The Effects of Video Games Essay Essays - Entertainment, Software

The Effects of Video Games Essay Video games have come under fire recently. Many people claim the graphic violence and adult themes in the games have affected younger generations and caused many violent acts. Others claim that video games have contributed to obesity and a lack of communication skills. Both of these claims are most often an older generation's misunderstanding of today's youth and the overreaction of the media. Rarely does the mainstream media portray video games for what they really are, a new way for kids to interact and share meaningful experiences all without being in any danger. Video games have endless possibilities and should be thought of as tools to teach the youth rather than the cancer that ravages them. Although many people see video games as a problem, they are actually a positive force because they have infinite possibilities for good. Video games and its effects on adolescents and responsibility of parents is a topic that is widely debated whether it's the parent's responsibility or the game industry should be regulated. The video games industry itself has been available to consume for only about the last 30 years. With that being said the topic is still rather new in terms of its effects but its effects on children can currently be measured. The industry is very unique in terms of entertainment because players are transported into the game its self essentially becoming part of the script. Though many people see the negatives in playing video games there are positives. A recently published meta-analysis by Attal in 2013 concluded that the spatial skills improvements that resulted from playing video games that incorporated elements of shooting have the equivalence of the effects of high school and university-level courses targeted at improving these same skills. With that benefit could some high school level courses be altered? How will this change the classroom atmosphere? Even with games such as Sims 3 the players must build a "virtual" life for themselves from the ground up. Essentially the avatar or virtual character has to socialize, learn new skills to obtain a job and acquire a better home along with finding a husband, wife, and friends and have possible kids. Even though this is a virtual world it still builds on social skills as well as becoming a common interest to kids outside the game (helps build actual friendships). According to a study done by Adachi and Willoughby in 2013 it showed that the more kids that played games such as the Sims i.e. (role- playing games) the more improvements the children had in problem s... Video games have become one of the most popular pastimes for kids these days. With the advent of powerful graphics processors and more innovative chip designs, games are becoming incredibly realistic. This realism is what brings many gamers to the industry. Realism, in a sense, is why the gaming industry has taken off and increases profits every year. Video games are not just a fun hobby or pastime, they are way for gamers to escape the world and imagine themselves in an entirely new landscape. Video games are dreams with controllers. While driving through a racetrack in a video game, one doesn't feel as if they are sitting in front of a TV playing a game, they feel as if they are the car. This is a hard phenomenon to explain but video games are such a global activity inside the brain that the user actually feels as if he is in the game living the experience.