For some people, playing video games is considered a “guilty pleasure” that they may feel embarrassed about or unable to discuss properly. But have we ever asked ourselves why we enjoy playing video games or tried to explain our love for the medium beyond the simple fact that it’s fun? Isn’t there more to it than that?
Why do we play games?
The short answer to this is “challenge.” Have you ever watched a movie or listened to a piece of music? Of course, you have – who hasn’t? Our enjoyment of these mediums comes from the stories, music, lyrics, characters, twists, and turns, as well as how we respond to them on an emotional level. A big reason why watching a movie or listening to music is so popular is that it’s easy. Just push a button, put on your headphones, and you’re away. Media in this sense is given to us as a whole, with no input from ourselves. Imagine if you were watching a movie and it suddenly stopped. You, as the viewer, would then be tasked with manipulating the world, pushing characters along, resolving conflicts, making important decisions, and ultimately progressing the story to a conclusion. Does that sound fun? Well, that’s essentially what a game is. We are responsible for the story.
Can’t get past a specific section? Tough, the rest of the game is blocked off until you work it out. Will it ignite a sense of determination to succeed, or will you quit and admit defeat? There’s so much we can learn about ourselves in how we tackle challenges, especially when facing failure – not just in the world of gaming. Interestingly for me, it was gaming that made me realize that sometimes failure is necessary in order to succeed. When children leave school, success can only come from what they want out of life. Gaming certainly doesn’t solve these problems, but it introduces some of the concepts in a way that’s approachable from a young age.
Is gaming a waste of time?
For far too long, gaming has been described on numerous occasions as a waste of time. However, like any other medium, a sense of achievement is given to the player that no other media can provide. A movie doesn’t unlock new content or congratulate you for watching it. The skills needed to tackle many video games are similar to day-to-day necessities like hand-eye coordination, problem-solving, and quick reflexes. Not only that, but the sheer level of creativity you can experience in one sitting is worthy of painting your own picture or writing your own story – not many people would call those things a waste of time.
In today’s world, almost everything is electronic. Whether we find these things easy to use or not, the average gamer becomes somewhat conditioned into knowing how to operate and problem-solve modern technology. Similar to grade school, there are routes and processes that we are familiar with navigating through. Can’t figure out how to access parental controls? The gamer in the house will probably know the most likely solution.