When it comes to video games, there are countless misconceptions that can be mentioned. This is mainly because of the fact that a lot of people do not really interact with games or gamers. They end up thinking what others say and this is easily a recipe for disaster.
While some gamers will seem as if they are only glued to the computer screen, the truth is that they are much more complex than many believe. Games are not actively harmful or socially isolating. With this in mind, let’s jump straight to the point and talk about the biggest video game misconceptions that you should never believe.
1. Video Games Make You More Violent
This is definitely the longest-running misconception about video games. The idea is that violent games make players aggressive when in a real world scenario. Obviously, this is an idea that is worrying many, especially since mass shootings are much more common than they should be.
While the media was so quick to suggest that video games are responsible for shootings and many other atrocities, studies were conducted and it was proven that this is not the case. Basically, current scientific evidence shows that there is just a very weak link between aggression and games, as it can be seen by a recent study published in Molecular Psychiatry.
Unfortunately, there are not enough studies published to show that video games do not cause violent behavior in the eyes of the media and the non-believers. However, the more time passes, the more will surely appear.
2. Video Gaming Is Addictive
The WHO (World Health Organization) included the term “gaming disorder” in the official diagnostic manual. This launched a huge debate among academics. There are scholars that say the diagnostic label can offer access to financial help and treatment for those that are experiencing harm as they play video games. Others decided that the decision was just premature and that there is not enough evidence to prove that gaming addiction is real.
We now have access to mixed studies and results. The big problem is how gaming addiction is considered to be a disorder based on the criteria regularly used for categorizing psychological disorders. The criteria do not apply with gaming addiction as it applies to other conditions.
Basically, there are situations in which people can become addicted to some games. However, this is not as serious as many believe and it is far less common than most other disorders. In fact, it is much more common to see people that are constantly interested in boost upgrades, like from e2p.com. this can cause people to spend a lot of money on in-game purchases but at the end of the day, everyone is free to do whatever he/she wants with personal funds.
3. Video Games Cause Social Isolation
The stereotypical gamer is a teenager that just sits alone in a room and plays video games. It is very easy to understand how this can be seen as being very unhealthy. The problem is that people that promote this misconception do not take into account the highly-social nature of modern games.
The best example that the idea of social isolation because of video games is fake is the story of Mats Steen. People thought that he was isolated and withdrawn since he was born with a very damaging disease that stopped him from having a regular life. As his family thought his life was horrible, after his death, it quickly became obvious that his life was very happy and it was lived online, in Blizzard’s World Of Warcraft. Mats was actually surrounded by friends. Many from the online world went to Norway to attend his funeral.
For many, playing video games offers a social experience that cannot be achieved through regular real world means.
4. Video Games Are Just A Waste Of Time
How many times did you hear people saying that teenagers should do something else than play video games because they are a waste of time? The problem with this notion is that only the individual can decide what is a waste of time and what is not.
For many, video games are art. Would you criticize someone for listening to his favorite music album or watching a favorite TV show? When such things are not seen as a waste of time, it can be seen as being hypocritical that video games are oftentimes mentioned as being a waste of time.
Video gaming is widely misunderstood and it is only personal perception that causes people to say this is wasted time. For gamers, playing a favorite game is never a waste of time, it is entertainment. There are games for gamers all around the world, all different kinds of games. On different languages and to play them in your native language you can use game translation company like Pangea. This will make it even better.
5. Video Gaming Is Just Entertainment
Speaking about entertainment, way too many think that playing video games is just entertainment. In reality, we now know that video games are being used for research purposes and for so many different purposes that go way beyond entertainment.
As an example, we can simply look at Sea Hero Quest. This is a game that is practically a virtual laboratory. The game is an experiment. The University College of London is using the data gathered by the game to understand many different things about the players.
There are countless examples of video gaming data being used to learn more about humans. How can we consider video games just entertainment when they are used to improve society and our understanding of others?
Final Thoughts
On the whole, video gaming is a highly subjective topic. Some people love it and some people cannot imagine themselves playing a game and “wasting” time on it. The truth is that when we look at everything with an objective approach, it quickly becomes obvious how many bad things are said about gamers and gaming.
Before you blindly think that something someone says about video games is true, look for the research that proves if this is the case or not. When this research does not exist, you simply cannot believe what is said. Video gaming keeps being proven as being beneficial for people. There is a very low possibility that things will change in the future.
