.
So obvious are the cognitive benefits that gaming is even proving useful in the field of medicine. Playing games has shown promise for pain management, stroke rehabilitation, and even PTSD treatment. It’s clear that gaming is more than just simple fun; it also has profound benefits for our well-being.
Happiness
63% of players report feeling happier after gaming. But that’s hardly a surprise; it’s a hobby after all. What is fascinating, however, is that studies indicate that gaming regularly cultivates lasting happiness. This is not just a pleasant bonus; it’s a real advantage. Research consistently shows that happier individuals are more resilient, make sounder decisions, and achieve greater success.
But why does gaming make you happier? First, lots of gamers cite playing as a way to manage their mental health. Gaming, for many, is an escape from stress – a much-needed mental break. Beyond this, the joy of regularly achieving in-game goals translates to increased confidence and a sense of accomplishment. This, in turn, reduces feelings of anxiety and depression.
Secondly, the social aspect of gaming is a key contributor to happiness. It’s no secret that social connection is vital for overall life satisfaction, and online gaming is amazing for connecting people. Nearly two-thirds of global players agree that video games have helped them form new friendships. By sharing their victories and collaborating on challenges, gamers are able to easily build fulfilling social networks, vital at a time when chronic loneliness is an epidemic.
The positive emotions brought about by gaming create a virtuous cycle: happier individuals tend to make better decisions, build stronger relationships, and achieve greater success in life.
Conclusion
It’s time to embrace gaming not as a guilty pleasure but as a valuable tool for enhancing our lives. Cynics have always criticized progressive pastimes. Even the philosopher Plato famously disparaged the youth of ancient Greece, claiming that their obsession with reading would ruin their memory. Man, did he miss the mark.
Perhaps, millennia from today, future humans will look at our attitudes towards gaming and wonder why we took such a powerful tonic for self-improvement and labeled it a poison.
Thankfully, modern attitudes are changing. Overwhelming evidence that gaming is healthy becomes harder to deny year after year. It’s encouraging to know that we are progressing into more enlightened times and that soon, gaming will not merely be accepted but encouraged. So go forth and game, it’s good for you.
