The Many Benefits of Gaming

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In our society today, entertainment revolves around technology. Video games are a mass media form of entertainment that are enjoyed by all ages. Genres of video games range from violent action to emotional romance—much like how movies are. However, the general public views video games as a distraction or even a waste of time. The consensus of this opinion mostly stems from the fact that video games can intrigue a person for long periods of time. Interestingly enough, the same can be said for other activities such as reading books or watching videos on YouTube. If one can learn things from a book, can't one also learn from video games as well? Besides being fun, some video games also provide practice in problem solving and logic as well as strategizing. Personally, I believe that all of the multiple, positive effects of video games outweigh the negative aspects that the general public conceives of when playing video games. Video games were first introduced to the public back in the early 1970s where the rebellious issues of Vietnam War was still raging on and fashion trends consisted of mini-skirts, bell-bottoms, and the infamous "hippie" look. During this era, the world's first successful commercial video arcade game titled "Pong" (this later became to be known as Ping-Pong) was released to arcades and bars everywhere. Pong was the first game developed by a company entitled Atari Inc (Hansen). Pong was a simple game that simulated a game of tennis. The founder of Atari Inc., Nolan Bushnell was just 29 years old when he started Atari in 1972. The success of Pong sparked the start of the video game industry and laid the groundwork for future video game developers and manufacturers. However, because this technology was new, there w... ... middle of paper ... ... Mar. 2014. "Egm Retro: 20 Years Of Nes." Electronic Gaming Monthly 196 (2005): 136. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 26 Feb. 2014. Granic, Isabela, Adam Lobel, and Rutger C. M. E. Engels. "The Benefits Of Playing Video Games." American Psychologist 69.1 (2014): 66-78. PsycARTICLES. Web. 2 Mar. 2014. "Mario Through The Ages." Forbes.Com (2012): 17. Business Source Complete. Web. 26 Feb. 2014. LIANE, HANSEN. "Pong: The Ping Heard 'Round The World." Weekend Edition Sunday (NPR) (n.d.): Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 26 Feb. 2014. Uttal, D. H., Meadow, N. G., Tipton, E., Hand, L. L., Alden, A. R., Warren, C., & Newcombe, N. S. (2013). The malleability of spatial skills: A meta-analysis of training studies. Psychological Bulletin, 139, 352–402. "Violent Video Games Cause Emotional Arousal In Teenagers." Neurology Reviews 15.1 (2007): 31. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Mar. 2014.

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