The 4 Unexpected Benefits
of Playing Online Games

In this digital era, online gaming has transcended into a pretty beneficial activity. Professionals are pointing out that programs are more than “just a game”, especially in a time when video game revenues have surpassed global box office and streaming services worldwide. Researches also discovered that the viewership of e-sports competitions has surpassed all professional sports leagues this year, except for one.

Aside from becoming a highly-supported professional sport, online gaming has also become the preferred activity for many because of the benefits that it provides. So, here’s how online gaming improves the lives of people worldwide:

1. Provides stress relief for workers and students

Many people play online games as a form of entertainment and to relieve some stress. After working or studying for a long time, people can enter the virtual world to let go of their worries and immerse themselves in the game. By fully focusing on these online games, individuals can put their full attention to specific missions instead of the everyday challenges they experience. This gives players a chance to simply enjoy the moment as they navigate a virtual world. As an added bonus, they can even experience the sweet feeling of victory once they emerge as winners.

2. Promotes greater cooperation among virtual workers

While online games serve as an effective stress reliever for workers, they’re also a great team-building activity now that remote working has become popular. Since there are significant limitations in the remote work setup, employees working from home are encouraged to socialize with their co-workers and build genuine relationships through online spaces. By leveraging online games as team building activities, employees can boost their morale and communicate more smoothly between different departments. This bridges the gaps in the remote work setup since employees can grow closer through the challenges presented in online games.

3. Develops important soft skills in children

Online games are often pitted as a negative influence on children, but researchers have discovered that games are effective at enhancing soft skills in children. To illustrate, games are effective in teaching conflict resolution for students learning STEM. With the guidance of teachers or guardians, children can view these games as a learning experience. Case in point: our online game Backgammon teaches players how to use careful decision-making. 4 in a Row is also a great game for children because it is easy to learn and yet helps them develop skills in tactical and strategic play.

4. Enhances the visual attention of players

Finally, expert gamers also benefit from online gaming because of their developed visual attention. It has been discovered that gaming can develop benefits, such as greater sensitivity to contrasts, better eye-to-hand coordination, and superior memory. On top of that, individuals who have played games for a long time can experience a specific long-term effect called temporal visual selective attention. As experienced players, these individuals have developed faster processing skills and individual visual stimuli so that they can achieve greater success in online games. These experts are even less prone to the blink effect in front of screens so they can detect targets with greater speed and accuracy.

Online games have a huge impact on players from all walks of life because of the benefits that they provide. Aside from being a source of entertainment, online games have become a great stress reliever for students and workers alike. On top of that, workers can also establish greater connections with their colleagues through games, while younger students can develop soft skills. Finally, expert gamers acquire long-term benefits on their visual attention, thanks to their experience.

Article written by Riley Jo