Throughout history, people of all kinds have played games. But since the dawn of computers, games have become much more advanced. However, with the advent of video games came a social stigma that they were for kids and not something that adults should be engaging in. However, in recent years, this has started to break down with the dawn of smartphone games which have meant that everyone has a device in their pocket capable of playing games.
Everyone has their own individual reasons when it comes to why they play games, but in this blog post, we are going to take a look at a few of the most common which come up again and again.
Entertainment
Right at the top of the list, people play video games simply because they are fun. It is as simple as that. There is so much choice out there from the classic arcade and board games to new ones which are much more modern and complicated. And when you find a game that you love, the hours certainly seem to pass very quickly. With this sense of fun comes escapism as you become immersed in the world that has been created for them.
Challenge
Video games which are easy to complete simply don’t offer the same sense of satisfaction as those which provide you with a challenge. Of course, there is certainly a balance to be struck between making them difficult and not making them so maddeningly hard that you want to tear your hair out when you are playing them! However, there is certainly a great sense of satisfaction to be gained by overcoming an obstacle or a boss which previously seemed unbeatable!
Camaraderie and the Social Side
The old cliche about gaming being a lonely activity is certainly one which doesn’t hold up to scrutiny. After all, multiplayer games have been around since video games first became popular, and they bring people together in the spirit of competitiveness and cooperation. However, since online gaming first became a thing, people can play games with each other without even needing to be in the same room as them. Whole worlds have been created in which millions of people have the opportunity to play alongside each other.
Escapism
We have already touched on this briefly, but there is no doubt that video games offer a sense of escapism from the real world. After all, you could be inhabiting magical kingdoms or dystopian futures which you could have never imagined. Even the simplest of games have the power to hold your attention and keep you enraptured.
Perhaps you are simply playing a classic game of chess or minesweeper online, but when you are trying to think up a move to topple your opposition, all your brain power is dedicated to completing this action. Of course, it can be problematic when people use games as a substitute for their real lives, but as a healthy form of escapism, video games have the advantage of being interactive as opposed to the passive action of binge watching a show on Netflix.
Stress Relief
Alongside the sense of escapism that you get from playing video games comes stress relief as well. After all, if you find things challenging to deal with in your real life, you have the option to retreat to another world entirely. In our fast-paced modern world, more and more people struggle with feelings of stress. If you find a game that helps you to alleviate this pressure, this can end up being very therapeutic. So, stress relief is certainly another valid reason why people play all types of video games.
Developing Skills
While you may never have really thought about video games developing your skills before, there is no doubt that there are certain aspects of yourself which can be advanced by gaming. First of all, you have the obvious hand-eye coordination improvements which people have talked about for a long time. Beyond this, there are also the problem-solving skills which you enhance as well through determining how to overcome the various challenges that the games throw at you. And there are also plenty of games out there which also encourage you to flex your creative muscles as well. As we mentioned in the previous paragraph, there is certainly a lot more to be gained from playing video games than watching TV.
Being Good at Something
We all want to feel like we have certain skills which are refined and developed. Because video games are so accessible to all types of people, everyone has the opportunity to become good at them. Most games are built with a clear sense of progression, and like developing any other skill in life, the more time you dedicate to them, the better you become at playing them. Many games also have an in-build reward system which encourages people to keep striving to achieve better things and reach new heights.
A Sense of Autonomy
While the real world is difficult to control, video game worlds have much more of a sense of structure. At the start of a game, you may feel a little lost and helpless. However, the more you play, the easier navigating the world becomes and the stronger your character develops. We have a real psychological need to develop this sense of autonomy, and there is no doubt that video games can help us out with this in a big way. And the other major difference between gaming worlds and the real world is that if you fail, you always have the opportunity to reload and start all over again. So, there is much less of a sense of risk involved and you are more willing to take chances which you never normally would.
