The Pros and Cons of Playing Video Games

Like any other inventions of science, video games too have certain advantages and disadvantages. The positive aspect of video game is that it improves mental skills. The negative side is that it can become equally destructive and it kills our time. In this article, we will be discussing both the pros and cons of this game.

Traditionally, the word “video” in video game refers to a raster display device; however, towards the 2000s, it implied any type of display device that can produce 2D or 3D images. Nowadays, it is seen that both adults and young people spend several hours every day either playing video games on television or by playing any other games available on electronic devices such as mobile or tablets. There is no specific definition of the video game. The video game, as Wikipedia defines is, “An electronic game in which one or more people interact, through a command, with a device equipped with video images. This electronic device, known generically as a platform, can be a computer, an arcade machine, a console or a portable device as a mobile phone. Video games are today, one of the main industries of art and entertainment.” The electronic systems that are used to play video games are known as “platforms.”

The advantages of playing video games are as follows:

Studies say that if we play video games daily then one can improve his or her visual attention. The players become more efficient in changing tasks; be faster in tasks, where we have to do a visual search or discriminate objects by their shape/ color.

Also among other benefits, it contributes to enhancing the effectiveness in the follow-up of multiple objectives (Green and Bavelier, 2003). Other researchers have conducted training studies confirms that the practice of video games also improves the implementation of divided tasks and mental rotation (De lisi and Wolford, 2003 quoted in Salguero, 2009).

Video games can be used by people who have both physical and mental problems. It has also been used in a constructive way in people who have problems of care, among others.

Of course, video games can serve as a way of learning for people, who use it in a different context. Thus, video games are a good means of an impetus for children and young people, as well as for the differently-abled children.

Thanks to this mean students can be motivated to learn by creating fun feelings (Salguero, 2009).

The games of consoles and computers also promote values such as solidarity, friendship, cohesion and a sense of belonging to a group. It is important for parents to take advantage of these benefits to improve family relationships (Reyes-Hernández et al. 2012, Reyes-Hernandez, 2014).

We need to get distracted so we do not feel stressed in our day-to-day or just to fight the daily boredom. For this reason, video games are a great means of entertainment because of the large number of realities they present (González, 2010 in Reyes-Hernández et al., 2014).

Since there is a multitude of group games, players have to make decisions and know that they can have consequences, both positive and negative, on the other players in the game. Therefore, it acts as a way to help in the development of empathy (Levine, 2009 Reyes-Hernández et al., 2014).

In team games, players develop group work skills as they need to work together, in unity, to beat the challenges.

The use of video games also creates feelings of self-esteem and competition among the players.

Also, as mentioned earlier this advantageous technology also serves as a devil in many ways. Some of the disadvantages are:

Therefore, it is quite important to be aware and plan suitable timetables for playing video games. Both children and adults must practice timetables in order to make the best use of its benefits.