If you were to ask someone what the biggest entertainment industry in the world is, it is likely they would say video games. This is because they have exploded in recent years and have been a popular pastime for many people for the better part of two decades. Before the industry existed, the top dogs in entertainment were undoubtedly music, television, film and even gambling. Gambling in particular has enjoyed a similar rise thanks to the advent of online gambling, and many players around the world enjoy using sites like casinosnotongamstop.org to win money. However, none of these industries can touch gaming in that it is massive – most people in the world likely own a device capable of playing video games.

Early attitudes towards video games

Those who lived when video games first came out might remember that they were not embraced as much as they are now. In fact, new technology often scares people as they don’t understand it, though this is normally something that is exhibited by the older generations. For the kids of the time, video games were the best thing they had ever seen and soon took over outside playtime that was common at the time. This was observed by parents, who believed that video games were causing their children to be unproductive and unsociable.

As time has passed, these attitudes have simmered somewhat. This has not stopped many from still believing, even today, that video games are harmful to those who play them. They have been used as justification for terrible incidents such as school shootings and some also believe that they negatively affect the behavioural development of children. 

Are video games really bad?

Most of the extreme views about video games have either been disproven or have not been researched enough to reveal any concrete findings. When it comes to playing video games, there are really only a few real downsides that can be seen, but this is present in most forms of entertainment that utilise a screen. These include physical side effects, such as headaches, eye strain and hand pain, though these can all be avoided by limiting playtime and using accessories. There is also the risk of video game addiction, but this is a risk for all kinds of entertainment and does not reflect negatively on video games themselves.

How are video games beneficial?

Once these downfalls are looked past, people should realise that video games are highly beneficial for all who play them. The advantages they possess are numerous, such as the fact that they can improve hand-eye coordination for those who play certain genres such as FPS. This also has the effect of improving reaction time and vision for those who play a lot of these kinds of games. Some might be surprised to learn that video games can be very educational too, and those who play some historical options will likely realise they know more than they think they do.

Given this, it should now be clear that video games are not wholly bad. They do have their downfalls, as do most things, but they also have strengths that serve as the reason why so many people keep playing them.