That’s Right, Gaming is Good For You!
Thursday, February 16th
It may seem obvious, us being a game studio and all, but here at Klang Games we are huge fans of playing a fun game, be it an action-adventure game, a real-time strategy game, or a multiplayer game like SEED. But it’s not just because they are entertaining; they are good for us! You heard us right, gaming has a multitude of benefits, like improving cognitive functions and strengthening social bonds. Today we are going to take a look at some of these benefits to show you how gaming is adding value to your everyday life.
More games = strong brain
Let’s jump right in! We’re happy to report that studies have shown that gaming improves cognitive skills. Cognitive skills (also known as cognitive functions and abilities) are the skills that help you think, remember, pay attention and reason. Some examples of cognitive skills are memory, visual processing, logic and reasoning, and attention. One study published on the JAMA Network found that, in a group of over 2,000 children, those that played at least 3 hours of video games scored higher on cognitive skills tests than the children who didn’t play video games. In fact, MRI brain scans showed that children who played video games for at least 3 hours per day had more brain activity in areas of the brain connected to memory as well. So the next time someone tells you that playing video games turns your brain to mush, you’ll have some facts in your back pocket to show them!
Those that game together stay together
There is a common misconception that gamers are isolated weirdos who have no friends (check out our post on gaming misconceptions to learn more about this), but in reality, gaming is a way for many people to connect and build community. And while some may think that online connection is not as meaningful as in-person connection, we believe that they are both important, and there is science to prove it! For example, a study conducted by researchers at Edge Hill University on 700 players of MMOs (massively multiplayer online games, like SEED!). In the study, they found that playing of MMOs was linked to an improved sense of social identity (a person’s sense of who they are based on their group membership). They also discovered that this sense of social identity lead to heightened levels of self-esteem and diminished levels of loneliness. If you’re interested in joining a welcoming and fun gaming community, head on over to our discord to check it out for yourself!
Teamwork makes the dream work
There’s a reason that we encourage Klangers to game together (and why you will sometimes find us in our big meeting space named “Avesta” duking it out in Mario Kart), and while this is partly because we love games, it’s also because it is good for the team as a whole. It’s a well-known fact that bonding outside of work is good for raising spirits. But gaming offers something special: it allows teams the opportunity to build community and work together toward a shared goal in a fun setting. Plus these bonds that are formed outside of work positively impact work dynamics as well! So, next time your work is planning a team bonding event, maybe suggest a gaming night instead of the more typical bowling or card game night.
We haven’t gone over all of the benefits of gaming in this article, (yes there are many more!) but as you can see video games offer more than just fun. Like we said earlier, if you are interested in getting involved in a fun gaming community, check out our Discord and start connecting today!
We’d like to thank the creators of these amazing sources, which we drew from while writing this blog post:
