Video Games: A Cure or a Death Sentence?

If, like me, you had ranting and raving parents who looked down on those little virtual characters when you were younger, then join the club. Because, honestly, I can't tell you how many times I've heard things like, "Oh, your eyes'll go square if you play much longer," or, "You'll resort to a life of violence if you play that one!"

I guess, to be honest, our parents never really grew up on longed out gameplay and hundred-hour quest-lines. Instead, it was more ten-second Pong tournaments and quickfire rounds of Tetris. But as the age of gaming marched on, the ambitious developers sought new and exciting ways to entice the player to sacrificing even more of their time to the vast open worlds of endless opportunity and adventure.

As I grew up, I was often lost in these many worlds, all from the comfort of my bedroom, of course. And through my parent's eyes, that wasn't healthy at all. Because funnily enough, in their eyes, I was destined to go blind and become some sort of hoodlum due to shadowing a gangster on my third play through of Grand Theft Auto 3. But despite their best efforts of bringing me down from cloud nine, I never really shipped their advice much.

Even today, as the gaming universe is more unique and diverse than ever, people still often find reasons to slate the community like it's the reason for all the bad things in the world. Mass-murders, child obesity, personal hygiene; to name but a few. But when we stop for a moment to think about it, does it really all make sense? Is gaming really the reason behind some of these ludicrous stories?

We have to ask ourselves one tiny thing. And that is, does gaming REALLY save lives? And I don't mean that literally, as in if it were a life or death situation, a controller miraculously has the ability to redeem our evaporating souls. No, not like that at all. But more in the terms of saving our lives psychologically, perhaps.

It's a know fact for any gamer that once you boot up a game for the very first time you are instantly lifted and transported to a whole other world. That can often be the case for many individuals who only wish to be anywhere but reality. And at times, entering that new virtual world can be the only escape mechanism that bodes well with not only your frame of mind, but also your heart, too.

Gaming is a thing of beauty, it really is. Its embrace is something we cannot get from reality. And being able to delve into these new worlds is something no other form of entertainment can provide. As a kid, as an adult, as a pensioner, it really makes little difference in the end. Because once we cash in our chips and allow something to reel us in further, we soon enough come to realise that being hooked was worth it, no questions asked.

Sadly, those who have never once picked up a controller or even considered gaming for that matter, have often linked the global hobby to fictional issues that are commonly plastered on everyday headlines in the media.

'VIDEO GAMES LEAD TO OBESITY!'

'GAMING TURNS CHILD INTO SERIAL KILLER!'

So, perhaps there is a certain one-percent of people who resort to these stereotypes. But, take personal history, social life, and psychological state of mind into the works and you can quickly discard gaming as being the key factor for their outcome.

Gaming has been synched up with pessimistic views that have, over the years, been exaggerated by media sources. But that's not to say they've all been lies. There have indeed been occasional studies that have given evidence that could be considered a little more light-hearted. For example, did you know playing video games can improve your problem solving skills? No? Well, thanks to the media those hearty facts have been shoved aside in the hope kids would drop a controller and pick up a football.

Truthfully, there's nothing wrong with gaming. Not if you're able to balance between personal life and virtual life, that is. And by that, I mean being able to actually speak to a relative or spouse without letting the beckon from the game distract you.

Whilst I do agree that gaming should not hold a massive portion over our lives, I do not believe it has the ability to possess us entirely. And despite the fact a mixture of video games urge you to fork out countless hours of precious time just to reveal the nooks and crannies of the goody bag, I still don't think they can pull our strings effortlessly.

Gaming, in smaller doses, can hold an entire world of wonders. They can benefit us mentally, even physically, and prepare us for things we never even knew existed. They can assist in meeting new players from around the world and break the mould on any shy kids shell. And at the touch of a button, they can offer oceans of guidance and knowledge we'd never be able to get from a whole library of textbooks.

We can learn, we can play, we can enjoy the world at our fingertips. That's really what gaming is all about; the journey from the comfort of our own homes.

There's no need to pretend whilst enticed in a well-paced narrative. You only need to be the person you're playing. There's no stress about acceptance from a certain clique or end-term qualifying exams for a career you may not even want. It's just you and the game. Nothing else really matters.

Through the power of gaming we are able to become the fictional people we never expect to be in real-life. And that may sound incredibly geeky, but it's true. Take Comic Con for example. Now that's something that allows a whole cluster of gaming enthusiasts the power to strip off their nine-to-five attire and strap on a new face that hundreds of thousands of fans would cherish forevermore.

Conventions, tournaments, couch co-op, online multiplayer; they're all just as special as one another. And so long as the grounds are fair and the passion for the art is at the pinnacle of the reasons for playing to begin with, then there are no real reasons why gaming can't be a place to establish honest, long-term friendships.

Gaming brings millions of people together from around the world and can often draw new relationships or even allow families to bond more than ever before. As long as two people are willing to pitch in and make the effort, there will always be common ground in the beloved hobby.

So, can video games kill you? I guess, the answer to that is no. But, we still ask ourselves it from time to time. And that's okay. Because as human beings, it is in our nature to question our own frames of mind every now and then. Perhaps we've been playing an hour longer than we planned, and for that we begin to question whether it's destroying us from the inside out or not.

The vast majority of gamers are aware of what they're doing, and why they're doing it. There's no inner monologue persuading us to stay tuned, or cheeky devil on our shoulders screaming for us to shut out the outside world. Nothing like that, believe it or not.

Like I said; gaming, in smaller doses, can offer you a whole world of wonders. It's just learning when to switch off and hang up the pad that's the biggest issue. But once that's cracked and the balance is in place, there's nothing to say you'll meet your demise with a controller in your hands and a 'game over' plastered on your monitor.

Gaming does NOT kill. I can say that with confidence. But, I guess, it's not for me to say, really. Because there'll always be a pessimist who won't agree or a parent who thinks five more minutes is four minutes too long. So all I can do is leave this here in the hope some person will have a sudden change of heart towards video games.

They can inspire. They can teach. They can hold your hand through the darkest of days. But, if like many, you follow the headlines then I guess your mind might already be made up. All I can say is; don't believe everything you read.

Don't even believe this. Just pick up a controller and see for yourself the pros and cons of gaming. You never know, you might just be surprised after all.

—J Tury

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Thanks, guys.

—Jord