Gaming Guide

Video gaming is clearly a popular form of entertainment, with video gamers collectively spending 3 billion hours per week in front of their screens. Due to their widespread use, scientists have researched how video games affect the brain and behaviour. Are these effects positive or negative? We examine the evidenceAt a glance, more than 150 million people in the United States play video games regularly, or for at least 3 hours per week. The average American gamer is a 35-year-old adult, with 72 percent of gamers aged 18 or older. For video game use by children, most parents - 71 percent - indicate that video games have a positive influence on their child's lifeVideo game sales continue to increase year on year. In 2016, the video game industry sold more than 24.5 billion games - up from 23.2 billion in 2015, and 21.4 billion in 2014. Decades of research examining video gaming and violence have failed to reach consensus among scientists. Scientists have been unable to find a causal link between playing video games and acts of violence in the real world. Results of the studies indicate that playing video games not only changes how our brains perform but also their structure. For example, video game use is known to affect attention. The studies included in the review show that video game players display improvements in several types of attention, including sustained attention and selective attention. Furthermore, the regions of the brain that play a role in attention are more efficient in gamers compared with non-gamers, and they require less activation to stay focused on demanding tasks. The following are some of the cognitive benefits of playing video games. Improves coordination. ... Improves problem-solving skills. ... Enhances memory. ... Improves attention and concentration. ... It is a great source of learning. ... Improves the brain's speed. ... Enhances multitasking skills. ... Improves social skills.