Assessing Gaming in UAE As A Hobby – Positive or Negative?

Even though we’re in the 21st century, the public perception towards modern hobbies like social media posting or gaming is still negative. Is gaming a fruitful hobby, or is it a ‘guilty pleasure’? Many adults who regularly play video games will claim the first. The negative connotation with gaming is mainly due to how games have been marketed and advertised in recent times. For an outsider, the video game industry is loud, violent, reckless, and esoteric.

Hence, many people are still unaware of how beneficial playing video games can be. Here’s a closer look at video games and their impact.

The Impact on the Gamer – What Skills Can They Learn?

People aiming to get into gaming in UAE must be aware of the skills they can garner from playing video games. Here are some direct effects that playing video games has on the gamer –

· A boost in Creativity – Even the most boring games in the world require players to apply some form of creativity. Thankfully, gamers have a wide selection of games to choose from. Choosing games with imaginative concepts can make gamers explore their creativity. For instance, games involving virtual escape rooms demand players to solve clues, follow each event in the game story, etc. These creative skills can be applied to real-life tasks.

· More Focus – The notion that attention spans get shorter with every generation is wrong. Yes, younger people do look for instant gratification, but that doesn’t mean they lack focus. While playing video games, youngsters are forced to learn and re-learn specific actions. Without focus, they cannot win.

· Real-Time Problem-Solving – Games introduce players to a variety of hypothetical scenarios. Here’s where their problem-solving skills are tested.

Be it applying logic to make a move, critically outthink an opponent, or deduce information from in-game clues – gamers learn from mistakes and apply new problem-solving techniques to achieve greater heights. In essence, video games offer the perfect low-stakes environment where youngsters can test their problem-solving skills.

· Physical and Mental Reflexes – Playing video games boosts thehand-eye coordination skills of the player. Apart from improvements in physical reflexes, gamers also experience enhanced mental reflexes. A recent study on strategy-based games proved that gamers who played strategy games developed a unique cognitive flexibility trait. This trait helps players improve their multi-tasking skills.

Psychological Impacts of Gaming

In a recent survey, 79% of the participants stated that gaming provided them with mental stimulation, relaxation, and stress relief. The survey questioned gamers of all ages, genders, and ethnicities. It’s undeniable that video games create positive psychological impacts. Some of them include –

· A trip back to childhood – Adults usually lose all their ‘playfulness’ once they start working or raising a family. Adults who game get to participate in spirited behavior.

· Stress Relief – For many gamers, playing video games is all about de-stressing. After a hard day’s work, there’s nothing better than a video game to test one’s creativity and imagination.

· Communication – Multiplayer online games offer players the perfect chance to take part in social groups.

· Great for Couples – Couples who game together, suffer less from boredom and loneliness.

· Introduction to Exercise – Many people are terrified of going to the gym. For such people, movement-oriented gaming devices are perfect. The mental stimulation that these video games offer is an excellent ‘reward’ to start working out.  

Social Impacts

Does playing video games make a player less social? Thanks to relentless negative coverage in the media, most people will say yes. But, they’re completely untrue. On average, gamers are more responsible, more involved in civil matters, and more empathetic to social issues.

· Modern-Day Video Games are Culturally Perceptive – There’s no room for any discrimination or hostile behavior in the immersive worlds found in games. All leading gaming development companies make sure that their games don’t contain a cultural misrepresentation, sexism, or any other form of social evil. These issues are positively explored in modern video games.  

· Contributing to Society – Multiplayer games have connected people from around the world. Similarly, the online gaming community is full of selfless people who help each other with free information. Be it discussing tactics or assisting players in succeeding in certain levels – online gaming communities are excellent sources of free information. Had the gaming industry been toxic or full of ‘loners,’ these communities wouldn’t be so successful.  

· A peek into the Future of Technology – Video game players are always seeking the latest interface designs, the latest in-game information sharing formats, etc. They are more aware of the technologies that are set to impact our lives for the next century than most people.

The future of technology will be full of AI chatbots, digital payment methods, etc. Apart from offering so many benefits, video games provide gamers with a chance to prepare for the future.