Video Games Benefits According to Science

The rise of the video games sector has been a reality for some years now. In addition, it is one of the few economic sectors that can boast that it has resisted well in times of pandemic. The figures support all the praiseworthy comments towards the progress of that industry, according to data from the consulting firm Newzoo, it is estimated that the income of gaming companies will increase by 20% on average this year.

In addition, they are no longer just a matter of children, more and more users from other segments of the population are now playing games. For example, and according to data from Antevenio, a multinational in the digital marketing sector, the age group with the most players in Spain is between 25 and 44 years old. In addition, in Europe, 45% of the people who play are women, according to data from the European employers’ association ISFE.

Moderate use of video games is always recommended, between one and three hours a day.

Despite all these changes, video games still have to overcome certain taboos. The most common is the parents’ concern about whether or not their children are abusing them. As with mobile phones or social networks, moderate use is always recommended. In fact, there are more and more voices that claim that playing a number of hours can bring the user a whole series of benefits.

Many parents share this hobby with the little ones in the house. Already in 2014, a study by the Spanish Association of Videogames (AEVI) indicated that six out of ten parents played videogames with their children. Likewise, more current initiatives highlight the positive impact on health that these leisure products have if they are consumed properly. An example is the recent campaign by Fundación MAPFRE and the Professional Video Game League (LVP), Feel good – Play better.

Benefits in visual attention and coordination

One of the first clear benefits of video games is that they help improve visual attention since they force you to focus on what is happening on the screen. This then leads to an improvement in reading ability. This was indicated by a study by the University of Grenoble Alpes (France).

Social skills such as teamwork or decision making are also improved

Research from this same university also concluded that action video games can be used to combat dyslexia, an alteration in reading ability that affects 10% of the population. This is because it is a type of entertainment that forces the player to be attentive and react quickly.

Another benefit is the improvement of movement coordination thanks to improving brain connections and increasing gray matter. This was revealed by an investigation by the University of Science and Technology of the University of China and published in the journal Science Reports. The work indicates that video games favor a better interaction between the eyes and the hands. This fact is a consequence of an improvement in the left hemisphere of the human brain, the part that is also in charge of mathematical calculations and logical reasoning.

Helping to combat lazy eye, improving 3D depth perception or reducing the sensation of pain – when thinking about it less, decreases it – are other advantages for the human body that are achieved with moderate use of video games.

They not only report psychomotor or sensory advantages; they also contribute to the development of social skills. For example, video games that pose challenges and problems that must be solved quickly improve the decision-making capacity of the person who plays them. It also helps to relate to others, especially those that are multiplayer and require some kind of cooperation.

The million dollar question is: what is meant by moderate video game use?

Experts vary their recommendation between one and three hours a day maximum. In any case, nobody recommends going further. The greatest possible moderation is always advised and combined with other activities, especially those that are outdoors, such as sports. Unfortunately, most people are not able to control their video gaming habits, and things go out of control very quickly. You have to prevent this, and being disciplined is the best way to go about it.