The Positive Link Between Video Games and Life Skills

As we get older, it’s easy to dismiss video games as nothing more than immature or a waste of time. But what if I told you that video games are not only fun well into your adult years, but can also build valuable life skills and improve your mental health?

A 2024 report by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) found that over 60% of all Americans play video games, with the average player age being 36 years old and having played more than 17 years. Yes Millennials and Gen X-ers, we grew up with a Nintendo, PlayStation, or Xbox controller in our hands and many of us still haven’t let go.

Video games have the power to teach us many important and positive life skills. From building confidence to overcoming adversity, games offer a fun environment that can provide tools for personal growth and healing.?

Here is a look at just a few examples:

Problem Solving

Not all video games are hack-and-slash-your-way-through-it (although those are fun too)! Many games provide thought-provoking puzzles or situations that require creative problem solving in order to move ahead. Game series like Baldur’s Gate, Portal, and The Legend of Zelda are great examples of experiences that require analyzing risk, logic and reasoning, and spatial logic in order to succeed.

Creativity

When we think of creativity and video games, Minecraft has got to be at the top of the list. As of October 2024, the best-selling game continues to pull 185+ million active monthly players. Simple blocks, at the hands of creative and skilled gamers, come together to form some of the most amazing landscapes and buildings you can imagine. Even party games like Jackbox encourage players to think outside the box and come up with imaginative answers to win over fellow players.

Teamwork

Cooperative (or co-op) games accounted for more than 46% of overall sales last year on Steam. Popular titles like Marvel Rivals, Path of Exile 2, Stardew Valley, and Overcooked 2 bring people together in a variety of environments ranging from competitive to cozy. Whether it’s friends or strangers online, video games teach us a variety of skills when it comes to collaborating and working together to accomplish a common goal.

Conflict Resolution

If you’ve ever played a competitive game online, especially with randoms, you know that conflict is inevitable. Even though you may be playing in a team-based environment like Valorant, Overwatch, or Counter-Strike 2, players can have a difficult time trusting one another and remaining calm. Navigating difficult situations and conversations while remaining positive yourself is an important life skill that translates well beyond the screen.

Goal Setting and Planning

Many popular games offer a competitive ranked mode like League of Legends, Fortnite, and Hearthstone. Reaching the highest rank puts you in the top 1% of millions of players but getting there is no easy feat and wanting it isn’t enough. It takes setting goals with actionable steps including hundreds of hours of learning, practicing, and playing to sit at the top of a game’s player base.

Mental Fortitude

The bar for video games and the level of difficulty continues to rise. Perhaps no game developer tests your mental fortitude more than the critically acclaimed FromSoftware Inc, with titles like Elden Ring, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and the Dark Souls series. They’re not the type of games that you can expect to breeze through. Dying is just part of the deal. Coming back to a certain boss or area several times (or sometimes, several dozen times) before beating it requires resilience, adaptability, and a positive mental attitude.

Social Skills

According to the ESA study, nearly 2/3 of adults who play video games say that they’ve found friendship online. Whether it’s an MMO (massively multiplayer online) game like World of Warcraft or an online co-op shooter like Helldivers 2, many games are just inherently more fun with friends. Studies have found that online friendships are just as meaningful as real-life friendships, and that those relationships are a crucial aspect of our health.?

Given all the positive aspects that video games can provide to your life, it’s no wonder that more people are playing games than ever before. With over 3 billion people gaming worldwide, players have consistently reported a noticeable increase in their mental health and an increase in their social circles.

What games have changed your life for the better? Comment below and share some of your favorites!

About the Author:

Gina Scarpa is a professional, award-winning female voiceover artist specializing in video games, commercial, and promo work. She has voiced characters in The Walking Dead, Fortnite, Genshin Impact, Stormgate, and many more. Gina voiced the 2023 trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom with Nintendo. You can also hear her in promos for card games and board games including Magic The Gathering, Unsolved Case Files, and Joke's On Who. Learn more about her work at ginascarpa.com.