How video games improve you as a person

Video games carry a negative stigma in regards to productivity. The general consensus is that video
games are fun, but, similar to an activity like watching TV, they’re pretty “pointless” overall.

But what do they know, right?

While you’re not going to make a living by playing your Xbox all day, certain video games (and entire
video game genres) can improve you as a person in various ways.

You become hyper-aware

In most video games, you have to do things quickly. If you aren’t fast enough, you lose. If you do the
wrong thing because you were rushing, you lose. In most cases, you’re given a mere split second to
make that crucial reaction.

As you continue to play the game, you are forced to continue making these split-second reactions time
and time again. You start to look for ways to increase your reactions, and the best way of doing this is to
know what’s going on around you before it actually happens.

You become hyper-aware of what’s happening in the game, but that heightened sensitivity is universal. It
translates to all areas of your life. You’re more aware of your surroundings, so you can make fast,
accurate decisions.

And this isn’t just speculation. There have been many studies done on video games and reaction times.
For example, in a study done by the University of Rochester, the researchers “found that video game
players develop a heightened sensitivity to what is going on around them,” among many other benefits.

You get smarter in two ways

1 Strategy makes you coordinate

In shooting games, it’s all about getting to the “good spots” before the other team does. In real-time
strategy games, it’s all about building things in the correct order so that you move ahead the fastest. All
genres have these little things you can do to get an edge.

The one thing they all have in common, though? Strategy.

Coordinating a plan of attack to get the rocket launched in a Halo game means that each team member
has to fan out around the map quickly. When you are facing an opponent in StarCraft, you have to take
into account a slew of different factors – your resources, the resources on the map, your current units,
what your enemy is building, etc. Sure, you’re just “playing a game”, but you’re also learning how to
coordinate complex situations at a lightning pace.

2 Actual knowledge

Not all video games are based around fictional scenarios. Lots of games leave you with a lot of real
knowledge.

For example, Trivial Pursuit is one of the most popular games on the planet. It’s available for almost
every device, and whenever you play a game, you learn a lot about the world that you would never have
known before playing.

Other games take a more indirect approach. For example, the FTC has created a game called Weight
Loss Challenge – essentially, it’s a game that quizzes you weight-loss scams. If you answer
incorrectly to questions related to common weight loss scams, they inform you that the answer is wrong
and show you how people are using that myth to sell products.

Some games are fun and educational. Who woulda’ think?

Finding snipers helps you everywhere

When you’re playing a shooting game like Call of Duty or Battlefield (my favorite FPS series), it’s very rare that your enemy pops
up directly in your gun’s scope. Rather, they’re usually hiding behind a bush, peeking out from around a
window, or crawling through the map, being blocked by obstacles.

You have to really observe the screen to pick out the enemies. And even then, you have to discern
between your teammates and your enemies. When you’re running around the map, you’re constantly
doing this on a subconscious level, even if you don’t realize it.

National Geographic has written quite a bit about this. Basically, as you play more video games, your
vision becomes more perceptive in all areas of life – not just on the TV screen. You’ll see cars in your
peripheral. You’ll see that girl eyeing you out of the corner of your eye.

Stuff like that.

Don’t quit your day job

Are you going to become rich and famous from playing video games? Probably not. However, the next
time you boot up your Xbox, Playstation, or Wii, know that your time isn’t completely being wasted.
There are a lot of ways that video games can improve you as a person on the mental level.