Game On!
Most everyone has played a video game once in their life. Whether it’s a first person shooter or puzzles, your cousin Lisa or your Great Aunt Becky. Many play them on a regular basis (you know you do) and some even make it their occupation. This is the digital age after all, so it’s a given that video games are a part of many individuals’ lives. But, here lies the real question. Are video games more helpful or harmful to the human race?
Altough people of all ages play, the target demographic of video games is mainly people 18 years old or older. “There are 3.24 billion gamers across the world” and “…only 21% of them (players) are under 18 years old. Among the adult crowd, people between the ages of 18 and 34 make up the majority at 38%” (Jovanovic). Therefore, video games are typically more violent and visually disturbing, leading to aggressive behaviors in the game. This poses a problem for parents, as their children begin to gain interest in the gaming world as they grow older. These violent games show more problems than simply representation of violence and can have a negative effect on the way childrens’ brains develop. “Children who play violent games have shown an increase in emotional arousal as well as less activity in parts of the brain dedicated to self-control” (Pros and Cons of…). Of course there is an age rating on the packaging of these games, but regardless of that, childrens’ mental health is nothing to be messed with. While they may show increased aggression, it again is usually contained in the word of play. “Exhaustive studies prove that, across the board, violent video games do not lead to violent behavior” (Jovanovic).
Believe it or not, gaming can cause addiction. If you play, add up the hours you spend in front of the screen. The constant stimulation of dopamine due to accomplishing personal goals in games can lead to an attachment to always feeling this rush. “…3-4% of gamers worldwide were addicted to video games, meaning that there can be as many as 60 million people or more suffering” Not only can a person get addicted to this infatuation, they can also get psychological stress to tag along with it. “Gamers may suffer from low-self esteem, have social anxieties, or even suffer from depression” (Gaille). This paired with the addiction is a dangerous combination.
Along with the possibility of mental health problems, there is also an increased chance of sustaining physical injury when gaming. Hard to believe, right? Well, it’s possible despite what you may think. “56 percent of esports athletes experience eye fatigue. 42 percent report neck and back pain, 36 percent wrist pain, and 32 percent hand pain- but only 2 percent are likely to seek medical treatment” (Steinbach). Screen time, computers, phones and game systems, have lead to a surge in children needing prescription glasses (Gaille).
Your eyes aren’t the only thing that suffers. The repetitive process of playing games with your hands in a specific position can lead to serious damage. “One common example is carpal tunnel syndrome, which many gamers develop. Carpal tunnel syndrome, often seen in office workers, includes inflammation of a nerve in the wrist (see image below), which can cause pain and numbness” (Grinspoon). I have personal experience with hand and wrist discomfort from gaming. I would feel a tingling sensation shooting down my fingers and a throbbing pain in my wrist that only went away with rest. This was an early-onset carpal tunnel
injury. Luckily, I took action and reversed the damage and now have a solution to keep the injury at a distance. This just goes to show you that injuries are very common with gaming and can affect anyone.
(Image Source: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome…)
Gaming in the modern day is only becoming more costly. Gaming consoles are close to $600 and gaming computers are well within the range of thousands of dollars. Not to mention, all of the mainstream games are priced around a new total of $70 per game. Memberships like Playstation Plus and Xbox Live are paid monthly ($9.99/month) and are required in order to play online games. This jacks up the expenses even more than imagined.
Of course when there are negatives, there are always positives to go along with them.
The video game industry puts an immense amount of money into the economy, benefitting it greatly. “In 2021, total U.S. consumer spending on video game content amounted to a record 51.69 billion U.S. dollars, a significant increase from the 48.12 billion dollars in the preceding year” (Statista). Video game spending is only on the increase as well. The more monetary circulation in the video game industry, the more quality games get worked on and released. This only expands the total amount of gamers and money put into the economy. In all, video gaming puts, “347 billion US dollars into the economy each year” (Statista).
While gaming allows the chance of sustaining mental complications, they also have the chance of enhancing your brain. People who game are able to triumph over difficulties much easier. Video games improve the ability to comprehend and apply information in order to make rapid choices (Pros and Cons of…). Gamers’ exposure to making decisions frequently when playing allows them to hone these skills and apply them to everyday life. For example, when driving, people who regularly game have an increased ability to make quick decisions in order to stay safe/ out of harm’s way. This isn’t the only benefit however. Video games improve people’s hearing skills and amplify their “hand-eye coordination” (Pros and Cons of…). This applies to my example of driving as well. The surge in hand-eye coordination paired with the increase of rapid decision making will put you at an advantage on the road, keeping you and others drivers safe.
Over an extended period of time, gaming can lead to better eyesight. “Just playing 10 weeks of video games in moderation offers the opportunity to be able to distinguish between multiple shades of the same color” (Gaille). This fact seems pointless, but visual gains from playing video games can lead to even greater things. As an example, games can be used as a form of treatment. “For those with a lazy eye, using it without the aid of the normal eye while playing video games helped to normalize the affected eye” (Gaille). Just playing a video game over the span of 10 weeks can help correct a “drifting eye”.
There is also a life skill taught when playing video games in a multiplayer setting. “Video games are useful for teaching kids to work as a team” (Pros and Cons of…), which is a crucial skill to develop at a young age. It is equally as important to have this skill developed when entering the workforce in adulthood. Working together as one is a main part of the average occupation. Whether it’s on a construction site, in an office, or even in a group working together to better their company, there will always be that aspect of communication to get the job done. To go along with this, “The FAS released a report in 2010 saying games can teach interpretive analysis, problem solving, and other high-order thinking skills” (Pros and Cons of…). Put all of this together and there is an increased chance of success in the work field.
So back to the question, are video games more helpful or hurtful? I one-hundred percent support the use of video games in everyday life. I have played video games from a very young age and continue to do so as my main hobby. I can state with confidence that the life skills stated above apply to me. I have an above average ability to solve problems, and an increased ability to think critically. I give credit partially to playing video games my whole life. Now I’m not saying that the cons aren’t true. They most definitely are. My setup is extremely expensive since I play on a gaming PC. A ton of money and care has gone into it, but that doesn’t take anything away from gaming for me. It’s what I love to do, so every penny is worth it. As for the physical injury like carpal tunnel, I have to prevent it from happening by doing finger, wrist, and arm stretches. It’s a small price to pay to be able to enjoy gaming without the risk of injury. As for childrens’ exposure to violence, parents need to make the decision if their kid is ready enough to handle it without repercussions. In my opinion, the pros heavily outweigh the cons in almost every aspect. People should enjoy gaming for what it is and stop worrying so much about the possible consequences. Especially when they are only achieved through extensive playing. But, that’s just me. What do you think about the use of video games in everyday life?
