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It's embedded in our culture -

One point to consider, before anything is discussed, is that video games are a big part of culture, and not allowing someone to play them may be depriving them of something to relate to others about.

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It's social -

The majority of young boys and girls (both upwards of 90% in the US) are playing video games, and see it as a social activity.

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It's easy to overlook the positives -

Parents and anyone who doesn’t play video games tend to overlook the positives of them, such as connecting with friends after lessons during quarantine via an online game.

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Procrastination -

On the other hand, they can be a form of procrastination and are said to promote violence. While the former point could be said for just about anything, the latter’s validity is hard to avoid.

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Violent games -

It is completely reasonable to think that a game in which the player sees through the eyes of a murderous gangster strolling about a city causing mayhem could influence a child’s perception of what’s acceptable.

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Are age restrictions enforced enough? -

We don’t allow children to watch movies with this kind of behavior, so why do we allow them to play such games? There are age restrictions, but it could be argued that they are not enforced very strictly. 

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Problem-solving skills -

However, there are benefits. Nearly every game that we play requires problem-solving skills and creativity, which, in turn, improves those attributes.

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It requires logic -

Almost all games require the player to be logical, to have an approach that makes sense. You cannot just do things at random in a game of Call of Duty, for example, and expect results.

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Decision-making skills -

Scientists believe that this side of things improves decision-making ability and logical thinking.

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Heightened sensitivity to environment -

Researchers proved that video-game players had heightened sensitivity towards their environment and were able to make correct decisions more quickly than people who didn’t play games.

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Online games -

Online games require you to be able to adapt to the speed at which other characters controlled by strangers are moving, and to what they’re doing. 

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Spatial awareness -

In having to take in everything you are working on, your hand–eye coordination and your visual-spatial awareness are tested, therefore improving.

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It's as good as formal spatial training -

Spatial skills can be acquired and they can be acquired over a relatively short amount of time, and the results of playing games are relatively the same as formal training to increase spatial skills.

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Visual processing -

Research suggests that people who play video games have better attention skills and are more successful in the visual processing of images than non-gamers.

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Practical uses -

They are a great tool to train motor skills, which is why pilots, surgeons, and soldiers benefit by training with specific games.

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Multitasking -

Multitasking can be improved in children who play certain strategy games where they must take a lot into account, i.e. building games and such.

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Violent games desensitize children -

On the other hand, regarding the negative effects of games, violent games have been reported to desensitize children to violence.

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Aggression and empathy -

It’s now been proven that violent video games increase aggression in children and decrease empathy and positive social behavior in the short to medium term.

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It's "the chicken or the egg first" question -

It could also be true that people with a tendency to be aggressive in their real lives may be more attracted to violent games. In a sense, it’s unclear.

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Addiction -

Gaming can be addictive, of that there is no doubt. A gaming addiction is defined as a gaming habit that lasts over 12 months and results in significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational, or other areas of functioning.

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The definition of addiction -

In more detail, the disorder can be defined by a lack of control over gaming (e.g., onset, frequency, intensity, duration, termination, context), an increasing priority given to gaming to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other life interests and daily activities, and a continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences.

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American Psychological Association -

However, the American Psychological Association says that there’s no conclusive evidence to suggest that it’s a real disorder (they say the same about caffeine abuse, for example).

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It's contextual -

In the end, whether they’re good or bad cannot be answered so simply, as it relies on the context. They can be a teaching tool or an overwhelming force of frustration in a child’s life.

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In moderation, they're great -

They’re fun and they can enrich people’s lives and should be used responsibly, i.e. not for nine hours a day.

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Career or addiction? -

One difficult situation from a parenting standpoint could be that a child is playing games for an obscene amount of time but claiming that it’s their career. Indeed, eSports and professional gamers have been a reality for a while, and are here to stay.

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Parents may need help to understand and make decisions -

This may make the duty of a parent more difficult in this situation. What should a parent do if their child claims they have a career in gaming and the parent cannot be sure if they do or will? They may have to seek advice.

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Parents should keep track -

Parents should keep track of children’s gaming, what they’re playing, and for how long. There should be appropriate restrictions, and children of certain ages should only play certain games.

Sources: (Nobel Coaching)

See also: These celebs love to play video games

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