Video games are good for you!

Two young men playing a video game with excited expressions

You know all those people that told you that video games are bad for you? They were wrong. Read this to find out more.

Instructions

Do the preparation exercise first. Then read the text and do the other exercises.

Reading

Video games are good for you!

For years video games have been criticised for making people more antisocial, overweight or depressed. But now researchers are finding that games can actually change us for the better and improve both our body and mind.

Games can help to develop physical skills. Pre-school children who played interactive games such as the ones available on Wii have been shown to have improved motor skills, for example they can kick, catch and throw a ball better than children who don’t play video games. A study of surgeons who do microsurgery in Boston found that those who played video games were 27 per cent faster and made 37 per cent fewer errors than those who didn't. Vision is also improved, particularly telling the difference between shades of grey. This is useful for driving at night, piloting a plane or reading X-rays.

Games also benefit a variety of brain functions, including decision-making. People who play action-based games make decisions 25 per cent faster than others and are no less accurate, according to one study. It was also found that the best gamers can make choices and act on them up to six times a second, four times faster than most people. In another study by researchers from the University of Rochester in New York, experienced gamers were shown to be able to pay attention to more than six things at once without getting confused, compared with the four that most people can normally keep in mind. Additionally, video games can also reduce gender differences. Scientists have found that women who play games are better able to mentally manipulate 3D objects.

There is also evidence that gaming can help with psychological problems. At the University of Auckland in New Zealand, researchers asked 94 young people diagnosed with depression to play a 3D fantasy game called SPARX and in many cases, the game reduced symptoms of depression more than conventional treatment. Another research team at Oxford University found that playing Tetris shortly after exposure to something very upsetting – in the experiment, a film of traumatic scenes of injury and death was used – can actually prevent people having disturbing flashbacks.

The effects are not always so positive, however. Indiana University researchers carried out brain scans on young men and found evidence that violent games can alter brain function after as little as a week of play, affecting regions in the brain associated with emotional control and causing more aggressive behaviour in the player. But Daphne Bavelier, one of the most experienced researchers in the field, says that the violent action games that often worry parents most may actually have the strongest beneficial effect on the brain. In the future, we may see many treatments for physical and neurological problems which incorporate the playing of video games.

Discussion

What kind of computer games do you like? Do you think they are good for you? Why or why not?

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Comments

Submitted by Makish on Mon, 09/23/2024 - 09:40

I love to play hello kitty island adventures and doom eternal i love both of them because they are both really exciting.

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Submitted by PhaseGD312 on Thu, 07/25/2024 - 14:54

I usually likes some sort of bullet hell genre like Just Shapes and Beats, fast paced rhythm games like Geometry Dash or Osu, and also Roblox, i even try to make a game in Roblox my own, to see how it is. After all, game's are really good, if you can balance it. Also, if someone want to find a recommendation for some game that make you cry after playing it, absolutely Undertale, nothing else.

Submitted by hello12345678910 on Wed, 09/27/2023 - 12:17

i play a lot but i can only concentrate at one thing at once

Submitted by pomelo on Mon, 04/10/2023 - 15:36

Valorant and some shooting games, I find it a bit beneficial for my acumen but not very good

Submitted by Golden Eagle on Fri, 03/03/2023 - 08:32

Hi,everyone.In my opinion,I think that the video games are good,because they can develop your fighting and sport skills,they can make you more sociable and they can develop your creativity.But,on the other hand,if you play too much,they can affect your eyes and brain and they can also make you more violnet.

Submitted by lucalvesilva on Fri, 06/24/2022 - 10:18

Definitely, if it's bad or not gaming depends on the intensity that you do this. I agree that children can be seriously affected in terms of psychological issues, considering that they a forming their character. I always played video games since I was a child.
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Submitted by robotrobot on Tue, 02/15/2022 - 19:02

I used to play online games on computer when I was a child. In the evenings I would play with my friend or sister and I always felt very happy while playing them. Now I have many significant matters as studying, preparing for exams,reading,etc. However,when my younger sister asks me to play with her I never refuse for a wave of nostalgia sweeps over me every time I do it and I like it.

Submitted by anna_mitro on Wed, 01/19/2022 - 20:33

Gaming is not for everyone! Some like it and some don't. I recently read an article by Konstantinus about his personal opinion on gaming. As he already mentioned in his aritcle, gaming on the computer has many negative consequences. It distracts students and is also a major disruptive factor. But not everyone sees it that way, there are more and more gamer who sit for hours from their computer. I don't play games on my computer at all. I much more prefer to spend this time outside with my friends. Of course, I play on my phone from time to time when I get bored but I do not waste my time with it for hours. I don't think it would do me good if I play compter games regularly. It affects my school performence as I would invest my time in the games instead of my school stuff. In conclusion it wouldn't be good for me. But this is my opinion. anna

Submitted by saric on Wed, 01/19/2022 - 18:30

I am a person who don't like people playing video games because of my brother. He plays every day. He is obsessed with his video games. It's hard to get him to stop. From the moment he started playing, he has become meaner and more aggressive. I know that doesn't apply to everyone, but it's the reason why I am not such a big fan of gamers. I am honest, my addiction is watching series. I got Netflix, Disney plus and also Amazon Prime to be able to watch everything I want. So if I look at it differently, it is similar. The scream of someone who lost in a game could be the same when a character dies in a show. I have to accept that playing video games is an important occupation for some people as well as watching series for me. Who knows- maybe I'll give it a try.

Submitted by maki123 on Wed, 01/19/2022 - 15:52

All well and good but it's all a big fantasy! Do you really think, that sitting in front of a monitor is good for your health? It's a pity that children are encouraged to sit alone in front of the computer and play a game for hours. They don't have any social interaction. You're so focused on the game that you forget about everything else and turn away from the real world completely. As soon as i watch a series for several hours i fall into my own world and as soon as someone talks to me i am annoyed and aggressive. Do you really think there is a difference to video games?

Submitted by keke_13b on Wed, 01/19/2022 - 11:34

Hello everyone. Honestly, I´ve never really cared about the question if videogames are healthy or not, but this article has made me think about the subject and that is why I decided to share my view. Just as mentioned I also think that many games could improve some important skills for life, but I can't imagine that gambling can be good for health in any way. On the one hand, you just sit around at home and can't get out into the fresh air to exercise. And on the other hand, it's unhealthy for your eyes to sit in front of a screen for hours and hours, whether it's a television, laptop or mobile phone. My eyes used to deteriorate badly when I played a lot of video games. In the meantime, I don´t sit in front of the PC anymore and my eyes no longer change into the negative. I am looking forward to other comments.

Submitted by donikai05 on Wed, 01/19/2022 - 10:39

I would say that my favorite video game is 'Just Dance'. I'm not quite sure if it counts as a video game but I love it!! The game is very nice for getting a clear mind and having fun with your friends. Sometimes it is very exhausting, however it's so much fun. I think that the game is very good for your health because you literally do sports. Playing 'Just Dance' gets you motivated and keeps you fit. When I was younger I used to play 'Just Dance' at birthday parties. You can play it with friends and have a battle with them which I guess is pretty exciting. Since then I have been obsessed with it. Although I'm almost 17 years old I still think it's cool!

Submitted by LaraB on Wed, 01/19/2022 - 10:38

According to the artical there are many positive but also a few negative aspects of videogames. Personally, I think there's a fine line between enjoying and also benefiting from gaming and being obsessive, which can be extremly harmful. Obviously it's great to have a hobby that you enjoy and can also improve your health and life in general, but especially gaming is sometimes very addictive. And addictions, in every form, are very dangerous. But of course this only happens to very few people, so in general I would say, that videogames are fun to play and can additionally improve your life. So just try to remember that this imaginary world isn't real life and then you should be fine. I'm personally not a gamer, but I think it's very cool to be good at it.

Submitted by up8ll on Wed, 01/19/2022 - 10:22

Gaming is addictive. Having an addiction is usually not a positive sign however a gaming addiction can be excused unlike other addictions. A lot of people in the likes of my parents and some of my friends cannot grasp why I enjoy sitting infront of my 24 inch television to hop onto my Xbox in order to play video games such as FIFA, Call of Duty Warzone and etc. They consider the time spent infront of the monitor wasted, I view it as valuable time spent with friends and working tirelessly. Gaming is not all about being senseless and neglecting the real world. It is about connecting with people all around the world, making friends for life, gaining knowledge and experience about certain histrocial events. It is about putting your mind to work by teaming up with others and coming up with tactics as well. Gaming educates people and helps them to understand the world we live in better. It helps people to grow and to mature - Gaming truly is a gift, that should be appriciated rather than bashed.

Submitted by l_04 on Wed, 01/19/2022 - 10:14

I don't think I'm the right person to judge gamers. For me, it's incomprehensible that someone plays a lot on consoles. The only game I sometimes like to play, is Mario Kart on the Nintendo Switch. Nevertheless, I can understand that many people enjoy playing games online or something like that. I think it's good that both, the negative and the positive aspects of gaming are being explored and I'm curious to see how gaming can help us in the future in areas like medicine.

Submitted by osrgames on Sat, 01/08/2022 - 08:11

This article posts a lot of information on online games that help us have different strategies, critical thinking, multitasking, problem-solving, quicker decision making, relaxation, better memory, and more concentration.

Submitted by dhadzikadunic on Tue, 12/07/2021 - 21:44

I like to play Tetris. That is an old game but I enjoy it.

Submitted by Korennoy_anglichanin on Tue, 10/19/2021 - 22:06

When I was a child I played video games a lot. I liked strategy games more than others. Now I realized that video games influenced me both positively and negatively. The positive influence consists of making me more able to make decisions fast and correct. Strategic video games suggest a mass of different and various problems for a player. Actually, it developed my mental abilities. However, there is also the negative result of this experience. All video games are very colorful and interesting. At first, you just prefer the game to reality. But you must live at real world, not in the game. After that, you realize that you can integrate your favorite game into reality. Reality becomes as a game. Definitely, you find it wonderful and, as I have already said, starts to solve problems operatively, but you associate real objects and situations with what happened in the game, and other people do not understand you.

Submitted by sonnata on Wed, 10/13/2021 - 04:00

You’re asking me what my favourite kind of computer games is? In fact, I’m a real game lover, so this topic is my cup of tea. I really enjoy playing RPG games like “The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim». Immersion in the virtual world helps me to distract from real problems. For the same reason I like “Fallout” series with their special post-apocalyptic atmosphere. In this case, you get pleasure not only from the gameplay, but also from the visuals. Unfortunately, computer games are too time-consuming. During my school years, it was difficult for me to combine studies and computer games, so over time I began to play less often. But to be honest, I still tickled pink to learn about new upcoming games. In conclusion, I want to say that playing games has its own benefits and disadvantages, but it really helped me in one of my life periods.
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Submitted by Sasori_n on Wed, 10/13/2021 - 03:48

To begin with, I would like to note that I like adventure games, fantasy, detective stories, item searches, adventure games, and so on. I am not attracted to games based on violence and cruelty. I believe that logical, and adventure games develop motor skills, logic and thinking skills. Unlike action movies and shooters, which, in my opinion, develop decision-making speed and attentiveness more. I don't think computer games can do as much harm as they are said to. Rather, it all depends on the amount of time spent towards the monitor screens. In this case, video games can only do harm. I believe that it depends on each person individually how video games will affect them. They can vegetate all free time behind the monitor, while completely forgetting about real life. But it can also combine business with pleasure, so to speak, a little bit of good. Then it will bring maximum benefit.

Submitted by Scramblex on Wed, 10/13/2021 - 02:39

I like almost every kind of computer games. But my favorite is strategy, RPG-s and action games. I love games with complex, deep and interesting gameplay. Hard decisions, planning and variability of tactics — this is what I love in this kind of media. For example, in one of my favorite game called Factorio you’re building a big machine factory with complicated logistics and production lines. As stated in the article, there are good and bad sides of computer games. On the one hand, I feel like I develop decision-making and speed reaction and at the same time resting from dull work and studying. On the other hand, sometimes, games cause procrastination of important tasks and may even carry you away and make you lose track of time, so this is tricky. I will still continue to play games, nevertheless, trying to control this activity before it will cause bad effects on me and my life.

Submitted by Tolis5 on Tue, 07/13/2021 - 08:04

Hi,everyone.I think that video games are very beneficial,because they improve many important skills and also make the brain work harder.I think they are quite boring,though.

Submitted by ItalianGoldenWind on Sat, 06/05/2021 - 03:43

When I play games, I always choose wisely the games that I could play and also benefit my brain. For example, I play Shadow Fight 2 because it fits to my old computer and also, it helps me learn about tatics and martial arts moves. I also play Roblox because it encourages me to use my imagination by allowing players to create their own games.

Submitted by adamwilliams on Sun, 03/21/2021 - 17:17

Hi everyone. I love to play video games I think video games are good for mental health and IQ. and Video games can make us active. The gaming industry has a future. I like to play video games and like to read gaming blogs. I am following the blog "xfire" to improve my gaming skills.

Submitted by InFiNiTi10101 on Tue, 03/16/2021 - 07:37

I like some io games, vex 5, and pixel gun apocalypse 2
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Submitted by Kostantinus on Thu, 03/04/2021 - 09:31

I don't play computer games, because I am not interested in it. I am pretty busy with studying at school, English classes and ICT classes. Even if I would have more free time I would not have played computer games. Long time ago, when I got my laptop, I started playing games a lot, what influenced my studing. I played all the time, early morning and at night. I even didn't sleep enough, what was really bad for my health. So I decided to quite and never regret about it. Finally, I don't find it beneficial. Anyway, I don't think I need computer games, because I have some other ways of entertainment.

Submitted by InFiNiTi10101 on Tue, 03/16/2021 - 07:38

it doesn't hurt to play games once in a while. Constant studying isn't good either.

In reply to by Kostantinus

Submitted by LukeTheSon on Mon, 02/01/2021 - 08:28

Now I'm interested in Minecraft :-) Since some of our teachers started to use video games for learning purposes in classrooms, I tried it too. But it isn't the only one - I was interested in plenty of games recently, I want to create my own list of the best educational game. Therefore, I focus on adventure and strategy games, and I seek my inspiration in different blogs. If you can recommend something to me, I'll be grateful :-)

Submitted by merdidi_104 on Wed, 11/11/2020 - 16:36

I really enjoy RPGs. I think i can benefit a lot from playing such games as they help me improve my self-confidence, they make me brave and independent and i get to meet new people.

Submitted by Vuquan on Tue, 09/01/2020 - 02:46

I like to play clash of clan because it's help me about the tactic. It's very common in many country.
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Submitted by bjyxszd on Wed, 07/08/2020 - 04:02

I think I prefer PUGE MOBILE. Cause it is so interesting. And I think playing games can also help increase intelligence and increase efficiency,as long as you don't delay learning.
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Submitted by linhdan83 on Wed, 06/24/2020 - 15:18

For me, I’m into mobile games which require solving puzzles, escaping or forming allies and strategy such as Gardenscapes, Escaping rooms and League of Legends. I think they are pretty good and fascinating as long you know how to balance them in your normal life. They may help you with many aspects such as creativity, problems solving, quickly thinking, etc.
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Submitted by Giovannichoi on Thu, 04/09/2020 - 07:56

Er... I like enjoying some online games on mobile. I want to play computer games which my uncle do, but most of them is availiable only upper-19, such as G.T.A, WITCHER WILD HUNT, or WORLD OF ZOMBIE. So I play only mobile games, like Brawl stars and Will hero. I used to enjoy playing Minecrafts but I don't think all of them are not helping me to improve some...something what I 'm not good at. Anyway, I don't play computer games and I won't either. Ah! I will play these games: Fifa Soccer Worldcup, Car Racing games.

Submitted by Elife on Mon, 02/24/2020 - 00:25

Honestely, I don't like any online game because I love to play physical games, it's good for your health.

Submitted by josmel123 on Tue, 08/27/2019 - 13:25

My favorite game online is dota2, this game is very funny because the gameplay is varied, i believe playing this game i improve my capacity of reaction and velocity of take decicion

Submitted by Dominga_123 on Tue, 08/27/2019 - 00:21

I do not like any online game because I prefer to play physical games, I also think that online games increase sedentary lifestyle and other factors that harm our health.

Submitted by Ales144 on Tue, 08/27/2019 - 13:39

Respect how you said, I think that the videogames have good things too, how to improve your reflexes and memory, it depends on the game that you played, and nowadays some games include the Virtual Reality so this technology lends you move when you play. And I think that is funnier, I recommend you! :D

In reply to by Dominga_123

Submitted by khwaja on Sat, 06/15/2019 - 21:50

I would prefer playing strategy games as I think it has some benefits. One critical advantage is it enhances thinking and planning skills. For example, when I play such these games, I need to make important decisions and choose appropriate elements in order to win the game. So, this has helped me to be more aware when I take any step in my life.

Submitted by @Hello on Wed, 04/24/2024 - 22:46

I think videogames are good, every type in their way, for example when I was a kid I used to play videogames, and I think that improved my reflexes. Also, strategy games have improved taking decisions, for example playing chess.
In summary videogames are good for you but as long as you don't exceed from a certain time.

In reply to by khwaja

Submitted by parsasoroori on Mon, 01/28/2019 - 16:42

well there is a beautiful old game. Elder people know it better and I've recently play it. Its name is Mafia1 and I'm sure there couldn't be anything better. Red Dead Redemption 2 and GTA are my bests too.
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Submitted by myname on Sat, 10/13/2018 - 15:41

I love action games!!! It's really interesting!

Submitted by dantex103 on Thu, 08/30/2018 - 23:30

undertale is my favorite game, because it takes my out of my problems, and the music, it makes me take a irreplaceable smile, and the history, it ALWAYS makes me regret for doing the genocide run :v
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Submitted by CherryBlossomEnglish on Wed, 02/28/2018 - 16:39

I play Dream House Days and The Ramen Sensei (by Kairosoft). They are very addictive. By the way, I played many games, such as: Minecraft, Clash Royale, Rolling Sky...and maaaaaanyyy more. I prefer strategy games more than action games.

Submitted by Asma (not verified) on Mon, 08/31/2015 - 14:35

i dont like games

Submitted by Asma (not verified) on Mon, 08/31/2015 - 11:38

I dont like games, not of my interest.
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