Remember those card games we used to play in our living rooms? There would be someone unbeatable in rummy, while another was the master of bluffs in Teen Patti. Even in ludo, personal skills come into play once the dice are rolled. Like all outdoor games, indoor games also require skills, albeit cerebral. But was skill development the only positive we got from games?
As the gaming industry grows, it is worthwhile to look at its contribution to the players’ lives. With millions of fantasy games and rummy app downloaded every year, new studies are emerging about their positive impact. An Oxford University study even noted positive mood changes among gamers!
The Goodness in Gaming
Researchers of the Oxford Internet Institute carried out a study in 39 countries with significant gaming popularity. Part of the University of Oxford, the researchers of the institute observed that gamers experienced a positive change in mood after playing the PowerWash Simulator game for 15 minutes. This was based on the experiences of nearly 8,700 gamers across over 67,000 gaming sessions. Out of the 162,325 in-game mood reports, 72% were found to be distinctly mood-enhancing.
In the Indian context, it can be surmised that the majority of Indian parents are at least assuming, if not aware, that gaming can have a positive impact on gamers. This is because 30% of gamers receive the active backing of their parents, while another 36% receive moderate encouragement from their parents. Only the remainder of the parents are not supportive of gaming at the moment. However, given the positive impact, this number may dwindle in the future. These findings were part of a survey co-conducted by Lenovo in India last year.
The Social Angle in Gaming
While entertainment remains the primary reason for gaming among players, socialising happens to be another big reason to play games in India. 60% of the gamers in the abovementioned Lenovo survey admitted that they are casual esports enthusiasts. They use gaming as a medium to play, connect and engage over this common ground.
Socialising has been a popular reason for gaming for a long time now. The common perception that gamers are lonely basement dwellers is far from the truth, popularised mostly by cinematic clichés. When massively multiplayer online role-playing games like World of Warcraft grew popular a decade ago, gamers thronged the venues of gaming events. This ranged from a dozen-player event to competitions involving several thousand players. These social events have now become a part of the gaming calendar. The social bonding encouraged by gaming has always remained.
Gaming as a Learning Aid
An astounding 89% of gamers in India are below the age of 24. Students account for 71% of the Indian gaming community. With children and adolescents expected to be a large section of this population, game developers need to keep their benefits in mind while unveiling a new game.
Studies have shown that certain games can improve the early reading skills of very young students. Many pre-schools and primary schools use simple games as a part of their educational activity. As they grow up, children often engage in more immersive games and apply skills and strategies. Young gamers process a lot of information while gaming, leading to distinct skill development in them.
Lifestyle Benefits
Video games are known to increase gamers’ brain processing power, focus and memory, as well as make them more goal-oriented. This is particularly true for gamers who are in their formative years. Gaming also helps the players to come to terms with the multi-tasking demands of the games.
Popular medical portal, WebMD, has observed that gaming can have a positive impact on mental health. By accomplishing the objectives and goals of the game, gamers get a sense of achievement and accomplishment. The portal further observed that while dealing with mental health issues like anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder, video gaming can have a positive influence.
Keeping it Positive
It is imperative to enjoy the benefits with discretion to keep the impact of gaming positive. For instance, it is generally regarded that playing strategic games can strengthen gamers’ problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
Similarly, it is always a good idea to spend playtime with friends. Online gaming communities are instrumental in connecting friends and people with common interests. This combines the stress-busting benefits of gaming with the joy of socialising.
Established gaming platforms like RummyCulture take active steps to keep the gaming experience positive. They set limits on fund deposits to keep their rummy-playing behaviour financially responsible. Many gaming platforms also have automated nudges in place that suggest gamers avoid prolonged gaming sessions.
The Greater Good
In an era where youngsters are showing signs of attention deficit due to prolonged exposure to snackable reels and shorts, gaming sessions can help them improve their focus. Good video games have multiple benefits, like increasing mental agility, improved strategic thinking, strengthened working memory, decision-making, problem-solving skills and so on. Enriching a game with these benefits would continue to remain a part of the game development process as well.