Can playing video games make you a better person?

For most people, playing video games is purely about entertainment. But there has been a growing number of studies that have suggested that video games could hold the key to helping individuals relax, improve sociability and even fight off some troubling afflictions. So the next time that somebody complains that you are playing too much Fortnite, let them know about some of the following reasons as to why a little video gaming could actually be good for you.

Improved hand-to-eye coordination

It may seem fairly obvious that you are going to need pretty good coordination skills in order to win fast-paced video games like Overwatch. A recent study from the University of Toronto that was published in the Human Movement Science journal found that those gamers who regularly played chaotic action games like Call of Duty were much quicker to learn new sensorimotor skills. The actual benefits of enhanced hand-to-eye coordination in regular life are up for debate. But it has already been suggested that such activities could prove to be invaluable for people with autism who often suffer from poor hand-to-eye coordination.

Boosted memory skills and concentration

Whilst classic arcade games like Space Invaders never used to tax the grey matter too much, as video games have advanced, they have required much more mental exertion from their players. From popular battle arena titles like League of Legends to complex puzzle games such as Monument Valley, it seems that developers are constantly pushing us to solve problems in our gameplay. As a result, there has been a growing amount of research that suggests that video games could help to boost our powers of memory. A study from the University of Cambridge that was included in the International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology hinted that brain-training games such as Game Show could help those afflicted with an early form of dementia improve their memory by as much as 40%. In addition to this, there are reports that as little as one hour’s gaming could greatly enhance an individual’s ability to focus. The study from the University of Arkansas that was published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience stated that one hour of playing League of Legends produced changes in the brain’s activity that enhanced something called visual selective attention. This refers to the ability to disregard certain distractions in order to greater focus on the more important information.

Enhanced sociability and cooperation

A quick look at titles like Counter Strike Global Offensive that are featured at the esports betting resource, esports.net, shows that many of the most popular games require a huge amount of cooperation between the players to get a winning result. This shows that video gaming has advanced from being a solitary affair, and instead requires a healthy dose of teamwork in order to succeed. Such trends were noticed by a team of researchers at the Columbia University who conducted a study that found that those children who regularly played video games often exhibited improved social cohesiveness and were actually better integrated into the community at their school. As video games like World of Warcraft have included gameplay that is based on real-life activities such as communicating and trading with other players, it has been suggested that these games could prove to be much more beneficial in later life than simple shoot-em-ups. Obviously, there is still plenty more research to be done, but for the moment it looks like video games could hold plenty of benefits to help us all become better people.