My Top 7 Reasons to Pick Up That Controller

As a gamer, I know all too well the age-old question of “Why do you even play video games?” I typically just respond with a witty one-liner, turn-heel in my classic retro Vans, then move on with my day. Then I got to thinking, what if they are merely intrigued by the gamer world but have no base to start from. So, I wanted to share my top seven reasons for wanting to pick up that controller and game-on! 

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2. Stress Relief 
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Whenever I am feeling overwhelmed by work or just everyday life, I boot up my console and pick a game. For this, any genre will do and whether it is online or offline plays no part as well. By being able to grab up that controller and start playing, I’m able to forget about my stress and return to a more relaxed mental state. 

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3. Social Interaction 

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A lot of the time, especially these days, social interaction is hard to find time for. With a pandemic going on and most working from home or doing remote schooling, this has become even more of a struggle. Online interactive multi-player video games help connect you with like-minded gamers and builds friendships that, often, last a lifetime! 

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4. Creative Spark 

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With games available that give you the ability to build your own world from scratch, it is hard to imagine why you wouldn’t use them as a way to get out of a creative rut. Games offer you the room to do things from creating every single aspect of your character (facial construction, body build, hair style, etc.) to even customizing your own unique mode of transportation. Having options like these can spill over into real-world applications and rejuvenate the way you see things. 

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5. Exercise 

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With various available attachments that accompany exercise-based missions, video games can actually help encourage more physical activity. This gives you the opportunity to get up and get moving from the comfort of your own home. A much more relaxed, and fun, way to achieve physical fitness. 

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6. Brain Work-out 

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All video games are made up of different levels with some sort of mission-based steps needed to be done in order to move forward. These missions and levels are designed like complex puzzles often taking several hours to complete or solve. This helps to give your brain a fun and creative way to stay sharp and healthy. 

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7. Sense of Accomplishment 

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In a video game, you either win or you keep trying, learning from each mistake as you move forward until reaching your ultimate goal. Video games have you work towards their goals, treating each mistake as just another learning opportunity, not as a failure. Helping to instill a sense of accomplishment leading to a much better feeling of self-worth as well. 

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8. Better Hand/Wrist Movement 

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Being a blogger and a gamer means I use a lot of hand and wrist movement in every aspect of my daily routine. Any controller-based game is great for hand strengthening and gaining better control over any hand and wrist usage. A plus for anyone who may work in a field that requires strenuous usage of hands/wrists and even stroke victims! 

In conclusion, there is way more to video games than just simply playing them to “waste time” or “lose yourself”. Being a gamer entails so much more than that and shouldn’t be so frowned upon. Hopefully, I have been able to shed a more positive and personalized light onto this and help to change this negative perspective!