But.. why do you play video games at all?

I think that Video games are incredibly important to people and their development in life. They can help the growth of imagination which is important for a lot of children and adults too. I personally use games just for fun, to waste time. I always have and always will, but games can be an escape to some people, a livelihood for others and an important stage in life too.

 

I do it for the lulz. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 

I agree with this whole heartedly.

Several scientific studies have shown a massive increase in children's hand-eye coordination in recent years as game have further developed. These children also proved to handle themselves better in hectic situations such as robbery, accidents, etc. Not only that, but some games have even improved the overall health and activity level for children. For example, some schools have added a Dance Dance Revolution gaming machine into their P.E. classes for promotion of good health and weight loss. Over all, games are becoming important in the mental development of children and even adults. Senior citizens are improving their accuracy now thanks to games on the Nintendo DS.


My interest in games sparked when I was super young, around the age of three years old. My family has always recorded every Christmas that we have had, and we have recorded my first time ever playing a game; a Mario game on the original Gray Brick of a Gameboy. It was originally purchased for my dad, however he gave the Gameboy to my brother and I to share (though we were terrible at sharing haha.) But my family always took notice to my hobby of playing games and as I grew up, they always got me the newest consoles as they came out.

So why do I play them?
Because they are fun and enjoyable.

 

Games are near and dear to me because since I have a physical disability, they allow me to do things I am not able to do or would have great difficulty doing in real life--like running, jumping, dancing, driving, flying, skateboarding, and more.

They can teach observation skill, critical thinking, and problem solving too.

 

Video games are hardly pointless. Besides providing entertainment, they can have a positive impact on one's life, as has been said. I'm reminded of this one comic where a kid is humiliated by his parents, teachers, etc. He plays Legend of Zelda, and upon completing it the game says, "You're awesome!" or something along those lines, which makes the kid smile. It may sound ridiculous, but when video games praise their players for accomplishing a certain task, it can make the player feel better about themselves. Gaming can also increase hand-eye coordination, it can be used to educate students in various subjects, etc. I wrote a research essay about the positive/negative effects video gaming has on people, and found that there was a teacher who used Mario to teach physics, another teacher who used World of Warcraft to teach people different languages, and one who used Half Life to teach about management or something like that. It's absolutely amazing what video games can do for us.

 

Video games are more important to people than others think. There's so much that goes into video games that it's incredible.
I think Video games are more of an expression, where tons of creators put their creativity into something unique, whether it's the soundtrack or the storyline. I love to just get inspired by these creators and try to feel the emotion into each soundtrack.
Then, there's all that lore you learn that's probably based off actual myths and happenings irl. I personally love learning all the lore because of how fascinating it really is with all the diverse culture around us.

For the most part, I just play games to pass the time, but when a storyline pulls me in, it just makes it all the better.

There's so much to videogames that I love, and I can't imagine not playing video games since it introduced me to so many different emotions and knowledge.

 

Video games are a great way for me to escape reality and pretend to be someone else. I can do whatever I want, without having to face the real-life consequences of it. Besides of that, everything is possible in video games! Things you would otherwise never be able to do are now possible! Video games are great, and they allow an almost infinite amount of possibilities. I don't even want to think about how terrible my life would be without them...

 

I think the worth of a game - and for me, the purpose of playing a game - really depends on which game we're talking about.
For example, here's a copy of Fire Emblem: Awakening, a copy of Pokémon Omega Ruby, and a copy of... Team Fortress 2, maybe, even though it typically doesn't come in physical copies anymore.

FE:A is a story-focused strategy game. I think it's worthwhile to play because, first, it makes you think a lot about what you're going to do when and what your enemies will do, and second, it tells a story that's driven by a large cast of endearing characters - characters which change the story slightly every time you play (e.g. who dies and who marries whom). My purpose in playing it is... well, the same reason we read books or watch movies, I guess. It just so happens that this form of storytelling is interactive.

Pokémon is more complicated. I would talk about what it was before and after Gen V, but honestly my experiences with Pearl were so long ago and are so thoroughly steeped in nostalgia that I can't really give it accurate consideration. After Black and White, however (which had a great story, by the way), I feel like the games lost a lot of their worth as, well, games. This is because, simply put, the new titles are much easier. Gen V, while it bore Ghetsis' infamous Hydreigon, also introduced a revised experience point system which made a lot more sense to me - it prevented overleveling while giving satisfying exp. yields when your Pokémon defeated others of around their own levels. In X&Y we got the horrible, game-breaking Experience Share (which is good for, say, clearing AS to get Thundurus as quickly as possible... which I need to be working on instead of playing FE...), a decidedly linear region and story, and a free Mega Lucario (and Mega Blaziken if you got the event Torchic and actually used it). Considering Pokémon's AI was never the brightest (which before now was probably a good thing), everything is a cake walk - until you get to the Battle Maison and start encountering teams that are somehow designed specifically to counter yours. The game is exceedingly casual in nature and then it starts downright cheating.
However, the multiplayer aspect, though often heavily affected by luck, is something I really think is worth pursuing if you like the game. The community (at least for VGC; I can't vouch for Smogon) is friendly and the game is challenging. Again, the name of the game is strategy, so you have to think - possibly too much, if we take teambuilding into account. I play to interact with the community and try to get some skills. I can always use more skills...

TF2 is a first-person shooter that I've been getting less and less interested in after playing it for over a thousand hours. Like with Pokémon, I think if you get into the competitive aspect it's worth it - though I have to wonder how much thought action-focused games really require beyond quickly evaluating situations (which is a valuable skill) - but otherwise it just becomes the hat simulator everyone jokes about it being. Still fun to play with friends, though. But really, I feel like now - and probably a while ago - it's just a waste of time for me.
But on the other hand, it's still complex with its nine different classes and its rocket jumping and its humans-versus-robots co-op mode and whatnot. And FPS games require hand-eye coordination - and a mouse sensitivity you're comfortable with. Somehow I got a really low sensitivity on it and now I'm always turning down the sensitivity on other games. xD
I play(ed) it because it's fun and there are fancy hats. I want to say it was my first FPS, too, so there's that.

The funny part about all this is that I really don't play strategy games outside of Pokémon and suddenly Fire Emblem, so this is rather hypocritical. But this is something I've been wrinkling my brow over for a while, since playing video games hasn't made catching thrown objects easier (still can barely do it) and I've always worried about my critical thinking abilities. I feel that the latter would have been better if I'd spent more time on strategy... though spending more time doing math certainly hasn't helped, so who knows?

Also, another word on one's purpose in playing video games: I think escapism is both a valid reason and a very dangerous one. On the one hand, games are great for taking your mind off things and letting you put on a different pair of shoes, but on the other hand fantasy worlds can only help you so much. There are many more substantial coping mechanisms/methods of disengagement - and there always comes a point where you have to take up your sword and face your fears, your problems and your circumstances.

This has been an uncharacteristically long and unpolished post. Happy new year, everybody... and good night.

 

My parents think that video games are way different than movies. Well, they are kind of correct. Video games are probably better for you than a movie. Video games allow you to interact with other people while movies do you not offer you that sort of chance. Furthermore, Video games give you a whole lot more hours of gameplay than movies give you watchtime.

I have always like Video Games more than movies and it will always be that way. I love the different storylines and worlds and play styles and puzzles... video games are so different.

My biggest problem is how a lot of first person shooters are. I'm not hating on first person shooters, I just think that we need to branch out from the kind of shooters that we get most of the time.

Also, video games help pass the time. Good enough reason by itself imo.

 

Video games, if you ask me, are not only a great way to give you entertainment, but they are also a great way to escape from the real world if I'm feeling blue, or if I need some me time. Plus, they can also be a way to fuel your life: if you create games, you can make some nice money from the games you make.