Abstract

There are still people nowadays who believe that video games is an activity just for children. However, the video game industry has proven otherwise,  since a lot of grown ups like me have taken up gaming as a hobby. There is nothing better than switching on your console after work and immersing yourself in the magnificent world of Witcher 3! Some of us have decided to make a living out of gaming by broadcasting themselves, reviewing games or even participating in E sports. E sports are special competitions on certain games that upon winning offer humongous prizes and contracts with big sponsors like Razer. Below, i am going o tell my top 5 reasons why i believe video games are essential for a person this day and age.

1. There is something for everyone.

No one can deny that today there is a huge amount of genres. You can find adventure games, survival horror, strategies, RPGs, sports games and whatever your mind can think of. For example, People who have a strategic mind can test their management skills and tactics on games like the Total War series or XCOM. Gamers who like sports can purchase the newest FIFA or NBA 2k game, create their dream team and grab every cup and championship available. Hardcore gamers like me, who have a lot of experience on gaming will undoubtedly seek the craziest of the bunch, like Rocket League or Super Hot that have unique ideas very well executed.

2. They promote communication.

By incorporating online gaming, last generation of consoles gave to the players the opportunity to communicate with other players from around the world. Long gone are the days where you had to invite a friend to your house and play together the newest Super Mario. By browsing a few menus and pressing a few buttons you can create a party with your online friends, chat, discuss strategies and play together. In that matter, video games can help introverts who lack necessary social skills to develop them to a great extent.You never really know where this kind of  a digital relationship will lead. Hell once i have seen a boy and a girl, both streamers on Twitch and the guy eventually proposed to her on E3, the biggest exposition about video games on the planet. If this is not magic, i do not know what is. The only golden rule applied here is to be polite to everyone. No one wants toxic people, even on the Internet!

3. They improve brain activity.

A lot of researches around the internet state the same thing. Reasonably playing video games is beneficial for your health. Initially, people who take up video games have excellent hand to eye coordination. Playing puzzle games develops rational thinking by solving problems. Games that have frenetic action and require agility help players evolve their reflexes and response time. Furthermore, by chasing gaming achievements and seeking to rank higher in your digital gaming community you can develop leadership skills. Online games like PUBG force the player to cooperate with his teammates in order to survive, thus making you develop tactical thinking and the sense of teamwork. In addition, history related games like Assassin’s Creed, that explore different cultures and civilizations might provide useful information about the era explored each time.   Moreover, strategy games that involve swift thinking and decision making help the individuals promote their decision making skills. Eventually,  games like Sim City, you further promote your imagination by creating the town of your dreams.

4. You can practice a foreign language.

Back when i was in my Jurassic period, in order to solve the difficult puzzles of the Silent Hill games, i had to understand all the information provided by the game on screen. That was the reason why i had by my side an old English to Greek dictionary and translated everything. I actually did the same thing a decade later when i started learning French. I changed my Playstation 3’s language to french and played the whole Mass Effect trilogy from start to finish. Needless to say, i passed my exams with flying colors. And believe me, i found out that the French actors actually did a better job on voice acting than their American counterparts. In addition, by forming a party and chatting with people from different countries on the Internet you can force yourself speak a language that is different from your maternal. There are many guys out there who are willing to help you learn their language while simultaneously playing your favourite game.

5. Gaming is cheap, provided you are a smart customer.

Let’s say that you want to be a casual gamer. This automatically means that you have to focus on buying a console. Do not even think about buying a gaming PC unless you are an avid gamer, because a decent gaming build costs around 700 Euros and has to be upgraded regularly. Last gen consoles cost between 100 to 200 Euros and you can find even better deals if looking for used ones. Once, i sold my Playstation 3 Slim with 57 games to my older brother for the price of 300 Euros (that lucky @#$#% he did not have to search at all!!). Last gen consoles have a lot of nice games that are very cheap and still fun to play even by today’s standards.

If you want on the other hand a current generation console, you will have to invest a bit more money, as they range between 200 to 300 Euros and i am only talking  considering the starter bundles. About their games, do not start buying on impulse. Companies use meticulously the Internet on consoles to overwhelm the players with game offers and periodical sales. You will surely want to buy everything you see! However, always think before you buy (and consider viewing our reviews :P)  and check whether this game suits your needs. Always search for deals on used games, you will save even more money that way. If you buy approximately 2 games a month, it will not cost more than 40 to 50 Euros which is not that much, taking into account you will invest on them a large portion of your time.

Conclusion

I adore gaming. I have been playing games for over 25 years now and i will not be giving up anytime soon. However, i know the limits between entertainment and addiction and i am not violating them. There are people out there who actually died in front of their screen due to prolonged gaming sessions (like gamers who do gaming marathons). If you start gaming now, you will soon reap all the benefits that the gaming world can offer you. For all of you that blame and neglect my favorite hobby, i would advise you to try it, devote some time and first and foremost, have fun!