Why I enjoy playing video games

I started playing video games when I was at a young age, playing Super Mario on my dad's Game boy, which then developed into my parents buying me and my brothers a PlayStation for Christmas where I started playing on games like Metal Gear Solid (which subsequently is my favourite game ever) and Super Mario on my Uncle's SNES.

I now own an Xbox 360, as well as a PS3 and an Xbox One and have owned at some point or another, something like 100 games over the 6 or 7 years that I've had it. I still own around 25-30 games, most of which are sitting in the top drawer of my bedroom not being played, but I still enjoy getting them out and playing on them every once in a while. It also helps me when I need to relax.

There are a few different reasons why I play video games, mainly because I find it relaxing and it helps me take my mind of things for a while. I also play video games because it is a good way for me to socialise with my friends and be able to share experiences with them.

I also enjoy playing video games because I am able to think clearer about things after I play on them, it also helps me be more efficient whilst working if I take a break for 5 or so minutes to play a game on my phone. When I work at home writing blogs, I ensure that I have an hour or so playing video games to ensure that I am able to focus on what I'm writing about.

As most of you probably know, the majority of my generation (people in and around their early 20s) are perceived to be massive gamers who just spend all their free time playing video games, whether that's Call of Duty on the Xbox, or World of Warcraft on the PC and just generally sit up all night wasting our time. Whilst this is true to some of us, most of us just do it occasionally whilst still living normal lives and being able to socialise with the wider community.

But even though a lot of the older generations frown upon us playing games, it can actually be productive to play games, as said in one of my earlier hubs. It can also be beneficial in a social sense because if you play on games online, then you are able to communicate with people who share a similar interest to you, assuming that you have headphones and a microphone.

Another common misconception of people who play video games is that we are all automatically going to copy what we see on our TVs whilst we are playing these games. I play Metal Gear Solid and Call of Duty on a regular basis and I have no urges to go around shooting people because of it, as people who have met me know, I am a calm guy who wouldn't hurt a fly.

The major benefit I've found from playing video games is the way I have increased awareness of the spacial area around me. I have also been able to think more logically and be able to make things work more efficiently.

I have also become more social because of my playing video games. This is because I have been able to communicate with people who have similar interests to me whilst pursuing those interests. I have also found that playing games on the go has been a great way to cure boredom if you're on a long journey on the train, bus or plane.

Another thing you may not have known is that the UK is one of the largest developers of video games in the world and have developed some of the great games like Red Dead Redemption and Midnight Club.

The main benefit I have found that my confidence has grown in the last few years since I have been playing online and be able to communicate with people whilst playing on them because I was able to use that in my normal day to day life. I have also found confidence when approaching employers about possible jobs and I have generally found success with it. I have also used the confidence I have gained from video games when I volunteer because I have been using the creativity and confidence to help improve shop sales and raise money by fundraising.

Also, Grand Theft Auto 5, the latest installment of the gaming franchise, made $1 Billion in the first 3 days of sales, which is a new world record for anything in the entertainment industry, including feature films.

As there are positives, there are generally negatives. There are a few negatives with playing video games and they are:

1. They can make children become unsociable and stay inside all day
2. It can make them lazy, especially if they have major exams coming up
3. If played for long enough, playing video games can mess up your eyesight

Along with many more reasons, video games can have potentially harmful affects when kids play them without correct supervision. Also, if children play games that are too old for them, for example if a child of about 10 plays Call of Duty, then they may start to pick up bad habits like swearing and could possibly start showing a violent disposition, even though studies have shown that this isn't necessarily true.

In my opinion, I think video games can be really beneficial for younger kinds because studies have shown that kids who play video games have shown more creativity in tasks such as drawing or writing stories. Research has also shown that gamers are better at noticing smaller details than non-gamers, as well as improved concentration and attention. I have noticed that playing video games has helped improve my concentration and be able to complete more important tasks around the home as a result.

I have found personally that playing games like the Sims or Minecraft has helped me when it comes to doing creative things and be able to notice how different things go together well.

I feel that after showing the pros and cons to gaming, it shows that playing video games and gamers in general are unfairly stigmatised by the rest of society.

From personal experience, I have found that playing certain games has helped me improve my hand-eye coordination as well as other motor skills. I have also found from my own personal experiences that playing on certain games, whether it be Call of Duty, Gears of War or Minecraft, have helped me improve my logical thinking because of the different problems that can arise on each of the games. Playing on Minecraft has also helped me become more creative by being able to build a variety of different buildings and being able to design them in a way that I see fit.