Gaming Benefits

The Study

According to a scientific study that analysed users’ wellness using industry data from gaming firms, playing live games can improve your mental health and make you happier. The impacts of playing two popular video games, Nintendo’s “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” and Electronic Arts’ “Plants versus Zombies: Battle for Neighborville,” were studied at the University of Oxford. It was discovered that the amount of time spent playing the games was linked to participants stating that they were happier. The research used data and survey responses from 518 “Plants vs. Zombies” players and 2,756 “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” players.

The producers of the games volunteered anonymised data about people’s playing habits, and researchers polled those gamers individually about their happiness. This was the first time that video game developers shared their data with academics for significant research on the influence of video games. It comes after years of debate over the impact of video games on young people’s mental health. In addition, the experiences of competence and social connection with others provided by the games, according to the researchers, may have influenced the outcomes.

Some individuals have been concerned that playing video games may lead to poor physical and mental health for almost as long as they have existed. However, these anxieties have been increasingly intense in recent months. Parents and legislators have long debated what to do about video games, but a new study may offer an unexpected answer. According to the study, playing video games for lengthy amounts of time is not objectively harmful to one’s health. Instead, other factors typically play a role in gaming being an unpleasant experience for certain people.

Another intriguing finding of this research was that the amount of time spent playing games was a favourable influence on people’s happiness. This suggests that people who played four hours of games every day were often happier than those who played one hour. So, what does this imply for the industry? It could suggest that lawmakers and health policymakers are more lenient toward video games in general and that parents are more forgiving when advising their children to go outside.

What else can video games help?

Reading – According to studies, school children who play video games may benefit from a minor boost in their reading abilities. This is true even for children who have difficulty reading and when they play action games. Researchers believe this occurs because children must decipher text instructions to play. There’s also a sense of enjoyment. Kids who are hesitant to open a traditional book may rush to read the newest news on their favourite game on a website or internet forum.

Problem Solving – Every video game has a problem at its core. Some games, such as Space Invaders, can be mindless. Many others, though, from puzzles and mysteries to administering virtual towns or empires, provide children with the opportunity to tackle an issue and work to solve it. According to several studies, children who play these video games develop in planning, organisation, and flexibility of thought.

Creativity – There’s a lot of room for imaginative play when kids are young, from LEGO to dolls to make-believe. However, society occasionally frowns on that type of play among tweens and teens. Video games allow children to continue their imaginative play. There’s also some evidence that games help people think creatively. Twelve-year-old gamers were asked to sketch, tell tales, ask questions, and make predictions as part of one study. All of the children showed a high level of creativity and curiosity.

Visual Skills – Many games, such as Minecraft, are set in three-dimensional virtual landscapes that children must navigate. Unfortunately, there’s also no GPS or smartphone map app to guide you. As a result, children who play these games have the opportunity to improve their visual-spatial skills. This can help you perceive distance and space better.

Social Skills – In real life, some children struggle to fit in and make friends. Video games can be a haven for kids to connect with positive people. Games provide virtual playdates with real-life friends in our hectic lives. Video games also give the students something to discuss at school. Games, like sports and music, are now common topics of conversation among children. Gaming interests might assist children who are having difficulty coming up with conversation subjects.

Manual Dexterity – Games using controllers might be beneficial to your hands. Researchers discovered that surgeons who played video games were faster at completing sophisticated procedures and made 37% fewer mistakes than those who didn’t. Particular video games have also been used to help stroke victims regain control of their hands and wrists as physical therapy.

Many people consider video games as simplistic or the domain of couch potatoes, but did you realise that many aspects of these virtual worlds real-world applications? The following are some of the advantages of video games for both youngsters and adults:

Brain stimulation that is good for you
Problem-solving abilities are improved
De-stressing