Video games are good for you

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Do you know what I didn’t do this morning? I didn’t run down the street, throw an old woman out of her car, take it for a joy ride then smash in windows with a baseball bat.

And yet, I’ve played Grand Theft Auto V.

Am I a miracle of modern science? Should I be tested in a lab, drained of bodily fluids to create an antidote to distribute to the masses? Of course not. The stigma associated with video games really is… well, it’s just bloody annoying.

Just because people slay zombies, shoot bad guys, punch monsters and drive irresponsibly in the virtual world, doesn’t mean it’s going to turn us into real world hooligans.

In fact, I’m going to be bold and say that I think video games are good for us.

Yeah, you heard.

Science, yo
I’m going to start of with some science if that’s OK.

Last year, a group of German researches published results of an experiment in which 23 adults with an average age of 25 played Super Mario 64 for 30 minutes a day for two months, while another group didn’t play any games at all.

Using an MRI machine, the gaming group were found to have a rise in grey matter in the right prefrontal cortex, cerebellum and hippocampus. These are the areas of the brain responsible for memory creation, fine motor skills and strategic planning.

Massive brain workout

I’m not saying that gaming turns you into a lightning-fast, strategic savant, but keeping your noggin on its toes can only be a good thing, especially as you get older.

Additional tests on brain-teasing games have also shown how they might help slow down the mental-ageing process, in a similar way to crosswords, sudoku and other activities that give your brain a work out.

None of these studies have actually definitively proven that a game a day should be added to your fruit and veg count of course, but they do show positive effects games may have on our minds. Speaking of which…

They’re fun
Hopefully you already knew this but video games are actually fun. Very fun. Who doesn’t like fun? Buzz Killington, that’s who. They’re also very good for stress.

There’s nothing like coming back home after a long day in the office, and losing yourself in a fantasy world in which you fight dragons, wield magical spells and buy tonnes of cheese wheels to roll down the side of a huge mountain, just because you can.

Video games are a form of escapism and there’s nothing wrong with that. Just as long as you’re not letting them take over your life.

Pro tip: If you’re beginning to smell, it’s time to put down the controller, take a shower and go smell the roses, if you’ve got any.

They’re social

Last night, I played Destiny for two hours with a French bloke living in Sweden, and a half Pole, half German person – both of whom I randomly teamed up with. We chatted about the usual stuff – nothing groundbreaking but it was just nice hanging around and relaxing while shooting up bad guys.

Throw in some real life mates (I have some, honest) and let the banter flow faster than the bullets. Just don’t insult anyone’s mother, OK?

Conclusion

As long as you’re sensible – meaning you shouldn’t let little Timmy play Super Sexy Zombie Killer XXXTREME 7 – videogames are a healthy, fun hobby with plenty of benefits.

Happy gaming.

The writer…

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About

Esat has been a gadget fan ever since his tiny four-year-old brain was captivated by a sound-activated dancing sunflower. From there it was a natural progression to a Sega Mega Drive, a brief obsession with hedgehogs, and a love for all things tech. After 7 years as a writer and deputy editor for Stuff, Esat ventured out into the corporate world, spending three years as Editor of Microsoft's European News Centre. Now a freelance writer, his appetite for shiny gadgets has no bounds. Oh, and like all good human beings, he's very fond of cats.