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As the internet becomes more accessible to many people, online games are also gaining popularity. People play these games on their desktops, laptops, or smartphones to have fun and interact with others online.
Multiplayer games are no longer limited to local area network (LAN) parties. Now you may play online games on your laptops or smartphones even while on the go by connecting to stable internet and reliable WiFi access points.
Online games may be a recreational activity for all ages. Children may play educational games while teens and young adults engage in adventure games with other online players. Meanwhile, adults may interest themselves in online entertainment betting.
But aside from recreation, what other benefits does online gaming have, especially among children? This article discusses online gaming and the six ways online gaming may be beneficial to young people.
What Is Online Gaming?
Online games are any video game that can be played over the internet and, in most cases, allow you to interact with other players online.
The level of player-to-player interaction may vary among different online games. For this reason, parents need to look out for the amount of information shared and the number of people interacting with their children.
Young people playing online games may interact with many kinds of people, most of them strangers. This situation opens up many scenarios that parents need to be aware of, such as the following:
- Children may play and chat with other people worldwide. This scenario exposes young people to different languages and cultures but may also subject them to bullying and offensive language.
- Strangers may hide their identity easily. In many cases, players may hide behind an alias or a picture other than their names or faces.
While you may use this action to protect your identity, others may use this feature to trick people into giving personal information.
- Developing various tactics to win – Forming strategies and tactics to defeat opponents and achieve objectives is valid in online games.
However, these actions may also lead to questionable acts like cheating, bullying, or forming underhanded tactics to “game the system.”
How Does Online Gaming Benefit Young People?
Although playing online games may seem like a fun and entertaining activity to pass the time, there may also be benefits if this activity is done in moderation.
Enhances Memory
Many online games today require some level of problem-solving skills to win. Some of the problems may even contain information that needs memorization to be solved.
For example, some games may have puzzles or patterns to be solved to access the next level or fulfill some objectives.
Other games may allow you to assign keyboard shortcuts to activate some in-game skills. You may need to memorize where those shortcuts are located on your keyboard so you can use those skills quicker.
Games may also enhance your brain’s speed in processing information and making decisions. Some online games may be fast-paced, so quick decision-making may be required.
Develops Learning Skills
Some games may help improve reading and comprehension skills. For young people, especially children, this benefit may help them learn and understand their environment better and at an early age.
One effective way for young people to learn is through storytelling. Some online games have a storytelling element that may inspire children to develop their creative skills and grasp their world better.
Online games may also help develop strategic and analytical skills. These competencies may be helpful in-game and in the real world for tasks like assessing risks and rewards and adapting to changes.
Strategic and analytical skills may also help you become more capable of multitasking.
Online gamers often deal with multiple tasks at once. For example, you may be trying to defeat an enemy while allocating resources and picking out weapons.
In the real world, multitasking may help you do multiple tasks efficiently and in a short time. Some examples include doing several school assignments while budgeting money for food and bills.
Improves Social Interaction
Many online games allow you to interact with other gamers. You may talk or chat with them and form groups or communities of similar interests.
For people having difficulties interacting with others, online games may allow them to express themselves confidently and discover new things through other individuals.
You may have some topics or interests in mind that you may not be comfortable discussing with others face-to-face. You may find people willing to listen to your interests and even talk about their own through online gaming.
Promotes Teamwork
Several online games, especially those known as massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), may encourage cooperation and teamwork among players.
These games may have tasks or objectives requiring two or more people to accomplish. For example, a quest or mission to collect several materials may be done faster when more players participate.
This benefit may translate to closer cooperation with classmates or coworkers in the real world, especially in class or team projects.
Builds Confidence
When players succeed in achieving objectives or take on roles that utilize their skills in a team, they may become motivated to take on more challenging tasks and responsibilities.
When children interact with other players who share the same interests, they may feel safer, confident, and comfortable expressing themselves.
Creates an Environment for Deeper Thinking
Forming strategies and developing tactics are some of the complex actions players make in online games. These steps require a deeper understanding of how the game works to fully utilize the in-game tools and achieve the players’ objectives.
In real-world applications, deeper thinking allows young people to analyze complex topics such as higher-level mathematics or advanced science concepts.
In other words, when online games are appropriately utilized, players may apply their in-game experiences to the real world, like academics or career goals.
Conclusion
Some people may consider online games as a recreational pastime with little or no productive value.
However, others may see online gaming as a way to improve themselves and reduce stress. Children may consider online games as tools for learning and growth.
Despite the benefits, parents must be aware of the other effects online gaming has on their children. For example, there may be in-game features like violence or inappropriate language that may not suit certain ages.
For parents, consider reviewing an online game first before allowing your child to play it. Online games often come with an Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating so you can make informed choices on what games are a good fit for your child.
